Adaptability, Discipline, Over-Thinking, Action

I've had many personal and professional pivots in my life.

All the reasons in the world to give up and give in.

But thankfully and perhaps luckily I've managed to adapt.

If you'll oblige, I'd like to share with you some things.

Some things I've learned from adapting to life's trials and tribulations.

Adaptability is essential (and it's a skill you can build).

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change." - Charles Darwin

In Greek mythology, the Hydra is a creature that has multiple heads.

When one is cut off, two grow back in its place.

The best are never broken by the chaos—they train themselves to be prepared for it, to benefit from it.

Life is chaotic.

The only constant is change.

If you can embrace that discomfort, you'll win.

As Mike Tyson famously quipped, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

You'll only go as far as your ability to absorb life's punches and pivot on the fly.

Place yourself into more uncomfortable situations.

Adapt and win.

Discipline is very important for adaptability to work.

Discipline is about what you do on the days when you feel like crap.

I have a rule of thumb that you'll feel great on 10% of days, ok on 80% of days, and terrible on 10% of days.

It's easy to be disciplined and consistent on the 10% when you feel great—and even on the 80% when you feel ok—but it's hard on the 10% when you feel like crap.

Those are the days when you need to take pride in punching the clock.

Those are the days when you need to bring the after into the before.

Those are the days when you build an unshakable confidence in yourself.

Those are the days when you remind yourself that you are a winner.

Adaptability and discipline wouldn't work if you're overthinking it.

Stop overthinking, just start.

For example, I avoided changing my diet for years.

I rationalized this delay by telling myself that I needed the perfect plan and strategy, that I should wait until I could develop that.

I was just overthinking it.

I was just hiding behind planning to avoid my fear of getting started.

There's a famous saying: "No plan survives first contact with the enemy."

Too many get their dopamine from the planning.

Too few get their dopamine from the doing.

Plan a bit, then make first contact with "your enemy" and start improving fast.

And finally, comes action.

We're remembered for our actions, not our words.

I could sit here and write about the merits of discipline and consistency until kingdom come.

I could tell you about the importance of adaptability.

I could preach the merits of doing hard things.

And I have.

But those words would be meaningless without the actions to back them up.

Those words would be nothing without the 100 proof points—the receipts.

The world is filled with "gurus" who will talk the talk, but never walk the walk.

Beware anyone who tries to sell you some food that they aren't eating themselves.

Be the person whose actions are always louder than their words.

Much love.

Afra