Last week while driving into work, I experienced a familiar situation. My drive takes me along Hwy 235, a two-lane road that cuts across farmland and the Dickson County airport. It’s bisected by smaller country roads.
As I cruised along a full 20 miles over the 50 MPH speed limit, I noticed a small pickup truck ahead, poised to turn right. There was an old man in a straw cowboy hat behind the wheel.
“Don’t do it,” I warned out loud. “Don’t do it!”
It was barely audible over AC/DC screaming out of my speakers.
But he did. I slammed on my brakes as he slowly turned in front of me and crept onto the road. I thought about passing on the left but there was a car coming. Going deep into my Navy profanity archive to verbalize my frustration, I waited for that car to go by, then stomped on the accelerator, whipping the wheel to the left to pass him. My 2016 Mazda 3 stalled a bit, then caught. The engine pinged as I zipped around him, the searing pain in my separated left shoulder being the only thing keeping me from flipping him off at the same time.
“Typical,” I muttered. “That guy is too old to be out here driving.”
Just like that old man and my 2016 Mazda with 140K miles on it, I’m aging too. My scratches and dents are scars and tattoos. I’ve had my transmission replaced (both of my hips). Soon my left front axle (my left shoulder) gets rebuilt with the right side scheduled later this year. And like my car, there was a time I could move and accelerate without a lag and pinging in the engine first. Life has become a series of adaptations.
Last week we looked at re-creation which is the most abrupt, severe kind of change. It requires us to readjust radically and quickly. It also means we must surrender to the change.
Surrendering to the change is the premise of adaptation. It’s the realization that no matter what you wish or hope, the change is inevitable. The sooner you accept and embrace it, the better. Then you can begin adapting. Following our Gears of Change model, here’s what it could look like:
Skill:
- What do I need to know about servicing my car as it nears 150K miles? Should I bring it into the dealer more frequently? Should I consider fuel additives?
- What about for my career progression? What skills or certifications should I get to stay relevant?
- For myself, should I schedule a physical every six months now rather than annually? Are there some supplements I should take for bone and joint health?
Will:
- Am I willing to do what is needed for maintenance?
- Is this the year I will start my graduate degree?
- Will I follow through with my doctor visits?
Focus:
- Have I programmed my car’s maintenance visits into my calendar? Did I leave that little sticker on my window reminding me when the next service is due?
- Have I checked in with my career mentor? Am I keeping my LinkedIn profile and resume current?
- Have a scheduled out my wellness physicals? Am I staying consistent with my medications and supplements?
The older I get, the more I realize how much of life is adaptation. It’s not going to stop. Some days when I’m spending time with my mom and get annoyed when she asks me the same question multiple times or refuses to go out and try to make friends, she always reminds me that one day I will be like her.
Or like the old man in the little pickup truck. One day some young kid or middle-aged man will give me the finger and tell me I’m too old to drive.
This week, let’s all take a look at our current reality and think about how to make adaptation a normal, deliberate part of life. I think it’s the ultimate survival skill.