The son of a vicar from Shrewsbury is often credited with words he actually didn't say.

They go something like this:

The future does not belong to the strongest or the most intelligent. The future belongs to those who are best able to adapt to change.

The vicar's son was Charles Darwin.

Whoever did say it certainly hit on a truth, though, didn't they?

It's not always about how successful you've been, it's how successful you are currently that counts. Many an organization can boast of a glorious past: Kodak, Blockbuster, Woolworths. But it's their failure to adapt to change that led to their demise.

In our own lives we can also be hindered by our lack of flexibility or willingness to adapt to the world around us.

But sometimes we need to stop, reflect, and ask ourselves how our existing approach to life is working for us.

Is it helping us or hindering us?

Is our stubbornness a strength born out of a sense of drive, determination, and focus, or a weakness born out of a fear of change and a desire to cling to the past? Only you can answer that question honestly. But here's something worth considering:

Perhaps by being more flexible and less rigid in how we do life we’ll actually achieve greater success and happiness.

That's certainly advice I've needed to take myself. Let me explain.

I'm probably best known for two things. To my family I'm known for having the worst sense of direction in the entire history of humanity. They even joke I need help finding my way out of an elevator.

However, to those outside my family, I'm probably best known for the phrase SUMO – Shut Up, Move On. It's the title of my biggest-selling book and also my brand. I'm known as the SUMO guy.

But let me share how I've needed to flex for success and adapt my approach in terms of my business.

Several years ago, I wanted to develop my material and make it accessible for children in schools. I hired a primary school teacher, a secondary school teacher, and a youth worker to help me do so. And thus, SUMO4Schools was born.

The SUMO approach was adopted by a number of schools. However, I had a rather interesting and ultimately game-changing conversation with the headteacher of a primary school. It went something like this:

‘Paul, I'm a big fan. I love your SUMO book. So does my husband, and he rarely reads books. My staff loved the training you did with them, and I'm delighted to say the children are really enjoying the SUMO lessons too.’

But I sensed there was a three-letter word looming on the not too distant horizon.

And I wasn't wrong.

‘But … I still don't like what SUMO stands for. I know “Shut Up” isn't meant to be aggressive. I know what you really mean by those words, but I have a problem.’

‘OK, go on Diane, I'm all ears.’

‘Well, I had a parent ask me recently what SUMO was. Her son George had been doing some SUMO activities in his class and she was intrigued to know more. The problem is, Paul, I felt really uncomfortable saying it stands for Shut Up, Move On. George is seven. We actually tell our children in the school that it's disrespectful to use the phrase “Shut up.”

‘So, here's what I'd like you to do. Change the title. Because if you're not able to, much as it pains me, I really don't think I'd feel comfortable continuing to use the programme with the children.’

As I listened I have to confess that my first response was to defend my corner.

‘But Diane, it's my brand. It's what I'm known for. It's taken me years to develop’, I replied.

‘I understand that Paul. And like I said, I love your work, but unless you change the title I don't think we’ll be able to use it anymore.’

So, what did I do?

Well, let's just take a moment to revisit that earlier quote:

The future does not belong to the strongest or the most intelligent. The future belongs to those who are best able to adapt to change.

It seemed rather pertinent for me at that moment.

There are several thousand primary schools in the UK. That's a huge number of young people SUMO could help. And I began wondering if it was only Diane who had a problem with the words ‘Shut Up’.

If I was honest I thought not.

But if McDonald's can sell salads (which they have been doing since 2005) then maybe I could be more flexible in my approach.

It took me a few weeks but with the input of my team we came up with a way forward. SUMO does still stand for Shut Up, Move On, but it can now also stand for this:

Stop, Understand, Move On.

And Diane's school is still happy to use SUMO.

Now I'm not suggesting we abandon our principles or don't remain true to our values. Far from it. I'm simply saying we need to be adaptable. In fact, with new technology rapidly changing the way we live and work, I believe it's crucial we adapt. The reality is that no matter how successful we've been in the past, it's what we do now that counts.

So, a great life comes from being open to ideas, having a willingness to adapt, and an awareness that what worked in the past might not work so well now.

It's about dealing with the world as it is, not as you want it to be.

As a motivational speaker from Manchester once said,

Stubbornness is a choice – it's not a medical condition.

And that's why, to have a great life, we need to flex for success.