Fifteen Life Lessons from Sloths: Ancient Knowledge from the Most Relaxed Teachers in Nature

14. The Power of Adaptation

Although sloths seem to be unchangeable, they are really experts of adaptation having lived millions of years under different climatic conditions. Their success is in consistent, deliberate adaptation to changing conditions rather than in quick change. This imparts insightful knowledge about managing change in our own life. We can learn to welcome slow, significant change instead of running to adjust or objecting against change.

This kind of adaptation is especially important in our fast changing environment, where the temptation to react to new conditions right away might be intolerable. The sloth's approach of adaptation reminds us that rather than major overhauls, sustainable change usually results from little, continuous tweaks. Applying this insight to personal development, professional advancement, and relationship evolution can enable us to more successfully and with less stress negotiate change.