Adaptability in Performance

Moving Forward Through Change

Apr 24, 2025

The only certainty we have in life is change. This is also true in performance environments where plans change and our individual circumstances evolve. The environment we operate in is in constant motion. Adaptability is essential to thrive in these conditions. Within the BRAVE Performance Method we see adaptability as the bridge between resilience and vision. More than the skill that helps you bounce back, it also helps you change direction with intention, clarity, and purpose.

Where there is no self-improvement, no pursuit or a sense of fulfilment comes a time to stagnate, which leads to poor performance, attitude or worse still mental health and depression. Humans need to do meaningful work and they need to adapt to changing landscapes to keep doing this work.

Adaptability is a willingness to evolve your strategies while staying connected to your goals and values. It’s not giving up on a goal when things get hard, it’s about changing the approach so you can keep progressing. The BRAVE pillars support this dynamic mindset: Belief gives you the confidence that you can find the way forward. Resilience gives you the capacity to keep going. Vision provides direction, and Energy fuels your motivation. When these elements are aligned, adaptation provides a mindset that is purposeful and you aren’t simply reacting to change.

In my own experience with adaptability was tested after my recent diagnosis with Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). Running had always been my way of pushing my limits, a source of identity and purpose. But when high-intensity training became somewhat risky and I need to cease I lost my long time performance outlet. My fitness and performance focus needed to adapt and for some time I wrestled with frustration, uncertainty and that sense of loss. But I was able to make a mindset shift. And realised I could still move forward, but certainly with a new focus and need to think and move differently.

I began to run slower, intentionally, focusing on enjoyment and detaching my ego from my activity. My metrics changed, but my momentum didn’t. Through this change, I discovered new forms of growth. I am now more in tune with my body which has lead to a deeper appreciation for movement and consistency. The diagnosis has altered me, but certainly hasn’t stopped me. Adaptability is turning a limitation into a new evolution.

In performance, adaptability ensures you stay in the game when circumstances challenge your original plan. It invites creativity, experimentation, and humility. It starts with having an open mind to what is required, which helps you recognise when to persist or pivot and keeps you aligned with your purpose. That’s why it’s a core part of the BRAVE Performance method as it gives you the flexibility to grow whatever the situation.

Great teams evolve in the same way. As new players enter a team environment, they bring fresh energy, skill sets and perspectives. What worked before may not still work, this is not seen as a weakness. But a new potential to adapt and evolve. Here in Australia, the Melbourne Storm in the Rugby League NRL is a great example. A highly successful team for the last 20-25 years under the same coach of Craig Bellamy. They have seen a steady stream of great players come an go, with new players coming in. The Storm are the masters of adapting to the players they have an altering their style of play to best suit the team. However, they stay true to their values of hard work, resilience and commitment keeping them at the top of the sport for many years. Adaptability enables a team to integrate new strengths and redefine roles, strategies, and systems for success. To stay competitive and cohesive, individual and collective mindsets must shift too. Holding on to outdated beliefs limits progress, while embracing change allows both the team and the individuals within it to grow and perform at higher levels.

Adaptability is equally vital when things don’t go to plan in a competition setting. A rigid mindset under pressure can derail performance, but one that is open to adapting allows for problem solving in the moment and tactical shifts. When the expected outcome begins to slip out of reach, the ability to regroup, adjust strategy and even goals can help you stay composed and turn a setback into success. BRAVE performers are not thrown by disruption, they stay composed and anticipate, adapt and move through it perhaps even using it to gain an edge. Being able to pivot within a race or performance doesn’t signal weakness.

Academic research also supports the need for adaptability in performance environments. Martin et al (2013) emphasise that adaptability is the capacity to respond constructively to uncertainty and is significantly associated with positive academic and psychological outcomes in high pressure settings. Similarly, Pulakos et al. (2000) highlight that adaptive performance is essential in dynamic work environments, requiring individuals to modify their behaviour, strategies, and cognition in response to changing conditions.

Being adaptable doesn’t mean you’re uncertain. It means you’re responsive. You’re aware, engaged and willing to act with intention. In a world of constant change, the most successful performers aren’t those who hold rigidly to one way of doing things, they’re the ones who evolve. With the BRAVE Performance method adaptability becomes not just a reaction to change, but a strategy for thriving through it.

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Tony Green - BRAVE Performance

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