Top o’ the Mornin’ to Ya!
TLDR: Being proactive as a Kingdom Family Leader means taking care of things before they’re needed – from budgeting for repairs to preparing your family and team for what’s ahead – creating peace, continuity, and confidence in your leadership approach.
It’s a beautiful warm day today – even in the sixties this morning! We’re going to try and launch the boat today, which requires a lot of proactive preparation. We’re in the middle of our series on The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, focusing on the first three internal habits. Today we’re talking about Habit One: Be Proactive.
What?
You being here watching this probably means you’re already proactive and don’t need this message. But I like hearing messages I don’t need because the deliverer always provides something beneficial that I didn’t think of, didn’t know about, or presents with a different perspective that helps me learn something new.
Being proactive today for me means calling ahead, getting all the boat parts we need, getting safety equipment on the boat, getting the trailer checked, and scheduling the Coast Guard safety inspection. Lake Superior is a big place, so thinking ahead and being proactive is essential.
When I was running my digital agency, we were proactive with our customers. We delivered what they wanted – a website to market themselves and their message. But we also delivered what they needed: weekly updates, monthly maintenance, nightly backups, and security measures they didn’t even know they needed.
Why?
We told clients that websites get hacked – it just happens, especially at the five and ten dollar hosting level where you don’t have redundancy and systems for no downtime. Our proactivity minimized downtime and kept things running smoothly.
My sister missed my brother’s wedding party because her oil was never changed and her car wouldn’t go. That was the opposite of being proactive.
Being proactive means changing your oil regularly. In financial terms, it’s setting up sinking funds in your budget – setting aside money every month for periodic expenses like property taxes, insurance payments, and maintenance needs.
Lesson
A highly effective leader is proactive. We tell our family and team members what to expect, what the plans are, and where we’re heading in the future. We set aside emergency funds, budget for car repairs, house repairs, new roofs, water heaters – everything we can anticipate.
Being proactive gives a level of peace, continuity, and confidence to approach life with as Kingdom Family Leaders. Some might say this lacks faith because you’re preparing for everything, but you can’t prepare for everything. However, we try to be prepared as highly effective leaders.
Apply
What is one area where you need to add proactivity into your routine, your plan, or your schedule? Maybe I gave you an idea of an area to be proactive in.
Think about the areas of your life where you’re currently reactive instead of proactive. Are you waiting for problems to happen, or are you preparing for predictable challenges? Whether it’s financial planning, home maintenance, relationship communication, or spiritual disciplines – where could you shift from reactive to proactive?
Share your thoughts in the Doobly Doo below. Give me some new ideas of where to be proactive so I can learn from you too!
You be blessed!
Habit 1: Be Proactive – The Foundation of Kingdom Leadership
