Reactions are done on impulse, without putting much thought into it or considering what the end result may be. A reaction is a reverse movement or tendency, or an action in the reverse direction or manner.
Responding can be defined as saying something in reply. Response is more thoughtful and done with reasoning.
Many times, depending on the situation, we can go into ‘fight or flight’ mode. This is an acute stress response that can lead to over-reaction.
As leaders, knowing the difference between reacting and responding can be a great deal as it can have a huge impact on how you show up in your world.
Reacting is fuelled by our emotions. And I know it might seem that the circumstances are causing you to feel a certain way which leads to a reaction, but there is actually a thought between what you observe, and how you feel about your thought. Often that thought is so fast that we are not really aware of it: it is automatic and driven by memory of your brain related to similar experiences that you have already accumulated and so your subconscious thinks on your behalf and the result is an emotion that provokes you to react in a certain way.
But we can decide instead to respond, to be more intentional and focus more on the question ‘who do I want to be?’ and ‘which result do I want to have?’
Tune in to explore how we can show up as our ideal us in this world by rehearsing our future.