I talk a lot about being proactive—it’s something I naturally gravitate towards and encourage in the people I work with. But the word itself can feel a bit like jargon, can’t it? Something people throw around in meetings or slap onto job descriptions. So I wanted to take a step back and unpack what being proactive actually means in practice, especially when you’re running a small business, spinning plates, and constantly solving problems.
At its core, being proactive is about taking charge. It’s the difference between firefighting and fire prevention. It’s anticipating what’s likely to happen and making thoughtful decisions before you’re forced into reactive mode. And let’s be honest—when you’re reactive, the situation usually dictates your choices, not the other way around.
The Real-Life Version of Proactivity
Proactivity doesn’t always look bold or dramatic. Sometimes, it’s me quietly checking in with a client before they chase you for something. Or it’s spotting that your to-do list is constantly bloated, and deciding it’s time to delegate or automate a task. It can be as small as noticing that a tool you’re using keeps glitching and starting to research alternatives before it goes completely bonkers during a launch.
I often think of being proactive as a muscle—one I’ve had to strengthen over time. It takes effort at first, especially when you’re used to putting out fires all day. But once it becomes part of your working rhythm, it saves a huge amount of time, stress, and energy in the long run. It gives you space to think, to plan, and to actually enjoy the work rather than constantly scrambling behind it.
How Proactivity Shows Up in My Work
Because of the nature of what I do—supporting business owners with tech, operations, and systems—I’m always looking for what’s around the corner. If I can foresee an issue with a client’s setup, I raise it before it becomes urgent. If I know a deadline is approaching, I’ll check in before I’m asked. Not because I want to be seen as “on it” (though, let’s be real, I do), but because I’ve seen the difference it makes to their stress levels—and mine.
I also apply this mindset to how I run my own business. I regularly audit my processes, tech, and time usage—not because anything is broken, but because I know how quickly things can change. What worked six months ago might not work now. That doesn’t mean I overhaul everything all the time, but I like to keep an eye out for the tweaks that make things smoother. It’s a mindset of gentle curiosity and continuous improvement, not constant churn.
Proactive Does Not Mean Perfect
One thing I want to stress: being proactive isn’t about being perfect or predicting the future with magical accuracy. It’s not about rigid planning, or trying to control every outcome. Life and business don’t work like that. Things still go sideways. Tech still fails. Clients still change their minds. But when you’ve built a proactive foundation—when you’ve done the prep, considered your options, and given yourself some breathing room—you’re in a much better place to handle whatever comes next.
It’s the difference between scrambling to fix something in a panic and calmly adjusting your sails because you knew the wind might change.
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