“We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.”
Epictetus
This stoic tidbit encourages us to be conscious of our reactions, not immediately react to the situation. Sometimes as agile practitioners we need to pause and, well… check ourselves before we wreck ourselves 😎
More laterally I think about the agile manifesto value of “responding to change over following a plan”. Change, or variability, is encourage to ensure we deliver the highest value outcome for our customers. Sometimes obstacles get in our way trying to achieve this.
Practical tip: When unexpected changes hit your work, remember this quote. Pause, Reflect, and be Curious. Focus on your response, not the trigger, and adapt with grace.
