Category Archives: Adaptation

What is a normal goal to a young person

Posted on by
1

“What is a normal goal to a young person becomes a neurotic hindrance in old age.”

—Carl Gustav Jung, 20th Century founder of analytical psychology

Image from Unsplash by Estée Janssens

Today’s quote underscores the necessity of adapting goals to life’s stages.

External success in youth often becomes a barrier to inner fulfillment as we age.

Jung emphasizes that older adults should:

  • Embrace inner work: focus on self-reflection, reconciling opposites, and accepting mortality.
  • Releasing ego-centrist goals: shed rigid roles and societal expectations to foster authenticity and connection to the collective unconscious.
  • Accepting the “Afternoon of Life” view of aging as a time for harvest and find meaning in introspection rather than external achievements.

EXERCISE:

In what ways are you still clinging to certain goals of your youth?

How would greater acceptance of the passage of time — and your current stage of life — guide you on a better path with greater purpose and fulfillment?

It’s more important to have vision than plans

Posted on by
Reply

“It’s more important to have vision than plans. You’ll often have to change plans to realize your vision.”

—Jon Gordon, Bestselling Author & Keynote Speaker

Image from Unsplash by Sven Mieke

The distinction between vision and plans lies in their role in guiding action toward our goals.

While both are critical, vision provides foundational purpose and adaptability, whereas plans offer tactical execution.

A vision defines the aspirational purpose that inspires and unifies stakeholders. It serves as a long-term compass, ensuring efforts remain aligned with core values and ideals, even as circumstances change.

Plans translate the vision into actionable steps but risk rigidity if disconnected from the vision. Without a vision, plans may become misaligned with broader objectives, or fail to inspire sustained commitment.

EXERCISE:

In what ways are your current plans anchored in your vision?

How does your core purpose support the needed flexibility, adaptability, and resilience so necessary in our rapidly changing world?

Table tennis requires unwavering concentration

Posted on by

“Table tennis requires unwavering concentration, mental resilience, strategic thinking, emotional control, self-confidence, and adaptability.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Jure Zakotnik

Although Pickleball is all the rage these days, I have come to favor a good old-fashion game of Ping Pong for many reasons, including:

  • Ping Pong is easier for beginners, as the table is much smaller and requires less movement.
  • Ping Pong tables are significantly smaller (9ft x 5 ft) compared to a pickleball court (44ft x 20ft), making it more suitable for indoor spaces and home use.
  • Ping Pong can be played year-round indoors regardless of the weather conditions.
  • At intermediate and advanced levels, Ping Pong offers lightning-fast, close quarters gameplay with quick exchanges, which can be more exciting for those who enjoy rapid fire action.
  • While still requiring good reflexes and coordination, Ping Pong is less physically demanding than pickleball, making it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life would better concentration, mental resilience, enhanced strategic thinking, improved self-control, greater self-confidence, and adaptability come in handy?

If these qualities sound good to you, why not give Ping Pong a spin?

Learning to adapt to the current circumstances is a key to being happy

Posted on by

“Learning to adapt to the current circumstances is a key to being happy. Right now, it’s like this.”

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Kelly Sikkema

Following the devastation caused by hurricane Ian in the southeast, the area where I live in Pennsylvania experienced a few days of constant rain. I was surprised that some people complained about our soggy situation.

They apparently internalized the rain and cloudiness, instead of adapting to things as they were. That’s why we have umbrellas and rain coats.

Learning to accept things as they are and working to change things where we can is a road to self-determination.

EXERCISE:

What do you need to accept that you cannot change?

How can you take things as they are and make the most of even the stormy days ahead?

“If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.”

Posted on by

“If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.”

—Toni Morrison, late American novelist

Image from Unsplash by Farshad Rezvanian

The word surrender usually has a negative connotation.

It often points to weakness and being beaten by someone or something much stronger than us.

Much of the time, many of us find ourselves fighting for a just cause — or against some other adversary — when our visions and values are in opposition.

Even the wind, on occasion, has us leaning in against its force, to head in a direction we wish to go.

There are far more things in life that we do not control that the things we do.

Riding the winds of change like a hot air balloon — or adapting ourselves to the wind as in sailing — can still take us to beautiful places with peace, freedom, and delight.

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently fighting the winds of change?

How would surrendering to these currents and letting them take you lead you to some wonderful places you never considered?

Friday Review: Adaptation

Posted on by

Friday Review: Adaptation

How good are you at adapting to change? Here are a few adaption-related posts you may have missed.

 

“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”

 

 

 

 

“You will not stop a steamroller by standing in front of it, but by letting it run out of steam.”

 

 

 

 

“Sometimes in the winds of change we find our true direction.”

 

 

 

“Sometimes in the winds of change we find our true direction.”

Posted on by

“Sometimes in the winds of change we find our true direction.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Eunice Stahl

Few of us are sailing the high seas or doing much boating these days. All of us, however, have seen dramatic climate changes in the weather, and in society. To what degree are you being buffeted or pushed around by the winds of change?

Alternatively, how are you learning to adjust your personal and professional sails and rudders to navigate toward safer harbors and a better world?

How is a meteorologist different from a sailor? Which of these professions reports and forecasts the changes occurring — and which uses that information to direct and adjust their efforts towards desired destinations?

EXERCISE:

How can and will you take more mindful moments during these dynamically changing times to clarify and pursue your path?

“Eons of natural selection coded you to act first and think later. You must adapt to a new world that demands the opposite.”

Posted on by

“Eons of natural selection coded you to act first and think later. You must adapt to a new world that demands the opposite.”

—Jennifer Garvey Berger & Keith Johnson, Simple Habits for Complex Times

Image from Amazon.com

To what degree are emotions running high in your personal and professional communities? Where are you and others on edge, frustrated, angry and upset?

What behaviors are being demonstrated toward a better, calmer and more workable future? Where are you seeing your fellow men and women at their worst?

Our ancestors were coded to survive and live another day. Emotions clearly played a critical role, and pondering one’s situation could actually be deadly unless acted upon immediately.

Today, we like to see ourselves as thoughtful, reflective, and far more perceptive beings, whose reasoning minds can clearly override those animal instincts.

EXERCISE:

Where is it necessary to tap or slam on the brakes in your world? How and in what ways can you more fully awaken to think far more clearly before acting?

“Look and you will find it – what is unsought will go undetected.”

Posted on by

“Look and you will find it – what is unsought will go undetected.”

—Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian

COVID-19 moved our cheese. What was familiar and predictable months ago was suddenly no longer so, and we’ve all felt the loss.

Although these various forms of loss cause much pain, we can all take a lesson from the mouse in the classic business book, Who Moved My Cheese? Going through its maze one day, taking its traditional route, the mouse did not find the cheese he expected. Noticing this, the little guy fairly quickly changed his route to seek his reward elsewhere.

EXERCISE:

What are some of the new ways that you and others in your communities have adapted, adjusted, and expanded your cheese-finding efforts? What new opportunities and possibilities have you discovered and realized?

Feel free to reply to this post with some approaches that are working for you.

Friday Review: Adaptation 4/10/20

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: ADAPTATION

How good are you at adapting to change? Here are a few adaption-related posts you may have missed.

 

“Every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision, and change.”

 

 

 

“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”

 

 

 

“Things do not necessarily happen for the best, but I can choose to make the best of things that happen.”