I am not that adaptive
Hallelujah, it is a revelation!
Daily musings #621- Wednesday, 9 November 2022
I teach Product teams adaptive practices and continuous improvement. One of the things that I try to reinforce to the teams I coach is that doing the work that is required to be done every day (including the day-to-day challenges that are expected) is not and cannot be called adaptive.
Adaptivity is using smartness on top of what one normally does to do things better. And while contemplating this, I realized that I am not adaptive too. Not my by a long shot. And what a revelation this is. I am certainly thankful.
Let me explain with an example. In the last two months I traveled around the world visiting 3 countries and then came back with a baggage of 10 extra pounds around (mostly) my belly, I think. I came up with a variety of excuses to myself on why this happened and I also said - oh, poor me. But this is an example of me not being adaptive.
I blamed timezones, sleep problems, cravings, hunger, and all sort of sundry reasons to justify why I had been the victim. And I am currently working very hard on my diet, exercise, sleep, and routine to work away these extra 10 pounds, which might take me 3 months if I am extremely successful and lucky. The good news is that I have started slowly eating myself with the diet and exercise. And all this is because I let this happen to me.
If I had been truly adaptive, I would have been proactive with my answers. In spite of fatigue, sleep, and other limitations, I would have figured it out. away to eat right and exercise right, no matter where I was. I would have been super adaptive to find the right grocery, and the right food that I needed, and not be driven by my wants and said “no” to the mouth-watering dishes and sweets being offered all around by my friends, family, and neighbors. And would have refrained from the “just one more day” syndrome that I exhibited during my travels. I would have politely or impolitely said “no” a lot - to myself and to others. And capped my food intake to something that would not have made me put on weight.
Because I do know about myself - I do know that I look at food or breathe around food I put on weight. I do know about my cravings and about eating, the food, the plate, and the table too while at it. Yes, I am human and succumbed and paid the price, but I could have countered with my adaptivity. I preach it after all.
I have now lived and learned. Or learning. Or realizing. Which is the first step. And then, what do I do with this realization? That is the next “10-pounder” question.