The Chameleon Principle

Insight 75 | We should all be originals, but sometimes growth means becoming someone we are not yet in order to become the person we were always meant to be.

Allow me to elaborate.

• Bruce Wayne couldn’t fight crime as the millionaire, philanthropist, and playboy he was. No, He had to become Batman.

• Peter Parker gained great power and couldn't stay the nerdy high schooler, but became Spider-Man to uphold this tremendous new responsibility.

• And us? We, too, could benefit from knowing how to step into our new selves to exercise our creativity, calling, and eventual success.

While there is no need to deny authenticity, we must be careful not to use it as an excuse to stay stuck in our old ways; we must learn to become adaptable and dynamic, staying nimble and learning, to level up and become who we are called to be.

Most people will tell you not to change, that you’re perfect just the way you are, but that's a lie. Yes, you’re lovely, but if you stay who you are, you will stay where you are right now and never get anywhere in life.

Like most things, changing is neither good nor bad in and of itself; instead, it's a tool, and, like most others, it can be used for both creation and destruction. The key difference in its effects comes from recognizing when, where, and how to employ it.

Think about it like wearing the proper armor for battle. It would be reckless to go into war with just your skin and bones as defenses. But that's precisely what we do when we tackle the struggles of this life with ourselves head-on, unprepared, and as we are.

Instead, when being strategic and intentional in combat, we should add layers to ourselves that are not part of our original skin, equipping ourselves for the situation at hand. In a practical sense, this may look like learning things previously unknown: proper techniques, methods, and instruments to excel in different areas of life. Some may call it “fake it till you make it”, but I believe it can be better understood as putting on a new suit that being grown into. It’s still yours, it’s only a little bit different, and more tailored to this specific need. You’re not pretending. You’re becoming.

In a culture that praises “authenticity” and worships “being yourself,” we have accidentally muddled our understanding of what it takes to level up. We mistake toughening up for “fitting in a mold” or having control over your emotions as “repression,” but again, that's a mistake in our own understanding of the matter. While being yourself is essential, the real crux lies in being your BEST self. The kind that understands that change and the ability to adapt are critical not only to survival but to thriving. It’s a form of leveling up.

Steven Bartlett, serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and podcaster, uses the metaphor of a chameleon to help us understand this truth. He suggests that those who excel in life are adaptable, have situational awareness, and can adjust to specific scenarios or the people they find themselves among. In other words, he explains that being rigid leads to an incapacity to lead and think on the spot. This does not mean being inconsistent but rather being open to change.

Taking this line of thinking a step further, being unable to adapt or test something new is what keeps us stuck in our old ways. Notice: a chameleon doesn’t change colors to deny who they are; no, they change colors as they adapt to where they find themselves in that moment. Regardless, they are still the same creature, but the way they show up is strategic to their context. It knows when to change colors to stay consistent with its identity.

The wisest among us are the same; they adapt their behavior, posture, and approach to the situation they’re in, without losing their true identity or compromising on their values.

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The power of this phenomenon is not confined to the world of superheroes; many of culture and history's most significant figures, at some point, understood this principle and applied it to their own lives to get to where they wanted to go. 

Walt Disney had to believe he was a great animator before he ever was. Michael Jackson had to be convinced there was no one like him before he ever could be. Steve Jobs had to be sure of his own ideas before the world could ever tell him he was right. They each had to put on their new selves while still being the old ones to become the person they wanted to be.

Yes, it was likely uncomfortable at first, as a good stretch always is. Still, in the end, it is this stretch, this ability to adapt, this acknowledgment and invitation of the new person we want to become, that lays the groundwork for becoming who we were always meant to be.

The Chameleon Challenge: Here is an invitation to adapt with intention this week.

Step into one new habit or posture and stretch outside your comfort zone into someone that aligns with who you’re becoming. If this article sparked something in you, share it with someone who’s ready to grow, too.

- Making The Most Of Being Curious

Daniel J. Cuesta

P.S. Thank you to all of you, my readers. Your support and decision to join me on this growth journey, means the world to me. Article 75 is a significant and very special milestone. Cheers to the next Quarter Quell and may the odds ever be in our favor (*Hunger Games Reference).

Sources:

Putting On The New Self: Put off your old self… and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. -Ephesians 4:22-24

Becoming Is A Process: And we… are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory… - 2 Corinthians 3:18

An Invitation To Change (Renewal): Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… - Romans 12:2