“AI is moving fast.”
“You need to keep up.”
“Learn prompt engineering before you’re obsolete.”
If it feels like AI is a race you’re already losing, you’re not alone.
A PwC global workforce survey found that nearly half of employees feel unprepared for the pace of AI-driven change.
It’s easy to assume that this sense of unpreparedness comes from a lack of technical knowledge or not having the right skills. But technology isn’t the root of the anxiety.
The real gap is something deeper and less talked about.
What most people are missing is adaptability.
An Overlooked Opportunity for Human Growth
If you Google “skills needed for AI,” you’ll get a list of technical capabilities:
- Python Programming
- ML and deep learning
- Data modeling and analysis
- Linear algebra, calculus, and statistics
Somewhere near the bottom, you might spot “communication,” “adaptability,” or “continuous learning.” But by then, you’re likely already panicked, or in a new tab to googling “how to learn Python fast.”
As someone who’s been consistently recognized as a top performer in tech, I can tell you this:
Unless you’re a software engineer, you don’t need to become a programmer to succeed in the world of AI.
To succeed, what you need is the ability to adapt quickly to new tools, workflows, and ways of thinking. So if you’re not actively working on adaptability, you’re missing a massive opportunity—not just for professional relevance, but for personal growth.
In fact, if you already had an adaptive mindset, you wouldn’t feel as overwhelmed by AI in the first place. Because adaptability doesn’t just help you react to change. It helps you stay calm, curious, and confident while the world around you transforms.
Adaptability: The Essential Soft Skill
Research has been screaming at us for decades: soft skills are the real differentiators.
When I first studied Organizational Leadership over a decade ago, “futuristic thinking” was listed as the #1 trait shared by successful CEOs, and that research is holding up.
A recent McKinsey & Company study shows that adaptability and forward-thinking are what set the world’s top CEOs apart.
Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said:
“The most important skill in the age of AI is adaptability — not technical mastery, but the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
That’s coming from the guy who helped create the tools we’re all reacting to.
Mark Cuban is also championing adaptability. Learn more here.
What Adaptability Looks Like Right Now
None of us know exactly where AI is taking us.
Here’s what adaptability actually looks like in this moment:
- Letting yourself feel anxious, confused, or skeptical about change
- Acknowledging imposter syndrome instead of hiding from it
- Getting curious instead of panicked
- Giving yourself permission not to have all the answers, and learning anyway
Personally, I’m choosing to embrace the ambiguity with curiosity, while still acknowledging that uncertainty is scary.
And I’m watching how tech stack staples like SFDC and HubSpot are adding AI to their ecosystems. Not to memorize every feature, but to see how they’re evolving, and how I can use it to my advantage.
Want to Build the Skill That AI Can’t Replace?
LinkedIn, Reddit, and Twitter are full of people wondering if they’re falling behind. The news only amplifies this fear. But all that panic is distracting you from what really matters.
You don’t need to master AI overnight. You need to build the mindset that helps you pivot without spiraling.
If this resonates, I’m offering 1:1 and group training around AI and adaptability.
This is not a technical AI course. It’s a mindset-first, skill-building session for professionals who want to:
- Feel more clear-headed and grounded
- Work through resistance, fear, or overwhelm
- Build the mental agility to thrive in constant change
Click here to learn more and book a session.
Or reach out directly: lyndsey@thoughtmethod.com