8 skills that will make you more adaptable than 98% of people

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A rapidly changing and uncertain modern world requires us to be adaptable.

If we struggle to adapt, our happiness and security are at the mercy of chaotic external forces.

We can be overwhelmed by the challenges that accompany ‘status-quo’ thinking and actions.

This is why, for the last decade, I’ve poured thousands of hours into learning about the threats, how to adapt, and how to implement them.

Here are some skills you need if you want to be resilient and truly flourish in the coming decades:

Discern between activities that drain your energy and those that reinforce or expand it.

Those who take regular energy audits and then act to cut out energy-drainers, like watching the news or eating too many processed carbs, will have a tremendous advantage.

Become location-independent.

Restructuring your life around being geographically footloose is a skill in itself.

Most people don’t have the mindset to prepare for this adequately.

But unless you want a restricted and precarious life, open to the impact of various global calamities, you will want to prioritise independence like this.

You will need location-independent income sources, several residencies in different countries (not visas), and a willingness to live in multiple places.

Smile in the face of discomfort.

Most people react to things they don’t like with resistance and complaint.

They inadvertently amplify whatever problem they are looking to avoid. Adaptable people know that going with the flow is a skill to practice.

The more they can accept, the less pain they welcome into their realities.

Get good at questioning everything.

Most of us are moulded, not by our own intuition or passed down generational knowledge, but by the media and our misguided and corrupt societies and institutions.

We think we know so much, but our minds are filled with skewed and unhelpful information.

Society doesn’t want the best for you. So, develop the skill of questioning everything, especially those things you were sure for the longest time were true.

What if it was all a crock of shite? What if your instinct knew best?

Learn the art of minimalism.

Possessions may soothe an inner need, but they limit you.

The more you accumulate, the less free you will be. I’ve reached a point where all I own is contained within three bags.

I don’t have children or a pet currently, so this makes it easier. What is minimal depends to a degree on your life choices. Do what you can to minimise the need for more stuff and more stuff to think about.

This puts you at a significant advantage.

Forge connections with the right people.

Learn to scope out the kinds of people you need in your circle and, secondarily, your wider network and audience.

An adaptable person is a connected person.

You can’t do it all alone. Eventually, you will need help.

But to get help, you need to maximise your value so that others have a reason to want to connect with you in return.

Developing a personal brand is now a non-negotiable.

Do not buy into thoughts that make you feel worse about yourself.

They will appear just as clouds appear on a morning horizon, but you have a choice on whether to take those thoughts seriously. You needn’t.

They are only thoughts — approximations — to help you if needed.

If they don’t, learn to let go quickly.

Recover from setbacks.

There will always be events you hadn’t planned for and others that are painful.

This is life. The difference between you and the next Joe is how quickly you can get back on your feet and make the most of the situation.

We all have a choice, no matter what cards we’ve been dealt.

Most of this concerns how little time you spend ruminating on what has happened.

Many people waste years worrying, moaning about, or regretting things that happened. But nothing constructive occurs here. It just makes you feel worse.

Moving on quickly, even if you don’t have all the answers, is a skill that will serve you better than most.

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Pssst. You’ll also love my recent book: ‘The Art of Self Respect: Twenty-five subtle habits for cultivating deep self-respect and attracting the respect of others‘ — get your copy today.

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Reach out to Alex today if you’d like to discuss working with him directly to help you with life challenges and achieving your goals.