Embracing Flexibility: The Key to Personal Growth
Scott Miker
The notion of systems and habits in personal improvement may conjure images of rigid discipline for many. However, this perception couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, the systems and habits approach offers remarkable flexibility.
Flexibility proves paramount. When software engineers recognized the shortcomings of traditional, structured project management, they devised Agile Project Management. Through small iterations, they found freedom from the constraints of complex project plans.
Yet, embracing flexibility remains a challenge for most. Witnessing a politician alter their stance on an issue often prompts assumptions of weakness. However, continuous learning and improvement demand occasional shifts in opinion based on new insights.
The military is often synonymous with rigid discipline, portraying soldiers as obedient automatons. However, Navy SEAL Thom Shea highlights a different truth in Unbreakable, A Navy SEAL’s Way of Life. He explains, “In my time teaching boys to grow into SEALs, I’ve learned there’s something inside a man far more in need of training, far more valuable for him to learn, than any tactic or new fitness technique. After teaching young men in training to overcome impossible conditions, and watching them endure terrible pain, I noticed the key wasn’t how hard the man was, but how malleable his mind was – how he harnessed his thoughts before, during, and after these times of hell.”
Despite this, flexibility and a malleable mind are seldom associated with strength in everyday life. They're often misconstrued as weaknesses.
In our pursuit of personal growth, maintaining discipline and consistency to form new habits is crucial. However, it's equally vital to avoid adopting overly rigid mindsets.
One effective strategy is iteration. Similar to how Agile Project Management fosters flexibility in software projects, iteration can grant flexibility in our personal journeys of improvement.
Rather than setting lofty goals with exhaustive plans for success, start by defining your desired direction and commit to small actions that propel you forward. This approach allows for gradual progress, enabling you to learn and adapt along the way.
Experimentation becomes key—trying new techniques and ideas, adjusting your focus, and expanding your routine based on newfound knowledge. Yet, it's crucial not to hop from idea to idea without giving each sufficient repetition to instill lasting change.
Over time, you may naturally become more steadfast in certain areas. Nevertheless, maintaining flexibility ensures the enduring value of a malleable mind, capable of embracing new information and adapting to evolving circumstances.