In a rapidly changing world, the ability to change your mind or adapt is an indispensable skill. If you don’t give yourself permission to change your mind, you cannot change anything in your life.
Stephen Hawking famously said, ‘Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.’
Intelligence is the desire to learn and do more of what works better and faster. — Intelligence is always work in progress. Adaptability is one of the keys measures of intelligence.
Life is a series of changes, with or without your consent — you’re always changing, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
If you want things to turn out the way you want, you have to deliberately make that change happen. Intelligence allows you to pay attention to everything around you and acquire what you need to survive.
As C. JoyBell C. put it: “The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.”
If you’re not proactively seeking better ways to reinvent yourself or become a better version of yourself, you are probably stuck.
If you’re stuck, you are probably stuck being average and not making the most of your strengths. If you are an average person and not changing, then you’re not intelligent or ignorant of your own shortcomings.
Vera Nazarian, the author of The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration, explains:
“It’s a fact — everyone is ignorant in some way or another. Ignorance is our deepest secret. And it is one of the scariest things out there, because those of us who are most ignorant are also the ones who often don’t know it or don’t want to admit it.
Here is a quick test: If you have never changed your mind about some fundamental tenet of your belief, if you have never questioned the basics, and if you have no wish to do so, then you are likely ignorant.”
How much have you changed in the past 12 months? What new habits, practices and routines have you embraced in the last 6 months? What actions are you taking today to become smarter than you were this time last year?
Here’s the thing about life: you can’t stop the future and you definitely cannot
rewind the past, so why not take control of the natural process of change and become smarter than you were 12 months ago.
Real change is the outcome of all true learning
George Bernard Shaw said, “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” Every process of transformation begins in the mind.
Real personal growth begins with the recognition that something needs to be done differently.
When you begin changing yourself, you demand more of yourself — learn new experiences, make better discoveries, find smarter life models, challenge your current perception of life and become open-minded.
You improve your intelligence in the process — you get exposed to a whole new world of ideas to build a better life and career.
And as you continue to educate yourself or embrace self-learning to reinvent yourself, your mind will expand allowing even better insights.
Many people are used to the same habits and routines — they don’t make room for smarter, faster or better processes that can help them do the same things quicker or in the shortest time possible. They are closed-minded.
This is where intelligence measured. In the face of new and better evidence, can you quickly adapt to function at your best?
Humans as intellectually “growing” beings. We grow with our intelligence, based on our ability to change, based on the knowledge we acquire.
If you are still relying on the same mental models, principles, routines and habits you were using five years ago, you are not growing.
Your ability to change with the time can help you survive, thrive and grow. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often, said Winston S. Churchill
Stepping onto a brand-new path to find yourself or change your perception about life and living it is difficult, but not more difficult being stuck.
The good news about making a change and improving your intelligence about life and living it is that you don’t have to make a radical change next week or next month.
You can make small increments daily. You can start learning new habits, behaviours, and practices that can significantly improve your life over time.
Roy T. Bennett says, “It’s never too late to change your life for the better. You don’t have to take huge steps to change your life. Making even the smallest changes to your daily routine can make a big difference to your life.”
The ability to recognise your own shortcomings, learn new models, practices, adapt and overcome what stands in your way is the basis of most success stories. Success eventually comes to those who are willing to step outside their comfort bubble to achieve a better future!
You are constantly changing, for better or worse — you won’t be the same person tomorrow, so why try to shove yourself in a single box. Improve your ability to reason at your highest human potential every day.
—
This post was previously published on Kaizen Habits.
***
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project and want a deeper connection with our community, please join us as a Premium Member today.
Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: iStock