As change accelerates daily in our increasingly complex world, leaders tasked with performing outside their comfort zones in both their personal and professional lives must adapt. Yet the same conditions that make it so important to adapt may also trigger fear, causing resistance to change and a default to reactive behavior. The authors call this the “adaptability paradox”: at a time when we most need to learn and grow, we stick with what we know, often in ways that stifle change and innovation. To avoid this trap and be ahead of the curve, leaders must become proactive.