You Can Learn A Superpower

What's an animal that thrives in all but one state in the US, and is well known because of a famous character named Wile E.?

Yep, the Coyote.

In which state does the coyote not live?

Hawaii, although they will probably eventually figure out how to catch a ride on a cruise ship headed to the islands.

Coyotes are one of the most adaptable mammals in North America. They are the MacGyvers of the animal kingdom—resourceful, resilient, and always ready to improvise. Their adaptability has allowed them to expand across nearly every region in North America, from the Sonoran Desert to downtown Chicago.

I remember sitting on my deck overlooking Technology Park several times over the years, hearing the eerie howling and yelping of coyotes. At first, I thought, "It can't be. Coyotes don't live here." I was wrong. Those long-legged characters did indeed live in this area.

But that's not surprising. These animals can thrive almost anywhere. So why is that? There are essentially three reasons why coyotes feel at home in your suburban backyard or roaming the Rocky Mountains with their pals. 

They change their eating behavior depending on what's available. They will eat anything from mice and rabbits to leftover Big Macs. In fact, these fast runners will eat just about anything, including Road Runners. 

 Secondly, they adjust their social structure to match the prey they are hunting. Sometimes they hunt in packs, other times in pairs, and if necessary, they go solo. They can outrun most animals, reaching speeds over forty miles per hour. In winter, because of their broad, flat feet, they don't sink into the snow when chasing a tricky rabbit.

Finally, they adapt their behavior to suit their environment. Coyotes can be seen wandering city streets, but instead of hunting during the day as they usually do, they wait until night to avoid humans. With their billion scent receptors, they can smell your leftover turkey from two miles away. 

Because coyotes, like many animals, learn to adapt and pivot according to their environment and situation, they thrive.

Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from our Wile E. friends. Psychologists tell us that adaptable people have lower stress levels and get more satisfaction from life.

We live in a world that is constantly changing. One day, you're doing well at your job, and the next day, the government shuts down, and you're hurriedly trying to pay your bills. Monday, you're on the golf course swinging a club, and Friday, you're sitting in the doctor's office with a torn rotator cuff. You thought you would retire and travel the world with your partner, but now she's gone forever. Your car was running fine . . . yesterday. You guys were getting along well until you found out he was having an affair. You drove an hour to enjoy a new restaurant that your friend raved about, only to find out it's closed on Sundays.

Sinatra was right when he sang, "That's life, that's what all the people say / You're riding high in April, shot down in May"

I am reminded of several characters found in the Bible.

Abraham was living a quiet, normal life until God called him to pack up his family and trek to who knew where.

Sarah lived her whole life thinking she would never have a child, but God had other plans.

Moses was done with Egypt, or so he thought. He went from tending sheep to tending the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Peter and his pals fished the Sea of Galilee their whole lives, until a guy named Jesus came along and disrupted everything.

Paul thought he would keep moving up the Jewish leadership ladder until his fateful day on the road to Damascus.

All of these folks adapted and changed when their lives were turned upside down. They learned how to pivot. Like coyotes, they shifted their mindset and took on new challenges. You can do the same. Here are a few suggestions for pivoting effectively.

Draw strength from what remains constant. There are people who love you unconditionally. There will always be a tomorrow. God will never abandon you. God's Word is always reliable. Prayer changes things—usually yourself. This too shall pass.

These are all maxims that remain true regardless of your circumstances. During times of change, return to these truths again and again. 

Don't make major decisions right after receiving news that could significantly change your life. Allow yourself time to process, including talking with trusted advisors. 

Remind yourself that you have changed and adapted many times before. It's what got you where you are. You will do it again and learn from it. 

You have weathered many storms already. You've encountered situations that led you to change how you do things. You know how to pivot productively.

When we are confronted with a situation that will require us to learn new skills, we can become angry, befuddled, and anxious. That is okay. Give yourself grace and time to adapt.

When my wife passed, I had to relearn how to do life. At first, it was miserable and sometimes overwhelming. But ever so slowly, I learned how to live as a widower, and now I am actually pretty good at it. But the process was slow and arduous.

Ask yourself what you can gain from this situation. Even if it is minimal, there is always something to be gained from new circumstances. Identify those lessons and use them to pivot.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and if it kills you, it won't matter anyway—enough said.

Don't get down on yourself. Sometimes our knee-jerk reaction to a new challenge is to feel lost or inadequate. "How can I ever learn this?" "I must be really dumb!" "I'll never figure this out." "It was so much better before." "I'm too old for this."

We all resist change. Change anyway. We're all afraid of the unknown. Be courageous. We all think the old ways are better. But would you rather ride a horse to work?

At seventy-one, I've learned that it's easy to turn into a dinosaur, but that's not for me. I was never a big fan of T. Rex. Aging brings some problems, mainly with your body, that you can't avoid. I can't run three miles these days, but I don't miss it. I cannot gain much muscle mass from my weightlifting, but who do I need to impress? My metabolism runs like a snail, so every bite of pizza hangs on to my waist.

Aging and semi-retirement require seismic adjustments. But you're always up for a good challenge. Take on whatever life throws at you.

Adaptation is what goes on in your head. If you train yourself not to fear and reject new or different ideas, life will always be wondrous, no matter what age you are.

For instance, I started using A.I. several years ago, long before it became popular. To me, it's like having a universe of knowledge at your fingertips. I'm not interested in going back to the Encyclopedia Britannica. A.I. definitely has risks, and malicious people will find ways to misuse it, but that's nothing new. This technology is here to stay —why not embrace it? Maybe Wile E. Coyote could have caught the Road Runner with this new tool.

Life will hand you a plethora of challenging situations and experiences, some good and some not so much. But you can adapt, morph, and pivot. You can invent new ways of doing things; many of them will turn out better than the old ways.

Learning to pivot well is a superpower anyone can master. Wile E. Coyote’s got nothing on you!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Live Inspired!

Don Mark