Be Flexible

16 - Flexibility

Change is inevitable. If you factor that into your plans, to begin with, the impact of an inconvenient interruption will be greatly decreased. Be flexible as you strategize your business plans or even family events. Flexibility entails being prepared for unexpected changes and adjusting or changing course without getting upset when plans shift. Thoughtfully anticipate potential setbacks and be equipped with alternative counterplans.

How to Be Flexible:

Be well rested. When you have a proper amount of sleep, you can better "handle" unforeseen events. Your mind is better able to process new information and supply more rational responses.
Maintain good health. When your body, mind, and spirit are in good health, you are stronger, your thoughts are clearer, and your creativity is free to flow and provide alternate options for successful outcomes, even if it wasn’t your first choice of action. Enjoy a balanced diet of healthy foods and nutrients. Exercise daily, or at least three times per week, and stretch out frequently. Lift light weights with a high number of repetitions. Make healthy choices in what you put into your body.
Organize your physical space. Organize your business plans and organizational structure. Keep your physical environment tidy and free from clutter. Systemize your filing method and keep each topic separate and in its own space. Understand your own format and be able to find and access all information from any means at any time. Know your business surroundings.
Organize your mental space. Declutter your mind from unprocessed thoughts and concerns. Think through or even discuss out loud with other people to sort through an overload of thoughts. Clear your mind, leaving it open for innovative thinking. Prevent yourself in advance from becoming overwhelmed.
Prep your people. Make sure your staff is well-positioned and in the functions they perform best. Be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and accentuate their skills for their own success and that of the company. Even cross-train them to perform many different functions so they can be flexible if adjustments to their normal duties must occur. Educate them and encourage their continued growth and learning. Instill in them a sense of ownership and pride in their work with you as their overseer.
Educate yourself. As mentioned previously, continue to learn as much as possible. Never stop learning. The more you read, listen, and discover, the more ideas and alternative possibilities will flood your mind when needed. You will expand your mind with new concepts, impressions, and different viewing methods.
Preprogram your mind. As discussed in Elevate Your Mind to Success, you should not only clear your mind of clutter but also take the time to reprogram your mind with empowering and supportive thoughts so they become habits. When your mind is preprogrammed and aligned with your values, when you need to draw on it for an alternate or even a quick, unexpected response, your mind will be already filled with files that will support your goals and mission.
Dwell in positive energy. When you stay focused on positive energy, you are already on a higher frequency, opening your mind to imaginative options and giving you various choices to select from. You are enlightened, flowing with powerful energy, increasing the selection and probability of a new and perhaps better plan than you had originally initiated.
Self-control. Remain calm and self-controlled. Do not allow an unanticipated event to steal your joy or your cool. Be levelheaded and gentle, and think before reacting or responding. By preparing ahead of time utilizing the above skills, understand the importance of remaining serene and avoid a tense-filled response. When you become tense, so does your mind, and your creativity is squashed.
Confidence. With your preparation, you can remain confident that you have taken the proper steps and have all of the skills you need to make a supportive decision. You have planned ahead and even have the benefit of well-trained affiliates to step in where needed. You have everything you need to succeed despite an unforeseen change in plans. Remain confident, allowing your thoughts to flow unobstructed.

More often than not, there is more than one way to reach your goals. You may have a specific way in mind, but it may not always happen as you would like. If this was due to a mistake, learn from it. Or maybe you did everything right, and obstruction still occurred. Learn everything you can from this as well. These are excellent opportunities for growth and expansion. Be open to new and different experiences. Remain collected and enjoy a surprising new journey.

“Be clear about your goal, but be flexible about the process of achieving it.” Brian Tracy

“Flexibility is the key to stability.” John Wooden

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” Tony Robbins

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Albert Einstein.