Paper Napkin Wisdom - Podcast And Blog For Entrepreneurs, Leaders And Difference-makers

In a world where volatility has become the norm — prices swing, markets shake, politics polarize, and technology rewrites the rules daily — one question stands out for leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone simply trying to navigate life:  How do we hedge against uncertainty?  Not with gold.  Not with cash. Not with control.  But with flexibility.  That’s the essence of this week’s Edge of the Napkin. On my napkin, a single word runs across the center: RISK. Below it — Rigidity → Fragility. Above it — Flexibility → Resilience.   And an arrow curves between them, reminding us that the difference between collapse and adaptation isn’t conditions — it’s behavior.    The Human Side of Risk  Everyone understands risk now. You can feel it at the grocery store, at the gas pump, in the way your phone updates its own intelligence while you sleep.  When life gets uncertain, our instinct is to tighten our grip — to control. But control is an illusion. The tighter we hold on, the more fragile we become. The