Riding the Swell: Managing What We Can and Flexing with What We Can’t

Change doesn’t ask for permission. It rolls in like weather — sometimes a breeze, sometimes a full-blown storm — and we either trim the sails or get knocked flat. Uncertainty is part of the game in business, in competition, and in life. The people and teams that thrive aren’t the ones who can predict every gust, but the ones who adjust fastest when the wind shifts.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to control everything — markets, clients, competitors, even the behavior of others. But that’s wasted energy. The truth is, there’s only a handful of things we can manage: our attitude, our effort, our preparation, and our response. Everything else is weather.

The best leaders and operators I’ve seen have this quiet confidence about them. They don’t panic when plans change. They don’t get stuck in frustration. They manage what’s in their hands — and stay loose enough to adapt when reality doesn’t follow the playbook. It’s not weakness; it’s discipline.

Because flexibility isn’t about giving up control. It’s about shifting control to where it actually matters. You can’t control the tide, but you can control when you leave the dock. You can’t control the market, but you can control your value. You can’t control what happens — but you can control what you do next.

The world is changing faster than most people are comfortable with. Technology, climate, business models, workforce expectations — it’s all moving. The ones who survive and thrive aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most experienced. They’re the ones who keep their head up, watch the horizon, and adjust their course before the wind knocks them down.

So here’s the takeaway:
Manage what you can. Flex with what you can’t.

That’s not just how you survive uncertainty — it’s how you stay in the race long enough to win.

Fat Bottom Girl 
USA 30812 
Give it all you got!