Are you proactive or reactive?

[kcantankerous]

Are you proactive or reactive? Choose one and explain why.

Proactive- A person who initiates change when change is needed. If there's a problem you do your best to fix it. Never settling for anything less than desired. Instead of complaining about a problem you search for a solution. You don't have to be a complete optimist but you never give up.

Reactive- You feel that settling isn't necessarily a bad thing. You'd rather not go out of your way if you see a problem that bothers you. You generally lean more towards pecimistic views. You feel like helpless or hopeless more often than not.

Note
Do not confuse pecimist and realist.
You don't have to be a stanch optimist to be proactive
The "problem in question is one that bothers specifically effects you
The question is based off of your normal tendancies.

[The Pianist]

I am naturally an optimist and until recently, I was mostly a reactive person.

I said until recently, because I've realised how much better the various parts of my life are where I'm proactive. The parts of my life that I'm reactive are average and become boring... (though, I'm a very happy person so that doesn't bother me too much) but I don't want to be boring, so I'm doing everything I can to slowly make myself more of a proactive person. Its all good.

[isabeau]

i have both of those qualities in me. i hate change, but if ii see a problem i want to fix it and not just let it ferment. i dont blame circumstances for anything. and lately i am much more of an optimist as opposed to pessimist. life changes have been responsible for these differences in me. and i am basically a happy person now. i dont worry about things like i used to. i am a bit of a perfectionist, but not as much as i once was. i'm not sure if this is due to my moms death last year or not. maybe because i dont feel she is watching over my shoulder anymore like i felt my whole life while she was alive.

isabeau

and i used to have the hopeless feeling much of my life but not anymore, which is a definite improvement

[steph]

Proactive for sure, a good friend describes me as "the kind of girl who makes shit happen..." (she says the last 3 words VERY slowly...) :blaugh:
XOXO

[MrMacphisto]

How about a third type: Cynical Proactive

I can easily recognize when problems occur because I'm very critical, but when I see them, I fix them. So, I have the pessimism of a reactive person (because I know that problems continually occur, you just have to find them), but I have the actions of a proactive person (by actually doing something about said problems).