Enjoy Fuller And Happier Lives With The Proactive Attitude

A noble being.

- Clifford Martis

Smitha is waiting for bus no. 27, which will take her to Temple Town, which is on the far end of the city. Somehow the bus seems to be very late that day! She asks another lady standing nearby whether 27 has gone. That lady says “No” and adds that she too had been waiting for the same bus for the last half hour. The two ladies continue to talk for a while blaming the city bus service and public services in general. Smitha learns that the other lady also is going to Temple Town where she is doing a computer course. At last, when Smitha has waited for nearly 40 minutes in vain, she thinks she should not be late to her insurance class and hails an auto, gets into it and speeds away.

Did Smitha think of asking the other lady to go with her? If perchance the other lady had requested Smitha to allow her to go with her, would Smitha have agreed? Most probably she would have. Wouldn’t she? How is it then that it didn’t occur to Smitha to take the initiative and offer to take the other person in the auto?

We believe in helping people. In fact, we are, in general, a helpful lot. Aren’t we? If anybody makes a request to us for some or the other help we do extend a helping hand. But how about helping people on our own – i. e., even without a formal request from others? How will it feel if we can see the needs or difficulties of other people and on our own initiative offer to help them? Such spontaneous action is called the “proactive approach”. Such a disposition makes us truly caring and empathetic persons.