--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more highly adapted an organism…" description: "\"The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.\" — Ronald Fisher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png" --- # The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less… ![“The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.” quote by Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png) > “The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.” [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Specialization improves current performance but reduces flexibility to future changes. **In simple terms:** Adaptation can limit future adaptability. Key Takeaway Maintain flexibility alongside specialization. Themes evolution specialization adaptability trade‑off Mood cautious strategic Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - technology adoption - policy making - personal growth Key Concepts biology genetics systems theory Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your expertise risk becoming too narrow? - How can you cultivate broader skills? A Different Perspective Over‑specialization may hinder response to unexpected shifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptable/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Organisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisms/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) ## Related quotes > [The basic formulation, or bare-bones mechanics, of natural selection is a disarmingly simple argument, based on three undeniable facts (overproduction of offspring, variation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-basic-formulation-or-bare-bones-mechanics-of-natural-selection-is/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [ Organisms \[...\] are directed and limited by their past. They must remain imperfect in their form and function, and to that extent unpredictable since… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/organisms-are-directed-and-limited-by-their-past-they-must-remain/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We may consequently state the fundamental theorem of Natural Selection in the form: The rate of increase in fitness of any organism at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/we-may-consequently-state-the-fundamental-theorem-of-natural/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [Flow. Be adaptable. Be sensitive like water, feel the other so you can attune and harmonize with your partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-friend/flow-be-adaptable-be-sensitive-like-water-feel-the-other-so-you-can/) [John Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-friend/) > [Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/do-you-have-a-kinder-more-adaptable-friend-in-the-food-world-than/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The making of adaptable, curious, open, questioning people has nothing to do with vocational training and everything to do with humanistic and scientific studies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/the-making-of-adaptable-curious-open-questioning-people-has-nothing/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [I'm a third-culture child. It's an interesting concept. Having an American father, a South American mother, born in England, grew up in Hong Kong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-chantal-claire/i-m-a-third-culture-child-it-s-an-interesting-concept-having-an/) Marie-Chantal Claire > [Of course, Minneapolis, we think, 'Oh well, it's cold there, lethally cold.' But the reality is you adapt to weather... Humans are consummately adaptable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/of-course-minneapolis-we-think-oh-well-it-s-cold-there-lethally-cold/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [I'm very adaptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-beal/i-m-very-adaptable/) [Bradley Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-beal/) > [An adaptable company is one that captures more than its fair share of new opportunities. It's always redefining its 'core business' in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/an-adaptable-company-is-one-that-captures-more-than-its-fair-share-of/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [“It is not the strongest animal that survives, nor the fastest, but the one most adaptable to change. —Leon C. Megginson, paraphrasing Charles Darwin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-falk/it-is-not-the-strongest-animal-that-survives-nor-the-fastest-but-the/) Ben Falk > [We can never be certain about the future and therefore we must continue to be flexible and adaptable so that we can react quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-abu-ghazaleh/we-can-never-be-certain-about-the-future-and-therefore-we-must/) [Talal Abu-Ghazaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-abu-ghazaleh/) > [Of course, we can change. We're very adaptable. But it takes a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/of-course-we-can-change-we-re-very-adaptable-but-it-takes-a-while/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Individuals, too, who cultivate a variety of skills seem brighter, more energetic and more adaptable than those who know how to do one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shea/individuals-too-who-cultivate-a-variety-of-skills-seem-brighter-more/) [Robert Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shea/) > [There have been low moments before, but Christianity is an incredibly adaptable organism, using different parts of its repertoire to mutate into new ecological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/there-have-been-low-moments-before-but-christianity-is-an-incredibly/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) ## More by Ronald Fisher > [ \[Coining the phrase "test of significance"\] Critical tests of this kind may be called tests of significance, and when such tests are available we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/coining-the-phrase-test-of-significance-critical-tests-of-this-kind/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [We can set no limit to human potentialities; all that is best in man can be bettered; it is not a question of producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/we-can-set-no-limit-to-human-potentialities-all-that-is-best-in-man/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [If ... we choose a group of social phenomena with no antecedent knowledge of the causation or absence of causation among them, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/if-we-choose-a-group-of-social-phenomena-with-no-antecedent-knowledge/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [The statistician cannot evade the responsibility for understanding the process he applies or recommends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-statistician-cannot-evade-the-responsibility-for-understanding/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [Modern statisticians are familiar with the notion that any finite body of data contains only a limited amount of information on any point under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/modern-statisticians-are-familiar-with-the-notion-that-any-finite/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [The academic mind, as we know, is sometimes capable of assuming an aggressive attitude. The official mind, on the contrary, is and has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-academic-mind-as-we-know-is-sometimes-capable-of-assuming-an/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [However, perhaps the main point is that you are under no obligation to analyse variance into its parts if it does not come apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/however-perhaps-the-main-point-is-that-you-are-under-no-obligation-to/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [... no scientific worker has a fixed level of significance at which from year to year, and in all circumstances, he rejects hypotheses; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/no-scientific-worker-has-a-fixed-level-of-significance-at-which-from/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [The analysis of variance is not a mathematical theorem, but rather a convenient method of arranging the arithmetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-analysis-of-variance-is-not-a-mathematical-theorem-but-rather-a/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [Natural selection is not evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/natural-selection-is-not-evolution/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [The best causes tend to attract to their support the worst arguments, which seems to be equally true in the intellectual and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-best-causes-tend-to-attract-to-their-support-the-worst-arguments/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [If one in twenty does not seem high enough odds, we may, if we prefer it, draw the line at one in fifty (the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/if-one-in-twenty-does-not-seem-high-enough-odds-we-may-if-we-prefer/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [No aphorism is more frequently repeated in connection with field trials, than that we must ask Nature few questions, or, ideally, one question, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/no-aphorism-is-more-frequently-repeated-in-connection-with-field/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [We have the duty of formulating, of summarizing, and of communicating our conclusions, in intelligible form, in recognition of the right of other free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/we-have-the-duty-of-formulating-of-summarizing-and-of-communicating/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) > [Fairly large print is a real antidote to stiff reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/fairly-large-print-is-a-real-antidote-to-stiff-reading/) [Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) [Explore all 45 Ronald Fisher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/) ## More Adaptable quotes > [There have been low moments before, but Christianity is an incredibly adaptable organism, using different parts of its repertoire to mutate into new ecological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/there-have-been-low-moments-before-but-christianity-is-an-incredibly/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [Individuals, too, who cultivate a variety of skills seem brighter, more energetic and more adaptable than those who know how to do one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shea/individuals-too-who-cultivate-a-variety-of-skills-seem-brighter-more/) [Robert Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shea/) > [Of course, we can change. We're very adaptable. But it takes a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/of-course-we-can-change-we-re-very-adaptable-but-it-takes-a-while/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [We can never be certain about the future and therefore we must continue to be flexible and adaptable so that we can react quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-abu-ghazaleh/we-can-never-be-certain-about-the-future-and-therefore-we-must/) [Talal Abu-Ghazaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-abu-ghazaleh/) > [“It is not the strongest animal that survives, nor the fastest, but the one most adaptable to change. —Leon C. Megginson, paraphrasing Charles Darwin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-falk/it-is-not-the-strongest-animal-that-survives-nor-the-fastest-but-the/) Ben Falk > [An adaptable company is one that captures more than its fair share of new opportunities. It's always redefining its 'core business' in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/an-adaptable-company-is-one-that-captures-more-than-its-fair-share-of/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [I'm very adaptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-beal/i-m-very-adaptable/) [Bradley Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-beal/) > [Of course, Minneapolis, we think, 'Oh well, it's cold there, lethally cold.' But the reality is you adapt to weather... Humans are consummately adaptable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/of-course-minneapolis-we-think-oh-well-it-s-cold-there-lethally-cold/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [I'm a third-culture child. It's an interesting concept. Having an American father, a South American mother, born in England, grew up in Hong Kong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-chantal-claire/i-m-a-third-culture-child-it-s-an-interesting-concept-having-an/) Marie-Chantal Claire > [The making of adaptable, curious, open, questioning people has nothing to do with vocational training and everything to do with humanistic and scientific studies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/the-making-of-adaptable-curious-open-questioning-people-has-nothing/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/do-you-have-a-kinder-more-adaptable-friend-in-the-food-world-than/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Flow. Be adaptable. Be sensitive like water, feel the other so you can attune and harmonize with your partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-friend/flow-be-adaptable-be-sensitive-like-water-feel-the-other-so-you-can/) [John Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-friend/) > [Do you think that you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear. Integral awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-you-think-that-you-can-clear-your-mind-by-sitting-constantly-in/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [To survive, to avert what we have termed future shock, the individual must become infinitely more adaptable and capable than ever before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/to-survive-to-avert-what-we-have-termed-future-shock-the-individual/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [The brain is a dynamic system that constantly processes and creates your reality. It works best if you balance all the things that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-brain-is-a-dynamic-system-that-constantly-processes-and-creates/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) [Browse all 112 Adaptable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Fisher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-becomes-the-less-adaptable-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adaptable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-becomes-the-less-adaptable-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/ronald-fisher-14852_adaptable_the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-beco_1931415.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.” — Ronald Fisher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ronald Fisher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-fisher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The more highly adapted an organism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-becomes-the-less-adaptable-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-fisher/the-more-highly-adapted-an-organism-becomes-the-less-adaptable-it-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```