If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of Dawn Fletcher and her company, Driven Mind Training.
One of my favorite phrases she uses is, “the most adaptable athlete in the room is the most dangerous athlete in the room.” I love this phrase not just for it’s obvious application in athletics, but because I think adaptabilty is incredibly underrated skill for all of us to develop. The people who are the most adaptable—the ones who can still show up and perform even when things don’t go as planned—are the ones who succeed in the long run.
In fitness, things rarely go exactly as expected. Life happens. You’re sleep-deprived, nursing a minor injury, or dealing with unpredictable life events that throw you off track. What sets the most successful people apart is their ability to keep going even when the conditions aren’t perfect.
As personal trainers, we hear all kinds of reasons why clients need to skip a session. A few common ones:
- “Sorry, I didn’t get to sleep until 2 a.m. I’m not making it in.”
- “The tendonitis in my thumb is flaring up. I’m going to take it easy.”
- “Can we cancel today? I started my period this morning.”
- “Sorry I have a huge deadline coming up. I won’t be able to workout this week.”
- “I twisted my ankle this weekend. Let’s cancel for the week.”
Although there is absolutely a time to recognize rsting is the smartest option, I’ve noticed that the most successful clients approach challenges differently. Instead of an outright “I can’t,” they look for adjustments, ask for alternatives, and find ways to keep progressing. Their responses sound more like this:
- “Heads up—I’m a little sleep-deprived, but I’d like to get a workout in.”
- “My tendonitis is acting up. Can we use straps to take some load off my thumb?”
- “I twisted my ankle this weekend. Can you help me with some modifications so I can still work out?”
- I have a huge deadline coming up. Can you help me make my workouts this week as time efficient as possible?
This is the essence of adaptability. Instead of focusing on why they can’t work out, they focus on how they can. They don’t let minor setbacks derail their entire training plan.
Being adaptable isn’t about ignoring pain, injury, or exhaustion—it’s about finding ways to work with your current state. Showing up and putting in the work, even when it’s less than ideal, reinforces consistency. And consistency is what brings results. It’s the commitment to show up that builds mental toughness and resilience, two key components of long-term success.When clients ask for modifications rather than canceling, it tells me that they’re committed to finding solutions. This attitude of adaptability reflects a growth mindset—the belief that you can continue improving, even when things aren’t perfect.
As a personal trainer, I’ve seen time and time again that the clients who embrace adaptability are the ones who achieve the most success. They understand that the path to their goals is rarely straight, but with a willingness to adapt, they can always find a way to keep progressing.