Inspired by Charles Darwin

Never has it been more important—in business, in sales, and in life itself—to be adaptable. I always come back to this popular paraphrasing of Charles Darwin’s wisdom: It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change.

 

Here are several quick reminders inspired by this idea…

1. Learn from your losses. In the face of disappointment and rejection, lean on your team to support you and build you back up, to process and talk about what happened—what didn't work and what sucked the most about the loss. Pick yourself up and move on, constructively carrying these insights with you.

2. Get your head right. Before you start your day, enter a negotiation, give a big-picture presentation, or fire off messages to people you want do business with—all tasks that may seem routine but can be high stakes—get clear on what you're doing. Be intentional about why you're doing it, who you're going after, and what matters about this task. Also, be patient about the timeline—don’t expect everything to go your way. Zoom out a little bit. It might take a few weeks or a few months or even a year for it to come around; in the meantime, work your process and stay self-aware.

3. Be creative. When you need to adapt or change your gameplan because something isn't working quite right, have fun with it. Move the energy. Learn something different. I know it's annoying to have to pivot, especially for those of us who are getting older, so make it novel and interesting. Your creative spark will ultimately set you apart and make you more intriguing to your prospects.

Darwin had it right—we must get better at how we adapt to change. Shift things up, try something new, don't get stuck. Move the energy, get creative, have fun.

Onward.
Tom

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