It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.
—Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin's visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835 changed biology and natural science forever. Yet almost two centuries later, the true impact of Darwin's work has yet to be fully realized. Whether we recognize it or not, change is the only reliable constant of modern life. Change is the rule. Adaptation is survival. Being conscious is how you thrive.
Let us introduce you to the chameleon, an animal that can teach us how to adapt and survive in a disruptive and accelerating world. But first we need to rethink the chameleon and start viewing it for what it is: A powerful icon of change and a world champion of adaptation.
Evolutionary forces created an incredible paradox in the chameleon. They are one of the slowest and also one of the fastest animals in nature. In spite of their sluggish-looking exterior, chameleons possess the world's fastest tongue. While commonly standing on a tree branch moving just a few centimeters an hour, a chameleon's tongue springs upon its prey with astonishing swiftness. If a chameleon's tongue were a race car, it would travel from zero to 60 mph in 1/100th of a second. This speed and intensity exists almost nowhere else in the terrestrial world.
Chameleons also developed fully independent eyes, giving them a 360-degree arc of visibility around their bodies. Able to see in visible and ultraviolet light, their eyes have the highest power of magnification of any vertebrate. These adaptations were all essential to the chameleon's survival and growth.1
Yet chameleons are most well-known for their ability to change color. Their base color is camouflage, enabling them to ambush their prey as they sway in the breeze. But that's just one of their colors. In fact, changing color is an adaptation that allows the chameleon to stand out and communicate with other chameleons. Brighter colors normally indicate aggression and darker colors indicate submission. They are essentially living mood rings.2
Now, most of us don't want to be called a chameleon. To us that signifies devious, manipulative, or dishonest behavior. Yet, as science reveals the truth about the chameleon, it's time we become more conscious of the chameleon's true place in the world. Comfortable in its own skin. Always showing its true colors. Seeing in all directions. The chameleon teaches us what it takes to adapt and thrive in a constantly changing world.
We humans are not easily intimidated by the chameleon. In fact, we are the most advanced species on the planet. What distinguishes us from all the other species is our amazing brain. Weighing in at three pounds and large for our size, the human brain is a complex network of billions of nerve cells with trillions of connections with our bodies and the outside world. The human mind, as we like to call it, is the seat of our complex thought, the source of our language, the originator of our personality, and the home of our emotions. Our capacity to be conscious – to be aware of ourselves and our surroundings – is what makes us the talk of the animal kingdom.
Yet, as humans, we find ourselves living at a critical inflexion point in our history. Everything is changing around us, from technology and demographics, to geopolitics and climate, to lifestyles and marriages, and the list goes on. Our challenge is that the world is changing faster than our ability to adapt.
Some of us respond to these changes like we are in a burning house, ever running to put out fires, believing we are operating in a world of scarcity. Others of us live like we are playing shuffleboard on the deck of a sinking ship, disengaged and uninterested in what's happening around us. Then there are those of us who are aware and anticipate these changes, in search of a better, more prosperous life.
Yet, many of us are unprepared for these accelerations. We act on autopilot as new challenges confront us. We are too reactive to problems and miss out on opportunities. We get hijacked by outdated ideas, misguided values, and polarizing relationships. We face uncertainty with fear and mistrust. Stress and burnout are pervasive as many of us do not perform to our highest potential. At a time when we need to think deeper, learn faster, and collaborate better, our minds, in their current form, are simply unprepared for this new reality.
Like our friend the chameleon, we must rely on our unique assets to guide us into our next phase of transformation. Only you can embrace these changes and adapt into the future. Lifting your gaze outside yourself while looking inward to remove the roots of resistance is how you become more conscious. With just enough urgency, resilience, and curiosity, you can activate your mind to adapt. This requires transforming yourself in an increasingly disruptive and accelerating world.
The path from clueless to conscious is paved with disruption. The going isn't easy; the road is littered with tiny jolts of uncertainty and occasionally buffeted by massive speed bumps of disruption. In life and business, we all are looking to move forward and contribute something of value. However, our wild, wireless world is ever changing and complex. It's far too easy to get lost and stay unaware of the disruptive forces that stand in our way. We have reached a time in history where our ability to adapt is struggling to keep pace.
