It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. – Charles Darwin

The older I get, the more I agree with this statement. I read in one of Malcolm Gladwell’s book that a few IQ points don’t make a difference once you reach a certain level. Don’t get me wrong when I say that we are all similar in intelligence because that would be far from the truth, but the point is that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the world to excel in something. The key to almost everything lies in the quote above. Whether it be business, personal relationships, or leisure activities, the key is adapting.

You could be the smartest person in the world but if you are stubborn and always think your way is the best, most likely you’ll be overtaken at some point. The year 2012 is much different than even the year 2002. What worked back then might not work now. The information that was paramount then could have changed 10 times already. That’s why it’s important to never let any one thought dominate the way you go about things. My golf game is a great example. I constantly ask people who are better than me for tips or information on how I can improve. I explain my problems and than hear their answers. This doesn’t mean that what they say is the gospel because it might be the way they look at it and that might now correlate with how I think about things. Constantly having an open mind though and listening and trying and working are the keys to getting better. It’s not me saying, “this is how I taught myself so this is how I do it.” That might work for Lebron but most of us aren’t fortunate to be have his skills.

Also, just because it was working, doesn’t mean it will still work. Companies see this all the time. They create something new and groundbreaking only to find that at a certain point down the road things can change overnight. If you can’t adapt (Kodak, Blockbuster, Blackberry), you will sink. Don’t forget, it’s not just adapting but maintaining. Some people do something stupid, try to learn from it, and then just revert right back to where they were. I think most of us are guilty of this because it’s easier for us. The best equipped people on this Earth are the ones who think on their feet and do their best to work with all their information and go about it with a good attitude.