Habits are easy things to get into – the good, the bad and the ugly. For all of us in these difficult economic times, one particularly critical habit to embrace is “proactivity.”

Proactivity is the power, freedom and ability to choose the way we respond to whatever happens – around us and to us - based on our values. As we make these choices, we can be a thermostat or a thermometer.

As a thermostat, our choice can either raise or lower the temperature of the situation. As a thermometer, our response simply reflects the temperament of those around us or the current environment.

To better understand how all of this works, it’s important to know that whatever happens to us or around us usually falls into two distinct categories:

• Our inner circle of influence - those things that we can affect by choices, either directly or indirectly.
• Our outer circle of concern - those things that are totally out of our control, such as economic conditions, company downsizing and management changes.

To be consistently successful, our goal must be to focus on the inner circle of influence – things that are in our control, such as our goals, our relationships, interactions with others, our personal growth, our educational growth and our networking. When we do this, our sphere of influence grows and we influence others in a positive way.

As proactive people, as we make choices about how to respond, we must focus our energies on the inner circle of influence.

Carol is a consultant in a mid-size city. Last year, she found herself busy working with most of the companies in her town. When a few new corporations came to her city, competition hit and her business began slowing down.

Being proactive, Carol joined the local chamber of commerce, got more involved in community activities and networked heavily. By focusing her energy on her inner circle of influence, she was able to make a critical difference and her business has picked up.

When we allow the outer circle of concern to control us, we have a tendency to blame others to justify ourselves. The result? We become REACTIVE to factors like the economy and lean times.

A better approach is to use our positive attitude, actions and strategies to achieve our goals, despite skittish markets or economic slides.

Working within the inner circle of influence causes it to become “user friendly” and to grow. In other words, when we focus on factors we can control or influence - and gain mastery over them - we gain the ability to shape our future success.

Bottom line: If each of us begins by concentrating on our personal inner circle of influence, we will be able to positively affect our future…and the results of our efforts.