My Dassie teacher : The Power of Being Built for Your Environment

I was walking through the rocky paths of the De Kelders, watching every step so I wouldn’t twist an ankle.

Then I saw a dassie.

Short. Round. Not exactly built for speed.

And yet it moved across the rocks with ease—quick, confident, effortless.

Why?

Because it’s built for that terrain.

Its feet are designed to grip rock. Soft pads. Natural suction. A body made for balance. It doesn’t fight the environment—it fits it.

Humans, on the other hand, are not built for rocky cliffs.

But we are built for something else entirely.

We are built to adapt.

We create shoes. We design tools. We learn techniques. We study the terrain before we step onto it. And most importantly, we think.

That’s the real advantage.

Not raw talent.

Not natural ability.

Not even confidence.

Adaptability.

The moment you stop trying to win by someone else’s rules and start designing systems that work for how you are wired, everything changes.

The people who succeed aren’t always the most gifted. They’re the ones who build environments where their strengths can actually work.