As part of my series of articles on Developing Adaptability, I thought I would share a personal example - how I have had to adapt on the basketball court!
Full disclosure… I am 56 years old, and I have been playing basketball off and on for 40 years – I’ve had no delusions about my ability – I have always been a reasonable local league player – LeBron James I am not (even though we share a surname)!
I want to illustrate some of the sub-dimensions of AQ Ability – the skills of adapting, knowing how and to what degree do I adapt - with some of my personal developing adaptability reflections.
Grit
As I get/have got older, basketball games have steadily got that little bit harder. However, for some years now, I have had the goal to continue playing for as long as I can, for as long as I am enjoying it and while I feel I still competitive. This clarity has helped me when it has got harder, and when I have struggled with minor injuries, fitness, and form.
Mindset
I’ve worked hard to maintain a positive mindset about my basketball, even at times when this has been difficult. I try to focus on my strengths, successes and contribution to the team, rather than focusing on my deficiencies and weaknesses (not always easy!). A growth mindset has been an important part of this – I’ve had to adapt my style of play, but I maintain the belief that I can improve, and get better. And you know what…it works, as aspects of my play have developed in recent years!
Resilience
Clearly this has been important for a number of years, as I have had to recover from setbacks. When the pandemic hit and we were locked down, I did wonder if that might be the end of competitive basketball for me. I have also had to respond to changes in the team – as new players have come and gone, and my role in the team has changed. And an important part of resilience – being prepared to experiment and fail…you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!
Unlearn
I was really curious when first introduced to the notion of unlearning – surely, we just need to learn new things to improve? But my basketball career is littered with examples of unlearning, in particular as I’ve got older… my body simply cannot do some of the things it used to be able to do… but on occasions my brain still believes it can! I have had to work hard to let go of some of those beliefs – and that has enabled me build new beliefs and skills. Without this awareness I would have continued to try to play how I did 20 years ago, and I would not have succeeded. I am not saying I am a better player now than I was then – but I am a better player at age 56 than if I hadn’t unlearnt.
I’m proud to still be playing to a reasonable level of basketball, and if I were to blow my own trumpet, I’m probably playing as well as I have for a number of years and remain competitive with players 30 plus years younger than me!
So, my challenge to you – how well do you know your own adaptability skills? And how can you develop these skills to help you to continue to thrive?
