How you choose to respond to: change, novelty and uncertainty
Charles Darwin work – The Origin of Species quote is still relevant today: “it is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
The ability to adapt helps us to face challenges, but also to get what we want. I strongly believe that it is synonymous with intelligence.
From the moment we are born we must adapt to change: the extrauterine living environment, the community (kindergarten, school, work), the appearance or disappearance of a family member, the change of the place where we choose to live etc.
Some people with lower level of self-confidence face a loss of initiative and creativity, which keeps them in a constant bad adaptive conflict with the new environment. Wanting to stay in the comfort zone is a natural feeling, not to be condemned and that because our own brain, which exists to ensure survival in the first place, “sabotages” us most of the time.
But we all have the power and freedom to decide. And what very well defines the “functioning” of people easily adaptable to new situations is the ease with which they access the adaptive resources we all have. We could call these people “brave”, right? And courage means being afraid but still deciding to do that thing. So, by making the decision (whatever it may be) one assumes the responsibility of his/her own happiness.
Keys for easy access to own resources in case of a major change:
– ¨You Are The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With¨. So, surround yourself with emotionally stable friends. Protect your well-being.
– Remember that many times the obstacle is the path; in case of failure, you may be told in this way that you are not in the right direction. This means a forced adaptation to an unwanted situation, but you just must learn the lesson and look for the solution to continue.
– Adaptability is a “side effect”, of primary importance, of the sustained process of personal development and one’s own well-being. Just look first inside yourself.
– Be active: from the action is born reaction, opportunity, ideas, relationships. And embrace continue learning to be ready for the unexpected. Hard work works!
– ¨To get something you never had, you must do something you never did¨ (Denzel Washington); just be open to people and to ideas and try to think out the box = taking risks.
The ideal employees of many companies are those who are willing to work in a rapidly changing environment. In almost all the job requirements you will find the specification ¨flexible person¨. And this is because adaptability is the key to the changes that can occur on any given day, and the organizational changes can be overwhelming. And companies can also face “the unknown of tomorrow,” and the adaptability to change begins with each individual.
Remember: when you develop your skills for your adaptability, you build one of the strongest qualities you will need in business. And that is because no employee or employer can be successful without vision that inspires the team, he or she is part of. In 2021 the statistics show that during a job interview, the employer tends to choose the candidate who can paint the future in the most positive way possible.