“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler
In an evolving and hectic world where the pace of life is faster than it has ever been before, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to think on your feet and adapt quickly and positively.
Personal agility is essentially about your dynamic capability and how to respond to situations in a timely, innovative and sustainable way when you need to. Being open minded to change and exploring different approaches will help you to navigate volatility, uncertainty and complexity.
Like everyone else, you have the capacity to choose and change the way you respond to teach circumstance. Cultivating your agility will improve your cognitive function and help you to be a better decision maker, problem solver and reduce unnecessary stress. It will help you to lighten your load and help you to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
There are many ways that you can cultivate personal agility and here are three useful tips:
It can be easy to become fixed in your thinking, and when you do this it limits your ability to explore new ways of doing things. You never stop learning and it is important to be open minded and challenge some of your existing thought patterns which may not be useful or relevant anymore. With an open mind you will discover a different and enlightening perspectives and a whole treasure trove of options and new ideas.
This is not just about accepting change; it is about getting excited and accepting change. Because we are creatures of habit, change can be challenging and it requires more effort. Being adaptable to change however can make you strong, resilient and confident. Seeking out the opportunities rather than focusing on the threats, will help you to be more positive about the inevitable changes that you will experience in life.
In order to be agile, you need to be light on your feet and clear in your mind. Investing in your personal wellbeing by taking time to rest, eating food that energises you, drinking water and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise, will put a spring in your step. Being mindful and present and cleansing some of your unhelpful mind clutter by being consciously aware of your internal self talk will help you to avoid anxiety and gain clarity.
In summary
Focusing on cultivating personal agility will help you to take positive proactive steps to be better equipped to deal better with the pace of life we now experience. It will also help you to be more confident, strong and healthy.
“Success today requires the agility and to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react and reinvent.” – Bill Gates
Hear from Liggy Webb at World of Learning Conference & Exhibition. She’ll be presenting at the conference, the fringe seminars and hosting the Resilience Zone with The Learning Architect, an international consortium of behavioural skills specialists who have developed a portfolio of solutions around resilience and agility.