Balancing Proactivity vs. Reactivity

Here’s what’s in store for today:

• A war story

• Proactive vs. Reactive

• Analysis Paralysis

Read time: 4 minutes

A proactive approach to war.

In the fall of 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves perched on the precipice of nuclear war.

U.S. reconnaissance planes snapped photos revealing Soviet nuclear missile sites under construction in Cuba, a mere 90 miles away from American shores.

The U.S. had to make a choice—a reactive military assault or a proactive diplomatic approach.

President John F. Kennedy held a series of secret meetings with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, and after receiving two separate plans for both war and peace, Kennedy had to make a critical decision.

As we now know today, he opted for the peace route—but we can learn a lot from this near-disaster.

There are benefits to being proactive vs. reactive, but when you tip the scales too far in either direction, your life falls out of equilibrium.

Acting on pure reaction means you’re not thinking through your decision-making.

You leap before you look.

If President Kennedy were to follow a purely reactive approach, he’d respond to missiles on his country’s doorstep with immediate retaliation.

Reactions are often subconscious acts rooted in our backgrounds, experiences, and relationships.

We use heuristics and rules of thumb to make decisions with little to no information.

Sometimes, it works out. But other times, we severely miscalculate and misjudge.

Only relying on your instincts and reactions may give you short-term success, but in the long run, something is sure to go horribly wrong.

On the other hand, being overly proactive leads to missed opportunities.

If J.F.K. planned for every possible outcome, it would mean consulting with his advisors, meeting with Soviet officials, drafting multiple courses of action, and thinking of every scenario — and by then, it could’ve been too late.

Being a chronic planner leads to a lack of flexibility.

If you plan for every possible outcome (an impossible task), what happens when something unexpected happens (a certainty)?

While you’re busy thinking, someone else is busy doing.

Avoiding Analysis Paralysis

I see so many writers today struggle with Analysis Paralysis—a term Mr. Beast uses to describe over-planning to the point where nothing actually gets done.

It comes from taking proactivity too far, and it’s something I’ve constantly struggled with.

But balancing proactivity and reactivity is easier than you think.

If you’re an over-thinker, one trick is to deliberately incorporate flexibility into your schedule. Try leaving “free space” in your calendar to take care of things that come up sporadically.

On the flip side, if you’re overly reactive, work on adopting a more thoughtful approach to problems. This may include dedicated “thinking time,” or using decision-making frameworks like a S.W.O.T. analysis or S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Life isn’t a straight path forward. 

You have to be reactive to changes, while also being proactive enough to prepare for inevitable hardships and failures.

Proactivity is how you build motivation toward a goal, and reactivity is how you deal with your emotions when it’s time to act.

Be proactive towards things you can actively shape—be reactive when things are out of your control.

When you’re making major life decisions, you want to actively shape your future and build the path forward.

But, as we all know, things go awry.

When things don’t go according to plan, use your reactions to guide you down the path you’ve already carved.

Once you learn how to strike a balance between proactivity and reactivity, you begin to optimize your life for maximum success and fulfillment.

Quote of the week

Thanks for reading!

If you have any questions, hit me up on 𝕏 at @sam_starkman, or feel free to reply to this email!

— Sam