Proactive vs. Reactive Initiative

As I work with college students, one of the recurring issues I tend to deal with is initiative. As much as I may love an individual, I’ve discovered I can’t do much to develop a young adult who has little or no initiative. I’m just not built to be a hand-holder (some are, and thank God for them). For me, proper stewardship of my life dictates that I can help direct a moving vehicle, but I need to stay away from attempting to steer parked cars.

But even among those with initiative, I’ve found there is a nuanced difference in the type of initiative they show:

Reactive initiative happens when you realize there is something you want, or need, and you change course to take care of it on the spot. Someone showing reactive initiative may be driving along and see a person in a parking lot with whom they have been wanting to connect, so they make an instant decision to adjust their schedule, whip a U-Turn, park and jump out of the car to have a 10 minute conversation.

If that seems like a no-brainer to you, then you have at least some level of initiative. Many people would notice the person and just keep driving while making a mental note to email or call that person later (and then forget about it in 5 minutes.)

Proactive initiative, however, happens when that person knows they want to connect with an individual, and therefore writes it down on his or her to-do list and then takes time to set up a lunch appointment.

I’m not saying reactive initiative is always a bad thing—most of us react to things occasionally. But I do think the total lack of proactive initiative is something with which to be very concerned, because it usually implies a lack of discipline.

And while initiative is really important for a leader, discipline is non-negotiable. I work with a lot of twentysomethings who are self-motivated and highly creative, but without learning discipline they will never realize their full potential.

I have a little test I do with many of the students in my life (I’m giving away secrets now!): I get quite a few requests for discipleship meetings, and I often answer those requests by saying that I do my devotions at a particular Starbucks at 6:30 on a certain morning, and that they are welcome to join me—and then I never remind them.

While many take up that challenge and set themselves to be there, I’m always amazed at those who do not. No matter how much they protest that they really want to get together with me, they just can’t bring themselves to remember the time, or to pull themselves out of bed that early.

In a slightly different variation, when some see me at a service they try to set an appointment then and there. I always ask them to email or call me later in the week. I don’t do this because I can’t figure out my schedule when they ask, but I’m challenging them to develop a life of proactive initiative as opposed to simply reactive initiative. I get maybe 50% (at most) who follow through.

Initiative is good, but much like intention it must be driven by the engine of discipline, or it will produce very little impact in or through a person’s life.