3 Ways to Adapt to Change
3 Ways to Adapt to Change
In my book, F**K Regret, I talk about how the global pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new way of doing business. Restaurants, retail stores, and gyms have all been ordered to close at one time or another. Some of those businesses, including mine, were able to adapt to our new business environment and keep our doors open by building outdoor facilities. Others who were not as able or willing to adapt unfortunately went under.
Be Willing to Accept Change
The first step in adapting to change comes in the form of acceptance. Accepting that change is being forced upon you isn’t a sign of weakness or failure – it’s actually the opposite. As human beings, we’re hardwired to adapt to changes in our environment. When the weather is cold outside, do you get sad? Maybe. But sadness isn’t an adaptation – it’s a reaction. You adapt to the change in weather by wearing warmer clothes. Doing so allows you to continue moving forward with whatever you had to do that day.
Rethink Your Mindset
The first step in adapting to change is in recognizing that the change is unavoidable and then embracing it. Don’t try to fight change, the odds are overwhelmingly against you. Instead, step into the unknown by first altering your mindset and tap into your creativity. It is your creative mindset and willingness to try new things that will see you through the challenge.
Don’t Focus Too Heavily on Your Feelings
When change is forced upon you it might make you feel mad, or fearful, or in some cases excited. Regardless, make sure that you acknowledge your emotions without letting them guide your actions. Reacting out of anger or fear can cloud your judgment, and so can excitement.
Instead of focusing on how change makes you feel, focus instead on the issue at hand. What opportunities are being presented to you as a result of this change? I know when I first heard that gyms were being forced to close, my initial reaction was shock and outrage. I then asked myself this question: “How do I run a gym and maintain membership when my members aren’t allowed to workout inside?” The answer was obvious: move it outside.
Change will be forced upon you at many points in your life – and it’s not always bad. Sometimes you’ll be dealing with positive changes, such as an increasingly profitable business, or a personal relationship. Whether positive or negative, how you adapt to that change will set the tone for your future.
Author and businessman, Tony Velasco, teaches the principles by which he built a multimillion-dollar business enterprise in his 20s. He lives in Valencia, CA with his wife, Allison. Tony believes that the prospect of losing is a part of growth, and greater than failure we should fear regret, in all things, at all costs.
His soon-to-be-released book, F**K Regret offers a step-by-step description of how the author executes every aspect of his daily life, how he was able to sustain the shutdown of gyms and other businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how he is rebuilding. Follow him on Instagram and at https://tonyvelasco.com