Confused about 'forward guidance' vs. actual Fed action

Still trying to get my head around how much weight to give the Fed's 'forward guidance'. It often feels like they talk tough about rates or QT, only to pivot later when the data changes, which then whipsaws the market. Are you guys genuinely trading the guidance or just waiting for the actual rate hike/cut announcements or balance sheet changes before making bigger moves on $SPX or $USDX?