Initiative

Stephen Covey’s classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People begins with Habit One: “Be Proactive.” This principle centers on responsibility—understood not merely as accountability, but as the profound recognition that human beings possess free will and thus the capacity to shape their own lives. Covey contrasts this proactive mindset with three forms of determinism that people often invoke to explain or justify their circumstances:

1. Genetic determinism — the belief that my circumstances, character traits, behaviors, and outcomes are dictated by my biological makeup and genetic inheritance.

   
   

2. Psychic determinism — the idea that my present and future are shaped by my upbringing and childhood conditioning, leaving little room for personal agency or change.

   
   

3. Environmental determinism — the view that external forces determine my outcomes: For instance, I am unhappy because I have a terrible boss. I failed in the 5K race because the weather was bad. I didn’t get the job because the hiring committee was biased.

Covey observes that many people rely on one—or a combination—of these explanations to rationalize why their lives have unfolded as they have. By contrast, the habit of being proactive rejects this fatalism and affirms our freedom to choose our responses and take ownership of our future.

Covey explains that there are essentially two kinds of people: reactive and proactive. Reactive people rely on determinism to explain their circumstances. They view themselves as victims of their genetics, upbringing, or environment and allow these forces to dictate their outcomes. Proactive people, by contrast, reject the mindset of self-pity and victimization. They recognize that while external factors may influence their lives, they still possess the ultimate freedom to choose their response; in other words, to initiate intentional actions that are not predetermined by genes, the past, or the environment. These choices, consciously and deliberately made, create the space for radical freedom: the freedom to transform not only oneself but also one’s environment. This perspective is liberating; it empowers individuals to shape their own path and pursue a truly fulfilling life, one determined by their choices rather than their conditions.

Ultimately, the habit of initiative is the habit of taking radical responsibility for one’s life. Covey frames this as the ability to respond—responsibility. Without self-initiative and proactivity, can we truly trust someone to lead? Can we place confidence in a person who attributes their circumstances not to free will and choice, but to external forces beyond their control? Communities, institutions, and organizations consistently choose leaders who exhibit the courage to make decisions and the conviction to influence the future with vision and purpose.