--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thomas Friedman captures the twin tasks…" description: "\"“Thomas Friedman captures the twin tasks when he says: “Avoid the unmanageable and manage the unavoidable.”\" — Mary Christina Wood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/mary-christina-wood-34996_unmanageable_thomas-friedman-captures-the-twin-tasks_2521514.jpg" --- # Thomas Friedman captures the twin tasks when he says… ![“Thomas Friedman captures the twin tasks when he says: “Avoid the unmanageable and manage the unavoidable.” quote by Mary Christina Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/mary-christina-wood-34996_unmanageable_thomas-friedman-captures-the-twin-tasks_2521514.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/mary-christina-wood-34996_unmanageable_thomas-friedman-captures-the-twin-tasks_2521514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/mary-christina-wood-34996_unmanageable_thomas-friedman-captures-the-twin-tasks_2521514.jpg) > ““Thomas Friedman captures the twin tasks when he says: “Avoid the unmanageable and manage the unavoidable.”” [Mary Christina Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-christina-wood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friedman advises tackling manageable problems first while confronting inevitable challenges. **In simple terms:** Deal with easy tasks, then face the unavoidable. Key Takeaway Start with what you can control. Themes management strategy prioritization Mood analytical pragmatic Type advisory instructive When to use this quote - project planning - policy making - crisis response - personal goals Key Concepts systems thinking risk management Questions to Reflect On - What is truly unmanageable? - How do you identify the manageable? A Different Perspective May underestimate complexity of “unavoidable”. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Thomas Friedman, the New York Times foreign affairs columnist, in his typical fashion, trivialized—and did much to popularize—the “dictator’s dilemma” fallacy by coining a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/thomas-friedman-the-new-york-times-foreign-affairs-columnist-in-his/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [By now, it seems as if everyone has already read Thomas L. 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