No question the economic cycle we have been through has shaken things up. We have had to toil through a few life-changing years. Ten years prior, most of us had plenty of business as there were more clients than we could even handle. Every discipline from lawyers to insurance brokers saw huge increases of professionals within their ranks. Today, we continue to have too many professionals chasing a much smaller pool of potential clients.

Whether or not you get left behind is going to depend on you and your attitude. It does not matter if you are a “seasoned” professional or in the early stages of your career. Some have already resigned themselves that this is larger than they can handle. They will hang on as long as someone pays them. Others have decided to see this as an opportunity to take advantage of a period of disruption. They are building their stable of clients by finding a way to combine out of the box thinking with hard work to make it happen. As a result, they are increasing their income and making themselves indispensable to their firms.

Steven Covey, the well know author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People suggests that our basic nature is to act not be acted upon. He feels that we choose our responses to circumstances which empower us to create our own circumstances. Those who are reactive, wait to be acted upon. Because of a lack of faith in themselves, external events shape their poor self-image. They tend to wait for something to happen or someone who will take care of them. In years past, because everything was so good, they were able to stay in the game and ride the wave of prosperity. Unfortunately, today they are the ones who are being left behind in this “new normal”. Being proactive is about taking initiative. It is recognizing that you must take responsibility for your life and make things happen that will give you the life that you want.

Being proactive is all about making choices, taking initiative and having determination. Here Are 10 key areas that will tell you if you are being proactive:

1.       It starts with a great attitude and believing in you! No matter what the economy throws at you, you are rock solid in your faith in yourself and your abilities.

2.      You understand that you are a “business” and that for your business to grow and prosper you must provide the right leadership and create value for others.

3.      You pay as much attention to your personal life as your business life because you know that if you are happy personally, it comes across in the results you get professionally.

4.      You understand the importance of your technical skills. You are continually updating those skills to make sure that you are current and relevant to provide the best service you can to your clients.

5.      You are very clear about what your business will produce. You have a plan that identifies the income, revenue and the type of clients that you want. Nothing is left to chance.

6.      You understand the importance of establishing and managing a relationship system that makes your competition irrelevant and will give you a high probability of getting the referrals you want to meet your business objectives.

7.      You consistently execute the little things daily that will not interfere with your providing great service to your clients but will enable you to reach your goals.

8.      If you are part of a firm/business, you acknowledge the importance of being a team player and doing your part to make sure that your firm is successful.

9.      You have a branding strategy in place that differentiates you from the rest of the thundering herd that does what you do. You stand out in a crowded marketplace.

10. You work with like-minded people because you know that by sharing in the tasks, you can multiply your successes together.

Proactive people know that the world owes them nothing and that what they achieve must be earned. The great Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi said that “winning is a habit”. In order to make winning in the game of life a habit for you take positive little steps each day. The little steps make big things happen for you. Covey believes that a habit is knowing what to do, how to do it and then having the desire and motivation to see it through.

You have the ability to choose your response to the “new normal”. What is it? By acting now and providing the leadership to create the life you want, this economy or any other external event will not stop you from achieving your goals!