Stanley F. Bronstein – Personal Development BlogPersonal Development Blog of the Founder of the Achievement IQ Movement and Creator of the Laws of Positioning

Flexibility In One’s Thinking Is The Key.  Rigidity In One’s Thinking Should Be Avoided, Except Under The Most Unique of Circumstances.

1) The Reed That Bends Will Survive The Windstorm, While The Mighty Oak Will Crack.  Be Flexible.

This saying is true, BOTH literally and figuratively.  One only need to examine the results of the recent Hurricane Ike that hit the Texas and Louisiana cost a month or so back.

Anything that was capable of bending with the wind (because it was flexible) didn’t break.  It survived.  YET, many of the mighty oak trees that were over 100 years old were uprooted by the high winds.  ALL BECAUSE THEY WERE INCAPABLE OF BEING FLEXIBLE.

Now, apply this principle to your personal life; to your business life.

We are often faced with situations where things don’t turn out quite the way we wanted.  The best way to survive these “unwanted” variations is to be flexible.  Adapt to the change.  Run with the change.  Adjust to the change.

Take today’s current economic climate.  The people and businesses who are most likely to survive are those that will adapt and adjust accordingly.  The ones who fail to adapt and/or adjust are going to have a much tougher time of it.

Adjusting often requires us to be creative.

See Laws of Positioning #20 – Position Yourself To Be Creative

2) A Strong Character Is Not A Rigid Character, But A Flexible One.

I can think of several people whom I wished learned this during their lifetime.  Unfortunately they didn’t.

For the reasons listed in #1 above, it is often necessary to be flexible if one wants to survive and to be successful.

Unfortunately, too many of our business leaders; too many of our world leaders believe otherwise.

They believe the only way they can get what they want is to stand their ground; to be tough.

Personally, I believe that “sometimes” that is necessary, but more often, it is not.

BUT HERE’S THE CATCH:

A flexible character WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO IDENTIFY THE TIMES WHEN THEY SHOULD BE RIGID.

A rigid character WILL NOT LESS LIKELY TO IDENTIFY THE TIMES WHEN THEY SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE (nor will they even know how to do so).

In short, a flexible character will be conscious enough to know when they need to be rigid, but a rigid character will probably not be conscious enough to know when they need to be flexible.

See Laws of Positioning #14 – Position Yourself To Be Conscious

3) Be Clear About Your Goals But Be Flexible About The Steps Necessary To Achieve Them.

This quote comes from the great Brian Tracy.

Once again, for the reasons outlined in #1 above, being flexible about the steps necessary to achieve our goals gives us the greatest chance of achieving them.

If we are flexible, we are able to adapt and to adjust.  The need to constantly adapt and to adjust has never been greater at any time in the history of mankind.  Because of today’s technology, changes are constantly occurring at what could be considered a frightening pace.

As an example, I think back to when I started the Achievement IQ movement in 2005.  I had all these plans for what it would look like and how it would be organized.  Now, 3 years later, I have to look back and laugh.  While things are going well, they bear very little resemblance to what I visualized 3 years ago.  Why?  Because circumstances have required me to adapt and to adjust along the way.  They have required me to be flexible.  My goal of a successful Achievement IQ movement still remains, but the steps necessary to get there have changed and I have changed along with them.

My dream is still there, just the steps necessary to make it into reality have changed.

See Laws of Positioning #25 – Position Yourself To Be A Dreamer

4) Nothing Is Softer Or More Flexible Than Water, Yet Nothing Can Resist It.

This is a quote from Lao Tzu.

Just take a look at the Grand Canyon and you’ll know the truth of this statement.

The Canyon was carved by water.  Soft and flexible, yet incredibly powerful.

That is the power of flexibility.  Like water, the flexible are able to overcome the adamant and the yielding are able to overcome the forceful.

Water constantly adapts.  It constantly changes.  You put a wall in front of it, it will go around it or eventually through it.  You heat it, it turns to steam.  You freeze it, it turns solid.  In short, it wins by never losing.

That is the power of flexibility.  Water is energetic.  It does whatever it takes, whenever it is needed to win.

See Laws of Positioning #30 – Position Yourself To Be Energetic

5) If You Are Truly Flexible And Go Until … There Is Really Very Little You Can’t Accomplish In Your Lifetime.

This is a quote from Anthony Robbins.

Flexible people never give up.  They constantly change.  They constantly adapt.  There is no need for them to give up.  They keep struggling, adapting, changing, doing whatever it takes, UNTIL THEY SUCCEED.

That’s what Mr. Robbins was talking about here.  As they say in the movie Galaxy Quest – Never give up, never surrender.

Flexible people never give up.  They never surrender.

That is why they prevail.

See Laws of Positioning #36 – Position Yourself To Be Flexible / Tolerant

What Do You Think?

What do you think about these thoughts? Please share your thoughts below.

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