Adaptation Starts in the Mind, Not the Market

By Les Mottosky

Adaptation is an inside job. Not the old tropes of grit or intelligence; it’s deeper than that. There are specific psychological levers that determine whether an individual or team resists reform or goes all-in on driving it. Six traits influence our orientation towards change: purpose, identity, curiosity, resilience, agency, and imagination.

Here's why:

Purpose provides direction to adaptation. People are more willing to face uncertainty when they understand why it matters. A clear purpose doesn’t erase challenge, but it provides the vital fuel to keep going. Without it, even small changes feel meaningless.

Identity is the gatekeeper of all human adaptations. If change threatens who we believe ourselves to be, resistance is almost guaranteed. The key is reframing: instead of seeing adaptation as a loss of self, it can be integrated into our evolving story. Adaptation becomes inevitable once it's part of who we are rather than something forced upon us.

Curiosity transforms fear into adventure. Faced with the unknown, our nervous system defaults to threat responses. But approached with curiosity, a different pathway opens; one that treats novelty as possibility instead of danger. Leaders who spark curiosity in themselves and others make change feel like a hunt for our emerging potential.

Resilience is less about toughness than about recovery. Adaptation is stressful, and without deliberate recovery we burn out. Rest, reflection, humour and connection are several allies to bouncing back from a set-back. Resilience is the capacity to absorb shock, reset, and come back with energy intact.

Agency is the antidote to helplessness. People adapt more readily when they believe they have some control over the outcome. Even small choices, framed as steps forward, restore momentum and confidence. Without agency, change feels imposed and resistance hardens.

Finally, imagination is what makes adaptation aspirational. It allows us to picture a future that is more than an extension of the past. Imagination expands our horizon, turning adaptation from a survival response into a chosen, creative act that improves our circumstances.

When these levers work together, adaptation becomes more than coping. It becomes a transformation. Rooted in meaning, aligned with identity, fuelled by curiosity, sustained by resilience, empowered by agency, and lifted by imagination.

Whether you're leading strategic change for a team or your own life, you can supercharge the effort by creating a system around these six pillars and then measuring progress – and making necessary adjustments – regularly.

The future doesn't wait and it doesn't choose friends. But by adopting these six traits, change stops being the enemy and turns the future into your ally.

TAGS: #Adaptation As Innovation #Change Is Our Nature #Wisdom In Leadership #Humility at Work #The Strategic Life

Les Mottosky

Adaptation Strategist // I help organizations turn creativity into their competitive advantage by aligning leadership, culture, and strategy to unlock adaptive innovations.

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lesmottosky@mac.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-mottosky-9b94527/