In 2023 I was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer at the age of 53. PSA was 124 and Gleason Score 5+4=9 with spread to lymph node. Not the best news, but also not a huge surprise, I did after all have the test made because I knew something was off. First month after the initial PSA I did nothing, apart from waiting to see if the prescribed antibiotic would solve the problem. It did not, and my PSA was 97. The month that followed I started to research what to do about it. My focus was entirely aimed at official options. I wanted it out and done with. In this period I did nothing to mitigate the problem myself, and the PSA went again up to 120. But the deeper I went in my research, the more clear it became, that official treatments could only be last resort, or the emergency break if things went out of control. It just did not make sense to me, that to solve one problem, I should destroy my overall health and render myself 100% depended on drugs. And that’s when I started to research alternatives and acknowledged the value of taking agency for my own life.
But what does taking agency for your own life actually mean? I asked AI, and this is the answer:
Key Aspects of Taking Agency:
- Owning Your Decisions: You accept that your choices, big or small, drive your life’s direction. Instead of blaming external factors (people, luck, or systems), you focus on what you can control.
- Embracing Responsibility: Agency means taking accountability for both successes and failures. You don’t shy away from the consequences of your actions but use them as feedback to grow.
- Proactive Mindset: Rather than waiting for opportunities or permission, you seek or create them. This could mean setting goals, learning new skills, or taking risks to move toward what you want.
- Self-Awareness: Understanding your values, strengths, and weaknesses allows you to make choices aligned with your authentic self, not just societal pressures or expectations.
- Resilience: Agency involves persisting through setbacks, adapting to challenges, and viewing obstacles as opportunities to learn rather than insurmountable barriers.
What It Looks Like in Practice:
- Career: Instead of staying in a job you dislike, you might upskill, network, or start a side hustle to transition to something fulfilling.
- Relationships: You communicate your needs and boundaries clearly, choosing to nurture healthy connections and let go of toxic ones.
- Personal Growth: You actively pursue habits like reading, exercising, or meditating to become the person you want to be, rather than hoping for change.
- Mindset: When faced with a problem, you ask, “What can I do about this?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?”
Why It Matters:
Taking agency empowers you to live intentionally, aligning your actions with your vision for the future. It doesn’t mean you control everything—life always has unpredictability—but it means you control your response and direction. This mindset fosters confidence, purpose, and a sense of ownership over your story.
Challenges to Agency:
- External Constraints: Systemic issues (poverty, discrimination) can limit options, but agency focuses on navigating within or around those constraints.
- Fear and Doubt: Stepping into agency requires courage to face uncertainty or failure.
- Comfort Zones: It’s easier to coast or defer responsibility, but agency demands effort and discomfort for growth.
Ultimately, taking agency is about living as the author of your life, not a character swept along by someone else’s script. It’s a commitment to act, reflect, and adapt to create a life that reflects who you are and what you value.