The Most Adaptable Will Survive

Several years ago, I was having a conversation with my highly-educated sister, who has 3 science degrees, about evolution and survival of species.  Yes, our conversations are often that geeky. What can I say? She set me straight about the theory of “survival of the fittest” by proving that the key to survival is not necessarily that the fittest will survive… it’s that the most adaptable will survive.

She cited a classic example. During the Industrial Revolution in England the white birch trees near factories often became gray from soot. There was a species of moth that came in two color varieties, gray-speckled and white. The white moths had the advantage of survival prior to the industrial revolution era because when they landed on the white birch trees, they were camouflaged to hide from bird predators. When the trees became gray in color, the gray-speckled moths gained the advantage over the white ones.

The good news is that, unlike moths, we are able to consciously choose how we will adapt. Yay! And, in order to adapt, we must not see ourselves as victims of circumstances.

It pays to choose proactively how we will respond to our circumstances. Surviving – and thriving – requires that you adapt or you will wither away… and, I mean wither away physically, emotionally and/or spiritually.

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Angela Loeb is into self-development & personal empowerment, being awed by nature, writing, and being inspired by superhero stories. More at angelaloeb.com

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