The Chameleon Mindset: Creative Adaptability

Contributed by Nikki Green

Psychologists have described people as social chameleons, creatures too afraid of the world around them to be their true selves.

Psychologists say that chameleons...

Don’t know who they are
Blend in to fit into the crowd
Change their personality to fit the situation
Blindly follow instead of leading

In this piece, we'll bust these rumors and identify the truth about chameleons - and how the chameleon mindset can help you succeed in your business.

The Ultimate Law of Attraction

A recent scientific study has revealed that the way psychologists have described chameleons could not be further from the truth. It shows that chameleons are highly evolved to attract the things they want (a mate, shelter and temperature regulation, or food) with rapid changes in their skin color, using the ultimate Law of Attraction.

When so many of today's internet gurus talk about being 'authentic,' they advise people to be a zebra:

Always stand out to stay true to yourself
No matter the situation, never bend, blend, or adapt to your surroundings
It's okay to harm others if we are preserving our uniqueness

In a time when we are trying to teach others to be more sensitive, we have created an insensitive world. This zebra behavior pushes people away versus bringing them closer together in understanding and awareness. This becomes the Law of Diminishing Returns, which says the more people feel rejected by another person or group, the more they pull further away. They lack the reward of friendship and empathy for their risk in getting to know that person or group.

Are You a Chameleon?

Many of us have felt the chaos of the pandemic's last few years, in our personal lives, professional lives, or both. Some of us may have thought we were good at adapting to change until this happened.

We can handle the stress we choose (new job, new house, new spouse), but we often struggle when stressors are out of our control (loss of employment, a loved one, or illnesses affecting our health). The vital question is, were you a chameleon or a zebra during the pandemic? Did you adapt to the rapid and unexpected change of events before you? Or did you resist, struggle, and get eaten by lions?

By adopting a Chameleon Mindset, you can begin to train yourself to be mentally prepared to handle these inevitable disruptors in your life with patience and ease. Let's start with one of the five key elements to adapting your Chameleon Mindset.

Creative Adaptability

We often believe that if we put our heads down and approach our problems logically, we can solve them. We are complex beings, and it takes a balance between our logical, emotional, and behavioral sides to better understand the root of our problem and tackle the root causes, not the symptoms. We must look more deeply into our current perceptions of the world and build a tolerance to adapt to the ever-changing environment. We have to begin getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

There are three main focus areas for Creative Adaptation:

Cognitive – Able to generate new ideas & perspectives
Emotional – Able to create new emotional responses to stress
Behavioral – Able to modify your actions towards new positive outcomes

Your internal transformation begins when you understand that you cannot bend the environment, so you must bend yourself. By evolving our Chameleon Mindset, we can attract people to get to know the real version of us while also being unique. When a chameleon changes its skin color, it doesn't become an iguana; it's still a chameleon. To attract the things a chameleon wants in life, it has to vulnerably show a beautiful part of itself that is hidden within.

Don't you want to learn to be a chameleon?

Want to find out if you are a Chameleon or a Zebra? Take this quick quiz to gauge for yourself!

Want to learn more about how to adapt the Chameleon Mindset and change your life?

WE Inc. Members Only: Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Nikki to review your quiz results and begin designing your Syllabus for Life. With this customized roadmap, you can start getting comfortable with the uncomfortable!

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About Nikki

Nikki Green left the tech world to inspire the next generation to do things differently. She partners with graduating college students to create a ‘syllabus for life’ designed to help them pursue their passions rather than just a paycheck. Through her book “I Laugh in the Face of Danger” and her weekly podcast Stand Up & Stand Out, she coaches the Chameleon Mindset, teaching her audience how to adapt to their ever-changing environment.

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