How to Series; Adapt and Adjust
Hi! Welcome back to the MFP How To series...where we’ll talk about a skill or concept and how you can use it in your everyday life.
Today I’ll be talking about how to embrace adapting and adjusting.
In our current world of sports and life, the ability to adapt and adjust is a cornerstone of success. Whether it's facing unexpected challenges, overcoming setbacks, or seizing new opportunities, the capacity to pivot and find effective strategies is crucial. Today’s How to Series will explore the importance of adapting and adjusting, providing practical tips to help athletes, teams, groups, individuals, and parents alike develop these essential skills.
Adapting and adjusting is a crucial skill both in sport and life. It allows us to:
Overcome Obstacles: Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. People who can quickly adapt to challenges are better equipped to overcome adversity and bounce back from setbacks. For example, maybe you’re joining a new team but the position you play is already filled. Adapting and adjusting allows you to be open and willing to learn to play a new position. I saw this in action while watching the Baseball Little League World Series this year - each team had members that played multiple positions, from pitcher, to infielder, to outfielder, and many played multiple positions within a game!
Seize Opportunities: Adaptability allows individuals to recognize and capitalize on new opportunities. By being flexible and open-minded, you can discover new paths to success. For example, as an incoming high school freshman baseball player, maybe you were asked to join the cross country team in the off season, learn to love it, and thrive on the benefits it provides both for overall fitness and for your baseball readiness.
Build Resilience: The ability to adapt and adjust contributes to mental toughness and resilience. When faced with difficulties, individuals who can maintain a positive mindset and find effective solutions are more likely to persevere. Be like Thomas Edison, who famously said on his way to inventing the lightbulb among many other things after many failed attempts, “I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.”.
Continue Growth: Adaptation is essential for personal and professional growth. By embracing change and learning from new experiences, individuals can expand their skill sets and reach their full potential. This is also part of embracing the growth mindset! If you choose to, you can learn, you can adapt, you can improve!
You might be asking ‘How does someone adapt and adjust?’. Great question! While everyone’s experiences will differ, here are some tips that may help:
Develop a Growth Mindset: Cultivate a belief that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset encourages a willingness to learn from mistakes and seek out new challenges. While it may seem uncomfortable at first (frustration, embarrassment, etc.), you can learn new things.
Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, can help you stay present and focused in the face of adversity, without judgment. Let me say that again…without judgment. That means, just being in the moment without judgment about emotions, feelings, successes, or missteps. By being grounded in the present moment, you can better assess situations and make informed decisions. Instead of criticizing yourself, instead be curious about what you can adjust next time.
Visualize Success: Create mental images of yourself successfully adapting to challenges and overcoming obstacles. Visualization can help boost your confidence and prepare you for difficult situations. For example, Michael Phelps avidly used visualization ro replay races in his mind and learned from every aspect, allowing him to perform under pressure and become one of the greatest swimmers we’ve ever seen. It’s like the old saying goes, “If you see it, you can be it, you can achieve it!”.
Seek Feedback: Actively seek feedback from coaches, teammates, mentors, and yourself. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement, develop new strategies, and allows you to adapt and adjust. The key is to be open to their feedback and remember that not all feedback might be worth holding onto. Since part of this process is all about identifying what can be adjusted and how, you’ll know what feedback aligns with your goals and visions.
Learn from Mistakes: View mistakes as opportunities for growth. Analyze your failures to understand what went wrong and how you can avoid similar errors in the future. Check in with yourself on what worked and didn’t, what felt good and didn’t, what to improve and how. Once you’ve identified the answers, you can start to apply the improvements and adjustments.
Build a Support Network: Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who can offer encouragement and guidance. Having a strong support system can help you stay motivated and resilient, especially when making an adjustment is uncomfortable at first or even something you might resist at first.
Embrace Change: Resist the urge to cling to the familiar. This is often one of the more challenging steps for me, but it absolutely helps. Embrace change as a natural part of life and be open to new experiences. When I’m nervous about change, I remind myself that instead of thinking about change as a bad thing, I should think about it in a way that reminds me change could be just the thing I need!
You might notice that all of these tips are mindset related. In fact, they’re all based on the choices you make and the approach you take. How you choose to view adaptations and adjustments can make all the difference in your effort and progress. Below are a few examples of adaptation and adjustment in sports:
Serena Williams' Injury Comeback: After a significant injury, Serena Williams had to adapt her playing style to compensate for her physical limitations. She focused on her serve and mental toughness, allowing her to remain competitive at the highest level.
Michael Jordan's Flu Game: In the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan played through a severe illness, demonstrating incredible mental and physical resilience. His ability to adapt to his weakened state, stay present, and still perform at an elite level is a testament to his determination.
Tiger Woods' Swing Changes: Throughout his career, Tiger Woods has made significant changes to his golf swing to address technical issues and maintain his competitive edge. His ability to adapt his technique and stay at the top of his game is a testament to his dedication and open-mindedness.
Roger Federer's Knee Injuries: Federer has faced multiple knee injuries throughout his career, requiring him to adapt his playing style and training regimen to prolong his career.
Simone Biles' Mental Health: Biles' decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health concerns highlighted the importance of adapting to personal challenges and prioritizing well-being. And just 3 short years later at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she won the Individual All Around Gold, the Team All Around Gold, Women’s Vault Gold, and Women’s Floor Bronze.
These examples demonstrate how athletes must constantly adapt and adjust to the ever-changing landscape of sports - whether it be internal or external. By being open to change and willing to learn new skills, all of the above athletes overcame challenges and achieved success.
The ability to adapt and adjust is a vital skill for anyone who is ready. By developing a growth mindset, practicing mindfulness, and seeking out feedback, you can enhance your capacity to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and build resilience.
Remember, adaptation is not about giving up on your goals; it's about finding new ways to achieve them. As always, I’m here for you! Let’s adapt and adjust together.
