CARLOS VETTORAZZI

Self-Improvement

The Art of Navigating Change: Adapting, Thriving, and Achieving Success

21 June 2023
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Over the last several years, I have found myself in various situations that have required me to adjust to new and challenging conditions.

These circumstances have included working with the homeless population, many of whom had multiple psychiatric disorders—providing care as a nurse, teaching, and coaching.

Throughout these experiences, my ability to adapt has been one of the most important life-saving skills for navigating life’s uncertainty.

This skill has become particularly crucial as I constantly encounter new students with unique needs, challenges, and learning styles as a teacher.

When TikTok entered the scene, it destroyed its users’ ability to focus. As many of my students are addicted to TikTok, I adjusted my teaching strategies to compensate for their lack of focus and motivation.

This adaptability has allowed me to create a more engaging learning method for my students.

Maybe you’re thinking, “I don’t need to adapt. I have a stable job, a relationship, paid off my mortgage, and everything I need.”

While it is understandable to be content with your current situation, change is inevitable. We lose our jobs, get sick, and our loved ones die.


“Adaptation is not about the loss of self. It’s about being able to dance to the rhythm of life.“
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Learning how to practice our adaptability skills can help us navigate unexpected situations and challenges more effectively, whether they arise in our personal or professional lives.

Being adaptable has led me to countless new opportunities and growth and improved my overall well-being.

Adaptability is the key to survival in any environment, be it nature or the corporate world; therefore, even if you feel comfortable in your current situation, it is worth investing in learning how to develop your adaptability skills, as it will benefit you in the long run.

Adaptability in practice

Here is how I’d like to define Adaptability:

“Adaptability describes our ability to adjust and thrive in changing internal and external environments and situations.”
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Adaptability can help navigate changes when moving to a new city, starting a new job, or going through a breakup positively and productively, allowing you to move forward and grow.

In your professional life, adaptability can help you succeed in your career by allowing you to adjust to changes in the work environment, such as new technology, company culture, or job responsibilities.

Sometimes, lack of motivation isn’t the problem. Instead, a lack of adaptability causes you to get stuck in your comfort zone and avoid taking on new challenges and responsibilities.
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There are many different types of adaptability, each with unique characteristics and features, such as social, environmental, technological, cultural, and learning adaptability.

In this article, I discuss the four most commonly recognized types of adaptive skills: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical. These types are particularly relevant in our social interactions, as we are social creatures who see ourselves through our social interactions.

Let’s examine them individually, with examples and empowering questions to challenge your limiting beliefs.

Cognitive Adaptability

Cognitive adaptability is a skill that I have found to be incredibly valuable in many areas of my life, including working, learning, and relating to others.

Cognitive adaptability involves having an open-minded and flexible approach to thinking. This allows us to adjust our cognitive processes to new information or situations, deal with uncertainty, adapt to changing circumstances, and make informed decisions.

The student studying for a difficult exam realizes that her current study methods are ineffective and is willing to adjust her study approach, so she quickly adopts a more flexible mindset and tries new study techniques to retain the material better and prepare for the exam.

The software developer tasked with learning a new programming language can approach the task with an open mind and be flexible in her approach to learning. Adjusting her cognitive processes to the new information and making informed decisions about implementing the new language in her work.

Cognitive adaptability has enabled me to continuously approach many challenges, learn and acquire new knowledge to questions, think critically, and develop creative solutions.

Cognitive adaptability is not set in stone but a starting point that allows you to recognize when your current approach or understanding may not be appropriate and adjust your thoughts accordingly.

I invite you to view it as a mental road map to help you cope with complexity, manage change, and promote continuous learning and growth.

Emotional Adaptability

Emotional adaptability is my ability to adapt and regulate my emotions in different situations and circumstances.

It means being flexible and resilient to manage and express my emotions effectively. Emotional adaptability enables me to navigate different emotional states and maintain a positive outlook in challenging or changing situations.

When I am emotionally adaptive, I have an awareness and understanding of my own emotions as well as the emotions of others.

I have the ability to adapt my emotional responses to meet situational needs. This includes managing stress, remaining calm under pressure, and adapting to different social or work environments.

If I am accustomed to working independently and am suddenly assigned to work on a team project, I need to adjust my emotional response to fit the new situation. This requires using self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and interpersonal communication, all of which are part of emotional adaptability.

This enables me to build and maintain healthy relationships, manage conflicts constructively, and respond appropriately to others’ emotional needs.

In practice, when I have a good day, I can be observed adjusting my emotional responses to unexpected events, staying focused and calm in high-pressure situations, and adapting my communication style to connect effectively.

Why is emotional adaptability important? It is crucial for my well-being, resilience, and successful interpersonal interactions.

Emotional adaptability enables me to navigate emotional challenges and manage change.

Developing emotional adaptability allows me to increase overall emotional intelligence, communicate better, and build stronger relationships.

Physical Adaptability

Physical adaptability is the ability to adjust my body to fit new situations.

If I am used to playing on a certain type of field or surface and suddenly have to play on a different surface, such as grass instead of turf. In that case, I will need physical adaptability to adjust movements and techniques accordingly.

For many of us, the first time we start running or lifting weights can be a challenging experience. It’s common to feel out of breath or fatigued quickly, especially if you’re not used to exercising regularly.

However, with patience, we adapt and build our endurance and strength with consistent practice and dedication.

Over time, some of us become crazy enough even to enjoy physical activity.

Similarly, If I am used to doing construction work in a specific environment, such as a flat surface, and suddenly have to work on an incline or a scaffolding, I must adapt physically to adjust my body to the new conditions.

Behavioral Adaptability

Behavioral adaptability is adjusting my actions and behaviors to fit new situations.

I experienced this firsthand as a teacher who was used to teaching in a traditional classroom setting but suddenly had to teach online due to a pandemic.

If you are behaviorally adaptable, you can quickly learn how to use new technology and adjust your teaching style to fit the virtual environment.

Another example of behavioral adaptability is if you are a manager who is used to giving in-person feedback but suddenly has to give feedback remotely.

If you are behaviorally adaptable, you can quickly learn how to give effective feedback through video conferencing or other remote communication tools.

Being behaviorally adaptable is an important skill in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, as it allows individuals to be successful in various situations and adapt to new challenges as they arise.

Adaptability is a crucial skill in today’s world. It is important to develop different adaptability skills to succeed personally and professionally.

Being behaviorally adaptable is an important skill in today’s fast-changing world; however, without addressing the underlying needs behind our “lack of adaptability,” we will not see any long-lasting changes.

Some common underlying needs include:

  1. Security and Stability: Both our body and mind are naturally wired to seek stability and a sense of security in our lives. Adapting to new situations may challenge our needs as it introduces uncertainty and unfamiliarity.
  2. Competence and Mastery: From a revolutionary perspective, those with the most competence and capability were more likely to survive. Fast forward to today, when confronted with change, it can trigger a fear of incompetence or a lack of confidence until we adapt to new circumstances.
  3. Autonomy and Control: People value a sense of autonomy and control over their lives. Change can sometimes disrupt this sense of control, leading to feelings of frustration or resistance.
  4. Belonging and Connection: We humans have a fundamental need for connection and a sense of belonging. This is how we have survived for so long. Change sometimes threatens to disrupt established social dynamics or relationships, causing discomfort or a sense of isolation.
  5. Growth and Development: Personal development and growth are important drivers for us. Adapting to new situations can be challenging, as it often requires learning new skills, acquiring new knowledge, stepping outside our comfort zone, and feeling like we are not good enough.

By understanding our underlying needs, we can develop their adaptability skills while addressing any concerns or anxieties that may arise during the change process.

Raising awareness is crucial, as everyone’s experience and challenges related to adaptability will differ.

A good place to start is by asking:

How can we create a supportive environment that meets individuals’ underlying needs, contributing to their overall well-being and success in adapting to new circumstances?

Empowering Questions

  1. Are there any beliefs you hold about your own ability to adapt that are limiting you in your personal or professional life?
  2. Have you ever encountered a situation where you struggled to adapt? What beliefs or thought patterns may have contributed to your struggle?
  3. What can you do to cultivate a growth mindset and embrace the challenges of adapting to new situations?
  4. What are some new experiences you can try to develop new perspectives and become more comfortable when faced with uncertainty?
  5. How can you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions and develop a more flexible mindset?

Actionable Insights

Adaptability habits are crucial in today’s constantly changing world, whether you’re dealing with a new job, a new relationship, or unexpected events like the COVID-19 pandemic or an ongoing war.

“True success is driven by our ability to adapt and makes the difference between thriving and merely tolerating our lives.
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Our ability to adapt makes the difference between thriving and merely tolerating our lives.

Adapting to change requires a growth mindset that is adaptable, resourceful, and capable of learning and thriving in new situations.

Different types of adaptability require different skills and mindsets.

Cognitive adaptability requires an open-minded and flexible approach to thinking, allowing us to adjust our cognitive processes to new information or situations, deal with uncertainty, and make informed decisions.

Emotional adaptability requires us to regulate our emotions and allows us to maintain a positive outlook in challenging or changing situations.

Finally, behavioral adaptability involves adjusting our actions and behaviors to fit new situations.

Whether our ability to adapt is innate or not is not important. What is important is to make adaptability a habit.

Once we make adaptability a habit, we can easily transition from mindlessly reacting to stimuli to proactively responding to new situations and challenges.

If you are still not convinced, let me leave you with the following:

Adaptability is not an option; it’s a necessity. We will suffer far less if we can embrace change, learn from it, and become more adaptable to each new challenge.
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Research on Adaptability Skills

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