Lessons from the Mat #4: Anchored, Not Stuck: How yoga reinforced what I’ve learned about navigating change

One of the things I didn’t appreciate when I first began practicing vinyasa yoga was that the goal wasn’t to memorize the sequence.

It was to stay connected to the breath, even as the sequence changed. The sequence was simply a way of reminding us to return to the breath.

Over time, I realized strategy asks us to do something remarkably similar.

Markets change.

Customers change.

Organizations change.

The question isn’t whether we’ll adapt. It’s whether we can do it without losing what matters most. One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that growth requires becoming something different. More often, growth requires becoming much clearer about who your brand already is.

With that in mind, one of the questions I have asked clients over the years is surprisingly simple.

“What shouldn’t change?”

The answers are often more revealing than discussions about what should.

I once worked with a company that had more opportunities than it could possibly pursue. We spent surprisingly little time talking about new ideas and, instead, we worked to define what absolutely couldn’t change. That became the filter for every growth decision that followed.

What Doesn’t Change

One thing I’ve come to appreciate is that yoga invites us to adapt each new posture to the moment.

Ask yourself:

• What remains true, even in transformation?
• Where can my brand be more fluid without losing clarity?
• How does my brand honor both evolution and essence?

As Microsoft worked to unify dozens of products under a single master brand, the challenge wasn’t creating something entirely new. It was uncovering the core essence of the brand and expressing it consistently across products, audiences, and experiences.

One of the surprises of my career has been that organizations often assume growth requires becoming something new. More often, I’ve found it requires becoming much clearer about who they already are.

One of the reasons I care so much about defining a North Star is that it gives organizations confidence to evolve without losing themselves.

When you’re clear about what your brand stands for, change becomes much less threatening. Everything else becomes easier to evaluate.

I’ve found it helpful to revisit strategy regularly, much like checking alignment on the mat. I pay attention to how customers’ language evolved and try to let curiosity, not comparison, guide what changes next.

This is especially powerful for brands navigating multiple channels and/or audiences. The work may vary. Your identity shouldn’t.

Seek Movement, Not Manipulation

Just like you don’t force flow in yoga, you shouldn’t force brand trends that aren’t in resonance. Flexibility doesn’t mean bending to every algorithm; it means knowing when to shift and when to stay grounded.

Sometimes the right decision is changing your message.

Sometimes it’s changing your visuals.

Sometimes it’s deciding not to chase the latest platform simply because everyone else is.

I’ve found clarity makes those decisions much easier.

One of the questions I now ask clients – and myself – isn’t simply:

“What needs to change?”

it’s

“What about our brand must remain unmistakably true while everything around us changes?”

I’ve found that’s where clarity begins.

Yoga didn’t teach me that. It simply reminded me to keep asking the question.