One of the biggest indicators of success I've seen in my short life is proactivity.
Proactive people take initiative.
Reactive people wait.
Proactive people think ahead and see how they can be useful.
Reactive people play catch up.
Proactive people do.
Reactive people dream.
Ownership
I think ownership is the overlooked root between proactivity and reactivity. In other words, a sense of ownership fuels proactivity.
If you owned a business, your destiny would be tied to the success of the business. Therefore, sitting back and waiting isn't really an option.
In the same way, employees who own stock will likely work harder and stay longer since their work directly impacts their own financial destiny in a real, tangible way.
On the other hand, if you're working for a salary, you might not care as much about the success of the business as long as it doesn't go bankrupt and you can still show up every day. Salaried employees are less likely to take initiative because they don't have ownership.
In our lives, if we take ownership of our current circumstances, it will allow us to see the need for proactivity.
Don't wait. Be proactive.
Some tangible ways to start: 1) Greet someone first 2) Plan out your days 3) Ask people questions