I AM WHAT I CHOSE TO BECOME!

In the past few decades, and especially in the past couple of years with an unexpected pandemic overturning us to ‘new normals’ of uncertainties in life, pushing us to embrace the unpredictables with more ease, “Adaptability” has become the watchword in our lives more than ever. Even with such a pandemic, one can’t just ignore the fact that change is still speeding up. The world still didn't hesitate a bit to pounce on the very next chance to make it right. A positive and a 'can do – go getter' attitude is what life expects you in business and personal realms mostly, even when life throws curve balls at you every now and then. The right adaptable attitude will always launch you to the next desired level no matter what challenges you face. Hence 'adaptability’ is indeed the key to your business success.

Most often, we get so stuck in the rut that we overlook our very common rigid unwilling thinking patterns which make us go round-around about the same circle without producing the expected new results, even when we have clear strategies and action plans driven out for deliverables. When the challenging dynamic arises over you like mountains, the best solution for immediate intake is not to get overwhelmed by the massive challenge that scares you on your face, but to cut it down to smaller pieces to confront, one monster at a time. Change is a constant and feeling anxious about what the day holds for you is normal on a normal business day of yours. Building consensus with your own mind to be bettering with adaptability should be one obvious deliberate goal. People who are flexible go a long way ahead in the game of success than those who are not. A major criteria of today's organisations in selecting an employee is their ability to adapt quickly to the changing environments. In the ever-changing business atmosphere, it is important to keep yourself marketable at your best, which would make your business transitions smoother on the go.

During and after the pandemic we saw many companies forcing their employees to go remote and making things happen like usual. By leveraging the skill of adaptability, an individual can easily face any problematic situation with determination and grit. It is indeed a competitive advantage if you are an employee or a business owner, and is getting ever more critical for the future. We have been also hearing a lot of news of companies downsizing on a big level now and many employees are facing the threat of losing their job at any moment. When companies are on a sacking spree and one fine day you see yourself looking out for a new green pasture, the skill of adaptability comes in handy more than anything, than to throw in towel. If you are adaptable, you will quickly assess the pros and cons, align yourself to the imminent change, lay out the opportunities at hand overcoming procrastinations and land into the next available option that’s favourable for your growth. An individual’s success is never on his education or on any certificates that he boasts to hold, but on these skills of adaptability, change management and resilience.

One doesn’t probably know what tomorrow will bring. All we can do is to be prepared with the skills for better behavioural responses when it does. Adjusting your thoughts and actions in such a way that you can change the detriments of your life in due course, with the right kind of adaptability, at the same time by letting and not letting the currents carry you along. People who learn the trait of adaptability with more ease are better leaders. You excel in a situation that demands quick effective decision making, get the organisation pivots quickly through tougher transitions, showcase your ability to be resourceful, to model well, stay hopeful n positive to difficult alterations to find contentment regardless of your circumstances. In fact you will be more relevant to the people around you. Achieving work-life balance is very important here. Adaptability always demands you to be analytical and to get yourself out of your current comfort zone. It helps you to ask better and right questions, and be a better listener inorder to understand n jot out a perfect balance to the new scenarios that've popped up. An adaptable person wouldn’t be disappointed in making mistakes, but to correct them at the earliest. Embracing your mistakes and learning from them makes you more adaptable at managing the fallout. Practicing your emotional intelligence well at the workplace with people around you will bring out the desired response than when you are trying out adaptability to induce better results. Being emotionally intelligent helps you stay grounded, emotionally clear and well-balanced in any situation. Even when Charles Darwin spoke of evolutionary bests by his idea of "survival of the fittest", he didn't really mean the strongest or the smartest life forms, but he was referring to the ones that would adapt most to the changing conditions the best. This stays the same in business, social or personal scenes – one who is un- willing to change withers or breaks sooner. So, in order to weather the storm of an extreme situation and to survive it without much damage, one must internally and externally be ready to take the drift, choose the desired response for the current impediment, analyse the possibilities, take the stab if needed temporarily, look out for opportunities to level up, adapt eventually to the constantly changing market and take advantage of the rewards being adaptable.

Incorporating every possible information that you gather during the journey of life will always help you strengthen your skill sets. Stay strong and flexible in life. Do not be dismayed or continually disappointed with what life brings you – it is supposed to be such. All we can control is our response and choices to it. Let not the external conditions rule you, but your internal drive to succeed. Even if you decide to go with the flow or retreat at an unpredictable danger, the key is to be consciously adaptive to the very next opportunity which will cancel your previous setbacks. Be proud of what you have become. You are given this life because you are strong enough to live it. Remember to surprise yourself every day with your own courage