High Agency People

The temptation to remain passive has never been stronger. We see this manifest in two types of people. A divide that is only growing. There are those who graze mindlessly, consuming content without purpose. And then there are high agency people, those who embrace intentional action…like lions on the hunt.

Low-agency individuals drift along with the current, allowing external forces to shape their thoughts and decisions. High-agency individuals, on the other hand, resist this pull. They take control of their actions and, by doing so, their outcomes¹.

The Lure of Low-Agency Behaviour

Low-agency people embody the grazing cow mentality. They’re highly reactive. Reliant on external cues for direction. Often parroting the opinions of their social circles without question. Their locus of control lies outside themselves. They believe they are at the mercy of circumstances and so are powerless to initiate change.

Worse yet, low-agency individuals may engage in “crab mentality”—trying to pull down those who do take action. By sabotaging others’ progress, they hope that they won’t feel left behind. It’s easy to get trapped in this mindset. The technological age is set-up to distract. But if you’re not careful, it creates a vicious cycle of inaction and resentment.

High Agency: Intentional Action and Relentless Resourcefulness

On the opposite end of the spectrum are high-agency individuals. People who move through life with purpose and power. These people have what’s known as an internal locus of control². They believe that they can influence their outcomes, even in the face of adversity. They take steps to shape their futures with strong intention.

High-agency individuals possess a strong bias for action. When they encounter a problem, they don’t sit back and complain, they jump into problem-solving mode. They take small, consistent steps toward their goals, knowing that progress is better than perfection. Their relentless resourcefulness allows them to adapt and thrive. They do this regardless of external challenges.

The Cost of Grazing

Though the temptation to graze is strong, the cost is high. When you fall into a low-agency mindset, you surrender control of your life. You passively accept whatever life throws at you. Distractions, setbacks, or unhelpful advice, all stick. Grazing cows become increasingly reliant on external validation, making it harder to think independently or act decisively.

Social media and entertainment platforms are designed to exploit this behaviour. They reward passive consumption with quick dopamine hits, pulling you deeper into a cycle of grazing. Over time, low-agency individuals find it harder to take meaningful action. They stagnate. Tread water. Hoping a current takes them where they want to go.

Lions: Thriving in a Distracted World

Meanwhile, high-agency individuals—our modern-day lions—thrive. They understand that rewards go to those who take intentional, decisive actions. They aren’t waiting for the perfect conditions…they take steps now, adjust later, and remain adaptable. This ability to take ownership of their path puts them leagues ahead of the grazers.

The lion mindset is a superpower. In business, relationships, or personal development, those who take intentional action will always outperform those who wait. The rewards for this behaviour are unprecedented in today’s economy, as the marketplace increasingly values creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness.

Choosing Your Path: Grazing or Hunting

Ultimately, the decision to be a lion or a grazing cow is yours. The pull toward low agency has never been stronger, but the rewards for intentional action are equally unmatched. You have the power to adopt a high-agency mindset. Take control of your actions, shift your locus of control inward, and commit to relentless resourcefulness.

Are you willing to hunt for opportunities, to act with intention, and to carve out your future? The cows will graze, but the lions will always lead.

References

[NB. All images created using MidJourney]

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