Adaptability. It’s a word you likely heard for the very first time in a middle school science class as the theories of Charles Darwin were introduced. Simply put, it’s the ability to adjust to a changing environment. Darwin applied the idea to various organisms and how they must adapt to environmental challenges to survive. But, adaptability goes beyond this primal level.
In today’s modern and dynamic world, changes come at us rapidly. When we’re hit with unexpected events or problems, we have to keep an open mindset, recalibrate and cope in order to continue pushing forward. That’s adaptability, and it’s key in both our personal and professional lives. Businesses prove their resiliency when they are agile in their approach. Similarly, employees and leaders who are flexible and quick problem-solvers often realize the most success.
The following adaptability quotes can help you grow personally, especially if you’re facing challenges or change. They also stress the skill’s gravity in the workplace.
Flexibility Quotes to Help Us Adapt To Change
Change is usually uncomfortable. It’s natural to fear the unknown and struggle when things don’t go according to plan. But the key to becoming more adaptable is to embrace an open mindset focused on growth and to give yourself some grace along the way. The following adaptability quotes can also help you see things in a new light and be more flexible in your approach to life.
- “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” —Brian Tracy
- “Flexibility is the key to stability.” —John Wooden
- “Relativity seeks adjustment; adjustment is art. The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” —Kakuzō Okakura, The Book of Tea
- “The thing we know for sure is that change is inevitable and we cannot escape it. The question becomes how hard and how long we will fight it. Our commonly held understanding of evolution is based on the ability to adapt, which assures the advancement of a species.” —Connie Mason Michaelis
- “The oak is the strongest tree in the forest, but the willow bends and adapts. When the fires and storms hit, it is the willow that survives.” —Kara Barbieri, White Stag
- “Change before you have to.” —Jack Welch
- “Before we adapt, we need to invest the time and effort to anticipate. We need to look ahead and try to determine how the changes around us are likely to evolve.” —John Hagel
- “If I do have a strength, it probably is adaptability.” —Monty Williams
- “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” —Wayne W. Dyer
Related: 21 Insightful Quotes About Embracing Change
‘Adapt And Overcome Quotes’ to Conquer Life’s Challenges
We can’t sit idly by and let life happen to us. When difficulties are thrown our way, that’s when we need to prove what we’re made of and make changes within ourselves to achieve a better outcome. These adaptability quotes give us the courage we need to bounce back from failures or challenges. A few incorporated ‘adapt or die’ quotes additionally teach us that flexibility is essential in order for businesses, relationships, individuals or even entire species to not only survive but thrive.
- “There are two options: adapt or die.” —Andy Grove
- “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” —James Baldwin
- “Things you don’t expect come up and you have to adapt. You can’t let it throw you off. You have to cope. Those are all really valuable skills.” —Mikaela Shiffrin
- “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome!” —Conor McGregor
- “One thing that is missing from the vision boards is what happens when you don’t get what you want. Your ability to adapt to failure, and navigate your way out of it, absolutely 100% makes you who you are.” —Viola Davis
- “There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.”—Theodore Roosevelt
- “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react.” —Charles R. Swindoll
Related: Do You Have Adaptability Skills?
Top Adaptability Quotes For Business & Leadership
In the workplace, adaptability is more important than ever. Business climates are ever-changing based on consumer needs, technology, competition and other market conditions. The ability to innovate and evolve is what separates successful teams and successful leaders from the rest. If you’re not convinced, take it from notable business people, life coaches and execs themselves in the following workplace-specific adaptability quotes.
- “All success is successful adaptation.” —Max Mckeown, The Strategy Book
- “The business changes. The technology changes. The team changes. The team members change. The problem isn’t change, per se, because change is going to happen; the problem, rather, is the inability to cope with change when it comes.” —Kent Beck, Extreme Programming Explained
- “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” —Tony Robbins
- “This is crucial: adaptability. It means being aware of the strengths and weaknesses inside the group; being aware of all the outside factors that can influence your sphere; and adapting to all of that, then modifying what you’ve done and not being afraid to change.” —Didier Deschamps
- “Change based on principle is progress. Constant change without principle becomes chaos.” —Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “We should be in constant evolution and adapt to the new without ever losing our essence or our integrity.” —Pedro Capó
- “No plan survives first contact with the enemy. What matters is how quickly the leader is able to adapt.” —Tim Harford, Adapt
- “Being able to shift in light of new information and in light of new opportunities is a skill. Practicing will make you a more confident leader of change, now and in the future.” —Stewart D. Friedman, Total Leadership
Encouraging Quotes About Adapting And Leadership
For people in any leadership position, adapting to change is critical. Being able to pivot and move forward in the face of challenges is essential for completing projects and going after goals. It can also set the stage for others to face challenges and change with more peace of mind. Use these encouraging ‘adapting to change’ quotes next time you need some inspiration in this area.
- “Adaptability is more than just a game plan for being named ‘most congenial.’ Because, most of all, it’s practical and powerful.” —Tony Alessandra and Michael J. O’Connor, The Platinum Rule
- “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” —John C. Maxwell
- “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” —John F. Kennedy
Inspiring Sayings For When You Need to Adjust Your Sails
“Adjust your sails” is a common metaphor that speaks to adaptability. It means you need to come up with new solutions or shift your approach when faced with unforeseen challenges, just as a sailor would do to navigate the wind.
When it comes time for you to chart a new course, use these unique ‘adjust your sails’ quotes to guide you. These original sayings, written by SUCCESS® contributors, can help you keep sailing. They are a reminder that while there are many things out of your control, you are still the captain of your own ship.
- “Viewing change as an opportunity rather than a setback; that’s adaptability.”
- “When the winds of change blow, you have to button up and smile in the breeze.”
- “Adaptability is the superpower that allows us to ride the waves of life without fear of being caught in the riptide.”
- “To be adaptable is not just about dodging a curveball, but coming back to swing at the next pitch.”
- “Life’s storms are a test of resilience. Will you hunker down or adjust your sails?”
- “Adaptability is not something we’re born with, but it’s something we need to survive.”
- “Embrace the inevitability of change and you’re already one step ahead.”
- “Flexibility is vital on the curved road to success.”
- “Learn from the past. Stay strong today. Adapt for the future.”
- “Willingness to adapt is what separates the good from the great.”
Adaptability Quotes Help You In Life And Business
Adaptability is an essential tool that empowers us to thrive in the face of change and adversity. As we’ve seen through these insightful quotes on adapting from leaders and public figures, it’s not just about surviving but growing and succeeding, whether that be in your personal or professional life. Inspirational adjustment quotes can serve as reminders and encouragement to keep adapting, being flexible, learning and growing in order to be successful.
Adjustments may still make you uneasy, forcing you out of your comfort zone. But approaching life with a flexible, ready-for-anything mindset helps you handle challenges more confidently and build resilience. In this headspace, obstacles become opportunities for growth, and you can realize your full potential.
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