--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reactive people are driven by feelings…" description: "\"“Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg" --- # Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances… ![“Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected and internalized values.” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg) > ““Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected and internalized values.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Proactive individuals let core values guide actions, while reactive ones respond to external forces. **In simple terms:** Values guide actions; reactions follow circumstances. Key Takeaway Align actions with core values. Themes self‑development leadership personal growth Mood motivational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - decision making - team leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts values agency mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify your core values? - What steps help you act on them despite circumstances? A Different Perspective Values may conflict with external pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Driven Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven-values-4429630/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Proactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proactive/) [Proactive People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proactive-people-687031/) [Reactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactive/) [Reactive People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactive-people-631502/) ## Related quotes > [The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of the proactive person. Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-ability-to-subordinate-an-impulse-to-a-value-is-the-essence-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about. The nature of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/proactive-people-focus-their-efforts-in-the-circle-of-influence-they/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Reactive people... are often affected by their physical environment. They find external sources to blame for their behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/reactive-people-are-often-affected-by-their-physical-environment-they/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The problem with being an actor is that you have to be reactive to what other people want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-coughlan/the-problem-with-being-an-actor-is-that-you-have-to-be-reactive-to/) [Marisa Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-coughlan/) > [“Be Proactive. People are responsible for their own choices and have the freedom to choose based on principles and values rather than”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/be-proactive-people-are-responsible-for-their-own-choices-and-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Proactive people can carry their own weather with them. Whether”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/proactive-people-can-carry-their-own-weather-with-them-whether/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/proactive-people-focus-their-efforts-in-the-circle-of-influence-they-2/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Being proactive is more than taking initiative. It is recognizing that we are responsible for our own choices and have the freedom to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/being-proactive-is-more-than-taking-initiative-it-is-recognizing-that/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Look at the word responsibility-"response-ability"-the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/look-at-the-word-responsibility-response-ability-the-ability-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/highly-proactive-people-don-t-blame-circumstances-conditions-or/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“Proactive people show you what they love, what they want, what they purpose, and what they stand for. These people are very different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/proactive-people-show-you-what-they-love-what-they-want-what-they/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [I think we have to be more proactive in the people we invite to come and speak in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-schlissel/i-think-we-have-to-be-more-proactive-in-the-people-we-invite-to-come/) [Mark Schlissel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-schlissel/) > [Proactive people carry their own weather with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/proactive-people-carry-their-own-weather-with-them/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“In the face of great challenges, you can choose to live reactively as a victim, or choose to proactively take control, with awareness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-lidsky/in-the-face-of-great-challenges-you-can-choose-to-live-reactively-as/) [Isaac Lidsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-lidsky/) > [After Lockerbie, everyone thought, now we've learned the lesson of how to be proactive instead of being reactive. Unfortunately, September 11 came and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-yeffet/after-lockerbie-everyone-thought-now-we-ve-learned-the-lesson-of-how/) [Isaac Yeffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-yeffet/) ## More by Stephen R. Covey > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/love-is-something-you-do-the-sacrifices-you-make-the-giving-of-self/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationships are strained and the air charged with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/my-experience-has-been-that-there-are-times-to-teach-and-times-not-to/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Just as faith without works is dead, so also works without faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/just-as-faith-without-works-is-dead-so-also-works-without-faith/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“FRIEND/ENEMY CENTEREDNESS. Young people are particularly, though certainly not exclusively, susceptible to becoming friend-centered. Acceptance and belonging to a peer group can become almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/friend-enemy-centeredness-young-people-are-particularly-though/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“As a principle-centered person, you see things differently. And because you see things differently, you think differently, you act differently. Because you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/as-a-principle-centered-person-you-see-things-differently-and-because/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Motivation quotes > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [“Now you," Grandma barks at him. "Yes, you, the invisible truck driver," she added, giving me a wicked grin. "Go stand next to Rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/now-you-grandma-barks-at-him-yes-you-the-invisible-truck-driver-she/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like riding on a bus. God is the driver and I am the passenger. Have faith God knows which route to take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefroy-hanson/life-is-like-riding-on-a-bus-god-is-the-driver-and-i-am-the-passenger/) [Jefroy Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefroy-hanson/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) [Browse all 14,479 Motivation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected and internalized values.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen R. Covey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-by-circumstances-by-conditions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Motivation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-by-circumstances-by-conditions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/stephen-r-covey-1501_motivation_reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-b_1325377.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive…” — Stephen R. Covey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen R. Covey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Reactive people are driven by feelings,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-by-circumstances-by-conditions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/reactive-people-are-driven-by-feelings-by-circumstances-by-conditions/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```