1. Creating A Proven Track Record
By Chelse Benham
Theodore Roosevelt wrote, “Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious
triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor
spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray
twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat.”
How brilliant and poetic that statements is. It eloquently captures the essence of
risk behavior and its supremacy in achieving progress.
Stephen Covey, author of the “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,”
writes:
“If the only vision we have of ourselves comes from the social mirror –
from the current social paradigm and from the opinions, perceptions
and paradigms of the people around us – our view of ourselves is like
the reflection in a crazy mirror room at the carnival. These visions are
disjointed and out of proportion. They are often more projections than
reflections, projecting the concerns and character weaknesses of
people giving the input rather than accurately reflecting what we are.”
As Viktor Frankl, psychiatrist and a Nazi death camp captive during World War II,
espoused, there is a fundamental principle about the nature of man. Frankl
championed the following belief, “Between stimulus and response, man has the
freedom to choose.”
As Covey writes in his book, “Many people wait for something to happen or
someone to take care of them. But people who end up with the good jobs are the
proactive ones who are solutions to problems, not problems themselves, who
seize the initiative to do whatever is necessary, consistent with correct principles,
to get the job done.”
According to Covey, listening to the language we speak is a real indicator of the
degree to which we see ourselves as reactive or proactive.
Reactive Language Proactive Language
“There’s nothing I can do.” “Let’s look at our alternatives.”
“That’s just the way I am.” “I can choose a different approach.”
“I can’t.” “I choose.”
“If only.” “I will.”
“It makes me so mad.” “I control my feelings.”
The language we use becomes the self-fulfilling prophecy or the Galatea effect. If
you are a reactive person you may feel victimized. Things may feel out of your
control. You may blame outside forces such as people, circumstances and even

2. the stars for things not going the direction you would want them to go. In a
reactive person, the answer lies outside of themselves. They are driven by their
feelings, thus they react to the world around them, releasing their personal power
to outside forces.
As Covey writes, “If our feelings control our actions, it is because we have
abdicated our responsibility and empowered them to do so. Proactive people
focus their efforts on things that they can do something about. Their energy is
positive, enlarging and magnifying, causing their ‘Circle of Influence’ to increase.”
If you really want to improve a situation, work on the one the thing that you have
control over – yourself. The “Circle of Influence” can be enlarged by being a
better listener, being a more cooperative and dedicated employee and being
committed to improving yourself through self awareness. Covey recommends
making strong efforts at being happier as one of the most powerful proactive
changes that can be made.
Become who you want to be. Turn inward and listen to your internal dialogue.
Are you worthy? Are you special? Do you have something to give to others that
is unique to you? If you can not answer “yes” to all of these questions then the
work begins there, inside your mind and heart. Evaluate your personal worth as
you believe it to be. If you do not, you will indiscriminately absorb and believe all
negative cues thrust upon you from others who do not have your best interest at
heart.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what
lies within us.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes