Saturday, January 19, 2013

We are the "Impossible doers"...we adapt..adapt..adapt.

Which trait allows some people to excel in whatever they do while others flop?
Which trait lets people enter completely new arenas of knowledge and not only survive, but thrive?
If you have this trait, you can do just about anything.
So what is this trait that will open doors of opportunity and create more chances for growth than you could imagine?
The ability to adapt.
Being adaptable is like walking into a pitch black room. At first you can’t see anything but soon you’re able to start to make out shapes, and objects. Pretty soon you’re able to see everything and keep functioning as normal.
Anytime you walk into an unfamiliar setting, subject matter or area of interest that you’re not familiar with, it’s like you’re walking into a room that’s pitch black. At first you don’t recognize anything but soon you start recognizing patterns, and pretty soon you’re able to function as if you were meant to work without light.
In college, I worked for two summers with a non-profit doing community development work.We were doing Hurricane Katrina relief and I was the “construction co-ordinator”, a laughable title considering I had done approximately 0 hours of any construction experience before that. After an hour crash course at a build-in-progress where my dad ran me through basic construction terminology and techniques, I got on my plane and headed down to Mississippi. 3 months and 5 1500sq ft houses later, I had learned to stick-build a house from scratch and we put 5 families that were in trailer homes back into a home. I worked with and taught over 500 people that summer over a period of 12 weeks. I guided them through the builds, and showed them how the houses were going to built and hundreds of people asked me for my “expert advice.”
 …if they only knew…
The only reason that was possible because I was able to adapt, learn and react as necessary. But adapting is essential outside of small Mississippi towns too, its useful in whatever you want to do in life:
If you want to start a business, you don’t just come up with an idea and hope the market goes for it, you find out what people are really wanting and you adapt yourself to give them what they’re asking for.
If you want to travel the world, you’re going to have to learn to adapt you’re going to have to learn how to adapt you spending habits, spoken language, cultural habits, wardrobe, sleeping expectations, etc.
If you want to train for a triathlon, you’re going to have to learn to adapt your eating, exercise, and sleeping habits and even adapt the types of workouts you do.
There are a lot of skills that can help you do one thing really well, but if you know how to adapt, you can do just about anything.
Every high school textbook talks about the survival of the fittest. When a person, animal, or plant is introduced to a new environment, they either have to adapt or they die.
The consequences aren’t at morbid when you’re attempting the impossible [you probably won’t die], but can be just as scary [you could settle for a really boring life]. The number one characteristic of impossible doers is that they can adapt. Obstacles don’t stop them, they’re just a chance for creative problem solving. There’s never anything you don’t know, only things you haven’t figured out yet.
Don’t know how to do something, learn how.
Run into a problem, figure it out.
Need a new skill, master it.
That’s the attitude of someone who’s set on doing the impossible. Adapt, adapt, adapt.
How to Adapt:-
I’ve done more things in my life because of the ability to effectively adapt to my surroundings than anything else. But, if adaptation doesn’t come naturally to you, here’s some straight-forward advice on how to make it a little easier.
Be Optimistic.
Just because there’s an issue comes up, doesn’t mean there’s a problem. There are plenty of things that just happen. When you’re pessimistic, you start to focus on the problem, not the solution. When you’re optimistic you focus on what will work, instead of the things that aren’t working.
Be Flexible.
Life never turns out how you expect. Be willing to roll with the punches and go with what works is essential. If you’re set on your way of doing something, and your way doesn’t seem to be working. If you find a better way to do something, do it.
Be Wrong.
The best way to figure out if something works or not is to try it. This means you’re going to try things that don’t work. Probably a lot of them. Problem solving is a lot like guessing the right size of a bolt. Just because the 3/8 wrench doesn’t work, doesn’t mean that wrenches aren’t the right tool. It just means that the 3/8th wrench doesn’t fit. Better try a 5/8 or keep trying till you find something that works. If you’re never wiling to be wrong, you’re probably never going to be right.
Be optimistic, be flexible and don’t be afraid to be wrong. You’ll find doing those things help you naturally adapt to your surroundings better and you’ll be amazed at what you can do when you adapt.

BY JOEL RUNYON

29 comments:

NEVER GIVE UP said...

Good Morning Sir & All Friends.
Very True Sir.
It means NEVER GIVE UP & STAY CALM & SEE THE MAGIC.

rajiv malik said...

very well highlighted ilango ji that adaptability in life is the key to success !

rajiv malik said...

for your weekend viewing

all friends interested in spirituality and spiritual activities may spare some time to view my speech on the you tube link below-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WGQ_zJrRmk


Release of 2nd edition of booklet "A Glimpse of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati -- His Lineage and His Mission" by Shri Rajiv Malik, Principal Correspondent, India / South Asia, Hinduism Today (USA), along with Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, President Omkarananda Ashram, and Kumari Somashekhari during Omkarananda Jayanti Celebrations, 25.12.2012, in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, Muni-ki-Reti, Rishikesh, India, followed by speech of Shri Rajiv Malik on this occasion. Introduction by Dr. Quaylee Chakravorty, Teacher Omkarananda Saraswati Nilayam Inter-College.

Dinesh Palanichamy said...

@Master
Great Day Master. It reminds me the ever green words of swami Vivekananda "ARISE, AWAKE, STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED"
Thank you very much for this MIND OPENER.
I appeal cordially to resend the INVITATION to the group, as the mail was unintentionally deleted.
I regret very much for such an erroneous act(good-for-naught) and am much willing to get attached with this blog and enrich my IDEAS for growing rich.
My mail id for resending the invitation is drdinesh@doctor.com

Sincerely
Dinesh.Palanichamy

jay shah said...

wonderful post dear sir, happy weekend to everyone

Yogavidya by Parimal Devnath said...

Namaste Master
i just have been talking on adaptability to a group of people from a company. nice and rich input indeed.
thanks

starhoney19 said...

@sir,
Great words with excellent examples.
my personal view if you accept the problems come across in life to solve with open mind it is as your training for future from GOD.
God help them who help themselves.

thanks for all.

venkatapathy l said...

Namaste Ilango Sir.

LV

Sir, Can I request you to write an article about the eye surgeon Madurai Venkatasamy. I spent a few days for my cataract there.

Thanks and regards,

LV

SANPOT said...

Good Afternoon Ilango Sir. A great post as always. Thank you.

Ilango said...

Hi..venkatapathy l,

Eye surgeon Madurai Venkatasamy

Hari said...

Good afternoon master

Thank you

INDITRADER said...

Good Evening Illango Sir & all.
Thx for such inspirational story.
Builds our inner strength.

Dinesh Palanichamy said...

Dear Members,
I have a close contact with Dr.V's Hospital. My experience with his institution is mind blowing. The staff's not only understands the feeling of the patients, they care them as if the their family members.
It is a seldom seen in many hospitals a nurse holding the hands of the patient and guiding them in person for all the procedures prescribed.
The very Formula of success in any profession or business is DEDICATION. Dr.V dedicated to the people with EYE Disorders, his Staff's dedicated to his MOTO.
This is their SECRET OF SUCCESS.
Morale: Dedicate yourself for what you believe in.(Like Master's JNSAR, its merely not a number,its value is out off bounds)

I wish to join hands with the Members, who dedicated their TRADES to JNSAR and thankfull to our Master.Ilango Sir.

venkatapathy l said...

Yes sir.

He built the institution Arvind Eye Hospital' with a motive of service. 30 percent patients are charged. With this income remaining 70 percent get 100% free treatment. They have eight branches and some peripheral clinics. After his demise his sister Nachiar and her husband Namperumalsamy are looking after the work. But the services remain the same.

I know him personally from 1976. A great human being.

His biography is available in the market published by 'Vikatan'. Harvard business School also wrote a book on him. Well, I can go on writing pages about him; But in your words he will shine more brightly.

Regards,

LV

shriram said...

Beautiful Master ...

Adaptability is a fluid dance, demanding BALANCE

Those who are "free" from both "projecting one's own self-image" & from being "judgemental"

Those that can , when confronted with the present, forget the past , yet bring to use prior learning from experiences

Those that can innure self to "-ve external opinion", & yet pay heed to "+ve wise counsel"

Those who "do" for the Love of Doing & are free "from need for praise", & yet are "humane"

Those who are "Detatched" in "Action" , and yet are "Always thinking for the benefit of gr8er Good"


Those who strike this fine BALANCE, they shall be richer than the richest kings that walked this earth !

Have a nice weekend, JN Family :-)

rajiv malik said...

for success in stock market you need
capital
knowledge
right decision at the right time
patience
a dream or a vision
[courtesy bazaar shastra, zee news]

durga said...

PERESTROICA GLASNOST
MIKHAIEL GORBACHEV.
people who anticipate change and changes..succeed.
people who change with change ....survive
people who refuse ......PERISH..
good night.

rajiv malik said...

business line's view on nifty

Nifty (6,064.4)

The Nifty also went on to a triumphant close above the 6,000 level after a roller-coaster week. Our stop loss for the short call was hit on Tuesday but it has managed a close that is barely above this level (6,050). This makes our short-term view ambivalent.

If the week begins with a bang, the Nifty can go on to 6,123 or 6,141. But a sharp surge beyond 6,150 will mean that the index is moving towards its medium term target zone between 6,225 and 6,288.

We retain a positive medium term outlook for Nifty as long as it trades above 5,600.

What if the Nifty begins the week with a whimper? The supports to watch out for then would be 5,995, 5,943 and 5,848. Short-term trend will turn negative on close below 5,940.

Smita said...

Thank you Sir for the Post !

Crorepathi said...

Sriram,
"Adaptability is a fluid dance, demanding BALANCE"
Real beauty...which explains the crux of universe, Cosmic Dance of Shiva, where change is constant and more important is balance of energy and matter.

Unknown said...

Good Morning All

rajiv malik said...

The most active person in the world: One who invented Alarm.
The laziest person in the world: One who invented “Snooze” in alarm.

gauresh59 said...

rajiv ji you have rightly stated :

for success in stock market you need
capital
knowledge
right decision at the right time
patience
a dream or a vision
[courtesy bazaar shastra, zee news]

All these can be obtained only if a trader keeps his ego at the lower and lower level.....then only he can succeed in stock market. With high degree ego, a trader can never learn from his mistakes and never follow disciplinary rules, even though he is knowing the rules. And such practice take him to losses.

"Knowledge for how to get out of ego" is a must for any success.

Bytes said...

Very little grows on jagged rock,

Be ground, be crumbled

So wildflowers will come up where you are.

You’ve been stoney for too many years

Try something different

Surrender

~~Rumi

shriram said...

Crorepathi,

Bulls seem to hv found this "Balance" ...

if they can sustain it for another month, 6400-6500 is easily doable, may be so will ur portfolio too, fly northwards ;-)

Dinesh Rishi said...

shriram ji

12K

Likh lo :D

Dinesh Rishi said...

no if & butts

Dinesh Rishi said...

tell jitu to be away from me

I m coconut

Kannan Srinivas said...

Dr L.Venkatapathy

Am I writing to the same Dr Venkatapathy who is practicing in ERODE and who wanted to name your clinic as " Sri Krishna Shishu aalayam"

Kannan

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