Be Like Water

Life will throw obstacles in your path. It’s like a new teenage driver getting into a fender bender. It’s not a matter of if, but when.

When water meets an obstacle, it doesn’t fight. It flows around it. When it meets a rock, it finds another path. And over time, it can even shape the hardest stone.

It’s your responsibility to be like water and adapt.

Adaptability is your ability to adjust to new conditions, to shift your approach when the circumstances change. Most people think being adaptable means lowering your standards or giving up on your goals. That’s wrong.

Being adaptable means finding another way to reach them.

A few years ago, a coaching client lost out on a promotion to become CEO of the company, something he wanted more than anything. Instead of shutting down, giving up, or going to look for a job elsewhere, he took a day to collect his thoughts, then reminded himself that just because it’s not now, it doesn’t mean it's not ever.

Sixteen months later, when the new CEO didn’t work out, he was still there. He had strengthened his relationships with key team members. He had grown his skills. He adapted and he realized his dream by getting the job.

Yes, there are things to be rigid about: your values, your integrity, your character. But far fewer than you might think.

Most situations in life won’t go perfectly according to plan. That’s why you can’t be rigid about everything.

Be like water. Flow around the obstacle. Find another way. Keep moving forward.

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