If you want to move something from A to B you do work: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_(physics)

Now the question is how fast you want to do this, so work over time, this is power: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(physics)

So even though a car and a tractor might do the same work (going from A to B), a car does it much faster thus requiring more power.

So in simple terms: Going up 100 stairs slow and steady is not very exhausting but sprinting them as quick as you can leaves you exhausted and panting for air even though you ended up reaching the exact same goal.

> changing, evolving, mutating, and adapting.

Then you run into the problem what the strict definitions of these are. Are ideas alive? What about culture? Is a company alive? All of these fit your description in my opinion.