You know what separates a master negotiator from a stubborn amateur?
Flexibility.
Now, I don’t mean yoga-level flexibility—although if you can touch your toes, congratulations, you're ahead of most of us. I mean the mental kind. The emotional kind. The I-had-a-plan-but-the-universe-didn’t-get-the-memo kind.
Flexibility is the ability to adjust when your perfectly laid-out strategy meets the beautiful chaos of life.
Imagine you walk into the flea market with one goal: to sell that retro toaster from 1972. You’ve rehearsed your pitch. You’ve set the price. You even Googled “vintage appliance sales psychology” (yes, it exists). But then, your buyer says, “Toaster? I thought that was an air fryer!”
Now what?
This is where some people panic. Or worse—dig in. “No sir, this is a toaster. I refuse to call it anything else!” And just like that, the deal dies.
But the flexible negotiator? They smile and say, “Well, let’s just call it a retro air-bread-crisping-device and talk price.”
Boom. Connection. Creativity. Conversion.
Flexibility doesn’t mean you’re flaky or easy to push over. It means you can pivot without losing your purpose. You still have your goals—but you’re not married to only one path to get there. You’re willing to try a different position, adjust your language, change your offer, or even flip the script entirely—as long as it serves the mission.
Because here’s the truth: people change their minds. Conditions shift. New information comes to light. And if you're too rigid, you'll snap. But if you're flexible, you'll flow.
Think of flexibility like being a rubber pipe. It can twist, bend, and stretch—but it’s still one strong, connected piece. That’s what you want to be in a negotiation: adaptable, but grounded.
Here’s a fun real-life test: Next time you get interrupted, inconvenienced, or misunderstood—pause. Breathe. Don’t react. Respond. That’s the muscle of flexibility being trained right there.
In negotiation—and in life—the person who stays flexible has more options, more influence, and way more fun. Because if you can’t enjoy a few unexpected detours, you’re missing out on the best stories.
So go ahead. Bend a little. Twist the pitch. Reframe the problem. But never lose your essence.
Because the best deals aren’t forced—they’re found in the wiggle room.