The word “reactive” implies that you don’t have the initiative. You let the events set the agenda. You’re tossed and turned, so to speak, by the tides of life. Each new wave catches you by surprise. Huffing and puffing, you scramble to react to it in order to just stay afloat.
In contrast, the image we associate with “proactive” is one of grace under stress. To stay with the previous analogy, let’s say you’re in choppy waters. Now, you look more at ease. It’s not just that you anticipate the waves. You’re in tune with them. You’re not desperately trying to escape them; you’re dancing with them.
It would be great to dance with the rhythm of life, using the ebb and flow of events as a source of energy. But is this only possible to those people who are endowed with a proactive attitude (or, maybe, a “proactive gene”)?
I believe that being proactive is not a mysterious quality that we have, or don’t have. It is a way of dealing with things, that we can develop and strengthen.
So how does this apply to retirement planning, you ask? EVERYTHING. So many times I meet with a retiree that is 'reactive', meaning they only make their retirement planning decisions based on past events - and then try their best to react to them.
Why is this? Because typically that is how their advice is coming to them from their current adviser: reacting to past events, thinking the future can be controlled.
Why do this? Being reactive is saying "I am at the mercy of my surroundings", while being proactive is saying "I control my own destiny."
At Income For Life, my team takes the proactive approach. We do not sit around and hope that good things will happen - we make it happen so your retirement destiny is YOURS.
Matt Nelson, president
Income For Life LLC
877.282.8929 toll free
www.IncomeForLife.org
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