Agency—the ability to act with intention, take responsibility, and navigate uncertainty—is one of the most powerful traits you can develop. It separates those who shape their environment from those who are shaped by it. High-agency individuals don’t wait for circumstances to be perfect, nor do they let external limitations define their potential. Instead, they find ways to move forward, make things happen, and adapt in the face of uncertainty.
If you’ve ever felt stuck—whether in your career, relationships, or personal growth—it’s likely due to an underdeveloped sense of agency. The good news is that agency isn’t innate; it’s a mindset and skill set that can be intentionally cultivated.
This guide will show you how.
1. Reframe Your Mindset: Shift from “Can I?” to “How Can I?”
Most people get stuck because they unconsciously seek permission. They wonder, Can I do this? Am I allowed to? High-agency individuals, on the other hand, ask a different question: How can I do this?
How to Cultivate This
- Stop looking for external validation: Instead of waiting for someone to approve your ideas or tell you it’s possible, assume the responsibility to test things yourself.
- Reframe limitations as creative constraints: Instead of saying, “I can’t do this because I lack X,” ask, “How can I do this despite lacking X?”
- Train yourself to take action in uncertainty: If you don’t have all the information you need, take a small step forward anyway. Progress comes from movement, not from overthinking.
- Pick something you’ve been hesitating on: Instead of asking, Can I do this?, force yourself to ask, How can I make this happen with what I have right now? Take one immediate step.
2. Take Extreme Ownership of Your Life
High-agency individuals never see themselves as passive participants in their own lives. They internalize responsibility—even when external factors are involved. This doesn’t mean blaming yourself for everything; it means focusing on what you can control.
How to Cultivate This
- Eliminate the habit of externalizing blame: Instead of thinking, The market is bad, or My boss is unfair, shift your mindset to, What actions can I take to navigate this?
- Develop a bias toward problem-solving: When faced with an obstacle, don’t dwell on who’s responsible—focus on what you can do next.
- Ask yourself daily: What’s one thing I can improve today that’s within my control?
- The next time you catch yourself blaming circumstances, pause. Identify one thing you can do differently, no matter how small.
3. Build a Bias for Action
Most people overestimate the importance of thinking and underestimate the importance of doing. High-agency individuals understand that clarity comes through action—not the other way around.
How to Cultivate This
- Stop over-researching and start testing: If you want to start a business, don’t spend months reading about it—launch a small version and learn by doing.
- Make speed your default: Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, execute fast and refine later.
- Use the 80/20 rule: Identify the 20% of actions that will yield 80% of your results, and prioritize those.
- Set a 48-hour deadline for something you’ve been procrastinating on. Force yourself to take action within that window—no exceptions.
4. Get Comfortable with Discomfort and Ambiguity
Most people crave certainty before they act. High-agency individuals understand that waiting for certainty is a trap—because nothing is ever 100% predictable.
How to Cultivate This
- Adopt an experimental mindset: Treat every decision as an experiment rather than a make-or-break moment.
- Expose yourself to controlled discomfort: Push yourself into situations where you don’t have all the answers—public speaking, a new skill, an unfamiliar environment.
- Reframe anxiety as excitement: When you feel fear, remind yourself: This is just my body preparing for something new.
- Do one thing this week that makes you uncomfortable. It could be as small as speaking up in a meeting or reaching out to someone you admire.
5. Develop Resourcefulness: Learn to Work with What You Have
High-agency individuals don’t wait for perfect resources—they leverage whatever is available to them. Constraints don’t stop them; they make them more creative.
How to Cultivate This
- Practice “constraint-driven creativity.”: If you don’t have a budget, find a workaround. If you lack a skill, find an alternative way to get the job done.
- Ask yourself: What’s the next best move I can make with what I have?
- Learn from self-made individuals: Study people who started with limited resources and observe how they navigated challenges.
- Set a challenge for yourself: Solve a problem without using your usual resources. If you usually rely on money, try networking instead. If you typically use software, try a manual solution.
6. Challenge Assumptions and Think Independently
Many people follow conventional wisdom without questioning it. High-agency individuals critically evaluate assumptions and make their own decisions.
How to Cultivate This
- Ask “Why?” more often: If a process, rule, or belief seems inefficient, challenge it. Ask, Is this the best way?
- Seek diverse perspectives: Surround yourself with people who think differently, and be open to changing your mind.
- Make decisions based on first principles: Instead of relying on how things have always been done, break problems down to fundamental truths.
- Pick a commonly accepted belief in your industry or social circle. Challenge it—ask yourself, Is this true, or do people just assume it is?
7. Strengthen Your Decision-Making Muscles
High-agency individuals make decisions quickly and adjust as they go. They don’t waste time agonizing over every choice.
How to Cultivate This
- Limit your decision-making time: Set a deadline for even small choices to build decisiveness.
- Use “reversible vs. irreversible” thinking: If a decision is reversible, act quickly. If it’s irreversible, gather data—but don’t overanalyze.
- Train yourself to trust your judgment: Indecision is often a fear of being wrong. The more decisions you make, the better you’ll get.
- For one week, set a time limit on all decisions. Give yourself 60 seconds for small ones, 24 hours for medium ones, and a week for big ones.
Final Thoughts: Agency Is a Skill, Not a Trait
High agency isn’t about being naturally gifted. It’s a combination of mindset, habits, and behaviors that anyone can develop.
The more you practice:
- Taking responsibility instead of making excuses
- Acting before overthinking
- Challenging assumptions instead of blindly following rules
- Navigating uncertainty with confidence
And once you develop it, you’ll never see the world the same way again—because you’ll realize just how much is within your control.
So start today. Pick one principle from this list, apply it, and take ownership of your future. The more you act, the more agency you build—and the more control you gain over your own life.
Stay ahead with expert business strategies and mindset insights on my website, Zeeshan Hayat.