Opportunities are like waves. They come in bunches, but a good set doesn't mean every wave is good. Sets are unpredictable, but you know when they're on you. You need to be ready to catch the wave, and sometimes it fails underneath you despite looking like a winner.

So not to be too vague, I would say the best adaptive skill is being able to recognize a wave, paddle hard into it, and cut out as soon as you realize it's not going to give you the ride you want. There may be patterns out there, but instead of predicting it's best to react with vigor.