Survival of the "Fittest" - Flexibilty and Specialization

"It is not the strongest that survives, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change" - Charles Darwin from The Origin of Species

Whether you believe in evolution or not, it is undeniable that Darwin's observations were insightful. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the strongest or smartest that survives but rather those that are the most adaptable. Survival of the "Fittest" does not mean physical or mental fitness but rather being the best fit for your environment. Since our surroundings are ever changing, one needs to constantly adapt to new environments. In order to adapt, one needs to understand change (Here is article concerning CHANGE). The faster one can acclimate to their new environment, the higher the chances of survival. In addition to surviving, those who can adapt are usually also successful because they are resourceful and flexible in dealing with all situations.

One good example of an ever changing environment is the stock market. Especially with the recent volatility, it is clear that the only thing certain is uncertainty. Those who are inflexible have a hard time making money in a market where adaptability is rewarded. One needs to recognize when market conditions have changed and tweak their strategies accordingly. Those who don't change are usually the ones that shelter their egos and refuse to admit that they were wrong. There is a fine line between holding onto your convictions and being wrong. Those who have a sound strategy know that as long as all the signals are indicating a certain trade, it is the right thing to hold onto your convictions. They usually have an exit point on both the winning side and losing side. People who are wrong usually have no strategy or deviate from their strategy because their emotions and ego get in the way. They are holding a stock for no good reason with no exit plan. These are usually also the same people who are susceptible to following "tips" and "hot stock picks" from TV/online gurus. Most top traders rank flexibility, the ability to adapt, as being one of the most important traits contributing to their success (Electronic Day Traders' Secrets and Market Wizards).

In order to survive in a job and in life, one must do what they are "fit" to do. As discussed in the Jack of All Trades article, people are generally more interested and passionate in subjects in which they excel. It only makes sense that one should pursue an occupation that one enjoys and is "fit" to do. If you do not perform a certain job well, it is probably very likely that you will be fired and replaced by someone who can perform the job better. If everyone specialized in their best field/subject area, the world would be so much more efficient. Imagine a row boat at sea with two people, one rower and one navigator trying to reach an island. If one person was physically strong and the other person was better at reading maps and using a compass, it would make sense to make the strong person row and the other person navigate. This "division of labour" would lead to the most efficient situation because each person was "fit" to do their specific task. It is possible to have the physically strong one navigate and the other person to row, but that would most likely lead to much wasted energy although they might still be able to reach their destination. It may seem obvious that one should pursue a job they are fit to do and enjoy, but from my observations, that is usually not the case:

Why do people do jobs they are not good at?

• Social Pressures - Many people want to be doctors, lawyers and bankers because they are the social epitome of hardworking success. Those that perform well during their educational years are often pressured by family members, counselors and friends to pursue such positions.

• Money - People love money. It doesn't matter what they do as long as they get a big pay check. It doesn't matter if the position does not provide stability or benefits as long as the salary is high enough. Monetary wealth is also a societal measure of success.
  

• Need for Stability and Benefits - Many people, especially poor immigrants, live paycheck by paycheck and need to support their families. They are willing to do anything as long as it is a steady paycheck they know they can depend on. Many families are also dependent on company sponsored health insurance. With the rising cost of health care, people can not afford to leave their jobs, whether they enjoy it or not.
  

• Lack of Self Awareness - People rarely examine themselves. They like to be told what they like and what is good and what is bad. Most people don't know what they are good at because they never bother exploring or perhaps never had the resources or chance to find out. They take media (TV, magazines, newspapers, etc) portrayals as a substitute for self scrutiny. It is much easier to adopt someone else's meaning of happiness than to try to figure out your own.
  

Are you fit for your current occupation? When I was young, I wanted to be a doctor/lawyer because of the prestige and status but as I grew older and learned more about myself and also what the positions entailed, I realized that I was not "fit" to be a doctor/lawyer. It was not a competency issue but rather a conflict of personality and interests. I knew I didn't want to work long hours or do tons of reading or have the physical well being of someone decided by my two hands. There were aspects to these jobs that were appealing such as patient interaction and acquiring the skill to help others and to save lives but on the whole, I knew these were positions I was not fit to do. I was able to come to such realizations after much introspection. Even if you don't know what you are fit to do, you can probably narrow down what you're not fit to do. One needs to learn about oneself and be brutally honest about your abilities and your future goals and dreams. It is easy to fall into society's definition of success and achievement but in order to survive, it is necessary to do something you're "fit" to do.

"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next." - Ursula K. Le Guin

Flexibility and Specialization are opposing concepts. When one specializes, as seen in an assembly line, they naturally become less flexible since they are focused on a performing one particular function. Using the row boat analogy, the stronger person that constantly rows the boat, will never learn to navigate and the person that is always navigating will never learn rowing techniques. Despite their opposing nature, both specialization and flexibility is necessary because one has to fit their environment and adapt to the always changing environment, respectively. Uncertainty can be disorienting but if you can strike a balance between being flexible and achieving specialization, you'll be able to survive and be successful in all conditions, unlike the unfortunate Dodo bird in the picture above.

Comments and Personal Stories are always welcome in the comments section or at seeminglyuseless@gmail.com

Recommended Reading: The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, Electronic Day Traders' Secrets by Marc Friedfertig and Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders by Jack D. Schwager