Becoming An Adaptable Person
Adaptable: To be adaptable is to be capable of efficiently adjusting to new situations or conditions.
**Adaptability is an essential skill to building the life of your dreams. Find out more about essential character skills and how to build your best life here**
What exactly does it mean to be Adaptable?
When you are adaptable, you are capable of reaching you end goal no matter what circumstances arrive. You’re good at planning, and thus good at modifying the plan when necessary. Logic, and critical thinking are essential building blocks of adaptability. If you can think your way around a problem, then you can also act your way around a problem.
Being adaptable doesn’t mean never making plans, and just always going where the breeze takes you. It means knowing how to adjust your plans so that you can carry them out however the wind blows.
“You can’t just keep doing what works one time, everything around you is changing. To succeed, stay out in front of the change.”
How adaptable are you currently?
Rate each statement 1-5. 1 being you do not agree at all. 5 being you completely agree:
1. I can fit in, in any situation
2. I feel calm and confident even when my plans are interrupted
3. I know how to talk to anyone
4. I don’t mind doing what other people want to do
5. I always accomplish my goals
Add your scores together for your total score:
Score 0-10: Being adaptable is not a priority for you. You do not go with the flow. It’s your way or the highway. When things get hard you tend to give up quickly.
Score 11-19: You exhibit an average amount of adaptability. You can adjust to most things, as long as they aren’t too difficult. You don’t mind doing what other people want as long as you also get to do what you want.
Score 20-25: Adaptability may be one of your key character traits. You are confident and can work your way around or through any situation no matter how difficult.
I currently score 12 on adaptability. Mainly, because I lack confidence in my ability to figure out what I should do in regards, to others. I’m great at problem solving when it comes to everything, but people. I think to increase my adaptability; I first need to increase my social skills. I need to learn how to speak to people in various social situations.
“Change is the only constant in life. One’s ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.”
Becoming Adabtable Can Add Value to Your Life By:
1. Allowing you to Develop Discipline
When you realize that being disciplined doesn’t mean always following the plan, exactly, no matter what. When you realize that it means following the plan, adjusting as necessary, and then continue following it. You learn you can be both disciplined and adaptable, and your efforts to become disciplined won’t be thwarted every time you run into obstacles.
2. Makes you more resilient.
When you can sway in the wind, you're much less likely to get snapped in two.
3. Improves your problem-solving abilities.
Practicing adaptability, is practicing problem-solving. The two skills enhance each other.
4. Improves your social skills
Like with problem-solving. The two skills enhance each other. When you can adapt to situations, people will find you much more tolerable. The more people find you tolerable, the more you’ll be around people, the better your social skills will get. You won’t constantly be backing out of social plans because you can’t fit them into your life plans.
Too Much of a Good Thing: If you are ‘too adaptable’ (Although you probably aren’t using the word quite right if that’s the case). You may rearrange entire plans when catastrophe strikes, instead of making a simple adjustment that would have more effectively got you around the problems. Basically instead of solving problems, you’ll create more problems for yourself.
“Forgive, adapt, and evolve, because holding on stagnates your opportunity of being better.”
The Simple Step-by-Step Process to Becoming More Adaptable
1. Set a Goal
Almost any goal will work, just make it one that takes long enough you’ll run into obstacles and is short enough that you’ll get to embrace adaptability sooner rather than later.
2. Make A Plan
I can’t really tell you how to do this in just a couple sentences. I’ll write a post on it soon. Until then. Google my friend.
3. Follow the Plan until Life Happens
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
4. Modify the Plan, Not the Goal
Put your problem-solving skills to the test. Everything is Figureoutable!
5. Follow the Modified Plan
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other. You know the drill.
6. Reach the Goal
Well, look at that, you can adapt after all.
Tips and Tricks::
1. Talk it Out
If you can’t find a solution that gets you around the problem, talk it out with a friend or mentor. Sometimes, an outside perspective can help.
2. Keep it Simple
The simpler the changes are that you make to your plan, the more likely you’ll be to stick with it.
Challenge::
Do your laundry with only one hand. The goal: To get your laundry done. The plan: wash, dry, fold, put away. The obstacle: One hand is out of use. Adapt.
“You must always be able to predict what’s next and then have the flexibility to evolve.”
