The Mark Divine Show · 2026-06-09 · 15 min
What happens when your perfect plan falls apart? In this episode of the Mark Divine Show, retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine unpacks the critical Sheepdog skill of Adaptability. Moving beyond the reality that "no plan survives contact with the enemy," Mark explains why true adaptability is not indecision or abandoning your values, but rather flexible execution in service of a fixed purpose. He shares the inspiring story of his former SEAL teammate Alden Mills, who applied the "Fail Forward Fast" (F3) principle to pivot from the massive failure of his Body Rev product to creating the wildly successful Perfect Pushup. Learn how to speed up your OODA loop, overcome the dangerous trap of the "sunk cost fallacy," and combine determination with wisdom to avoid fatal rigidity. Finally, challenge yourself with this week's "No Plan Survives Practice" to deliberately break a routine and train your nervous system to respond to disruption with speed and clarity. Special thanks to Will Potter for providing the incredible track "Easy Day" featured in this episode! 200,000+ leaders have become unbeatable with my operating system, will you be the next?
Sheepdog Skill: Perspective Holding50 / 100Sheepdog Skill: FlexibilitySheepdog Skill: WisdomSheepdog Skill: Clarity Under PressureSheepdog Skill: Command Presence