18 Hilarious "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" Memes That Celebrate Absurdly Creative Solutions
What Is the "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" Meme?
The "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" meme is a famous image macro featuring survivalist Bear Grylls from the TV show Man vs. Wild. While Grylls turned the phrase into a global internet sensation, its origins are rooted in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), where it serves as an unofficial mantra for resilience in the face of resource scarcity.
The meme template typically displays a gritty, determined shot of Grylls. On his show, he used the phrase to emphasize survival in hostile environments. However, the internet has repurposed this serious military-grade grit for humorous, everyday problem-solving.
The versatility of the meme is the secret to its longevity:
- Solving Everyday Inconveniences: It celebrates clever "life hacks," such as using a rubber band to fix a broken cabinet handle or a paperclip for glasses.
- Unconventional Workarounds: It highlights using items for anything but their intended purpose—like using a frozen bag of peas as an ice pack or a binder clip as a cable organizer.
- Gaming & Strategy: In communities like Reddit's gaming forums or Dungeons & Dragons circles, players use the meme when a plan goes haywire and they must pivot to a chaotic, last-ditch effort to win.
Browse 16 Classic "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" Meme Examples:
