Years ago a popular television series, “The Odd Couple,” featured two characters of differing personalities – Oscar, the laid-back, flexible type, and Felix, proper, highly organized, and inflexible. If you ever watched this show you'll remember that the rigid one, Felix, almost always seemed to suffer the most when things went wrong.

Do you find it difficult to quickly adapt to change? Does it bug you when your surroundings are not neat and orderly? Do you enjoy making lists of things to do? Do you tend to feel dissatisfied or upset when you don't finish a task? Do you often argue about the opinions and beliefs of others? When you go on vacation do you get upset if things don't go as planned? If you answered yes to these questions, you probably already know you tend to be rigid and inflexible.

Rigid, inflexible people seldom tolerate different ideas and viewpoints. They live by the slogan, “If you aren't for us, you're against us.” Inflexible people leave no room for compromise. Rigid folks don't adjust well to changing conditions. Hard-line people just aren't fun to be around.

Consider the other side of being inflexible and rigid. You won't learn from past mistakes. You will be less willing to take risks. You likely will harbor feelings of anger, resentment, and fear.

Do you know anyone who sees only is or her way of doing things? Someone who is always right, while others are always wrong? Is that person you?

Someone once asked the Duke of Wellington how he defeated Napoleon. The Duke replied, “Napoleon's plan was made in wire, but mine was made in string.” The Duke of Wellington recognized the value of flexibility, and as a result, succeeded.

Real life means we sometimes have to handle the unexpected. Not all our plans will go according to schedule. Changes we did not anticipate will require that we adjust. Some people on our team will have a difference of opinion.

So, how, then, do we cultivate mental flexibility?

First, choose to listen to the viewpoints, ideas, and suggestions of others. Do you really have to debate or argue every point?

Second, refuse to cling to your opinions. Yes, you should have convictions and standards. But do you realize that an opinion is simply knowledge in the making. As you gather more information, gain more knowledge, you probably will find your opinions of some things will change.

Third, view others as having wisdom, too. They have had life experiences you haven't encountered. They have endured problems and difficulties you might never have faced. By being flexible and open you can learn from others.

Fourth, understand that the ability to flex is often the difference between a manager and a leader. Managers follow set routines and rules, but leaders learn to live with an ever-changing landscape. A manager, when confronted with a problem outside normal routine, generally will be unsure how to respond. A pure leader, when faced with the same situation, will generally respond with an innovative, outside-the-box solution.

Fifth, take some baby steps toward being flexible. Change the routine of how you bathe and dress each day. Eat a meal at a different time. Take another route to work. Eat cereal and fruit instead of everyday bacon and eggs for breakfast.

A character in the Bible, the Pharaoh of Egypt, tended to be stubborn and rigid. Exodus 8:19 says of him, “But Pharaoh's heart remained hard and stubborn. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.”

Rigid inflexible people make life difficult for everyone around them. Instead of being inflexible, let's adopt the motto, “Blessed are the flexible, for they do not get bent out of shape.”