Just like the farmer, someone who smokes and drinks constantly without exercising is getting too much production out of his body without storing any production capability. We should keep these in balance. Being proactive means taking initiative, not waiting for others to act first, and being responsible for what you do . The opposite of proactive is reactive. Reactive people react to what goes on around them.
Proactive people act based on principles.
Circle of Influence Imagine a circle within a circle. The inner circle is your circle of influence and the outer circle is your circle of concern. This means that many things which you are concerned about you cannot influence. Yet there are many things which you are concerned about which you can influence. Reactive people focus on their circle of concern.