Successful people set constraints rather than chasing goals

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Goals vs. Constraints: Competing or Complementary?

  • Many commenters argue the article creates a false dichotomy: goals and constraints are seen as tools that usually work best together.
  • A common framing: goals define what/when (direction, milestones), constraints define how/why (rules, behavior, limits).
  • Several see this as a rebranding of “goals vs. systems” or “process vs. outcome”: constraints = ongoing system/habit, goals = discrete outcome.

Definitions and Conceptual Clarity

  • Thread notes confusion over definitions: e.g., “leave everyone better than you found them” can be framed as both a goal and a constraint.
  • One distinction offered:
    • Goals are finite and completable (run a 10k, ship by date X).
    • Constraints are ongoing rules you never “finish” (write every day; don’t do X).
  • Some place “values” above both: values → constraints → goals.

Perceived Benefits of Constraints

  • Constraints reduce chaos and choice overload, enabling focus and momentum.
  • They can encourage consistent action (timeboxing, “write every day”, “no phone after dinner,” small workout limits).
  • Constraints often help creativity: tighter boundaries can make it easier to start and to find novel solutions.
  • They are seen as identity-forming (“this is the kind of person I am”) rather than image-driven (“this is what I achieved”).

Risks, Tradeoffs, and Failure Modes

  • Over-emphasis on “no” can turn someone into the inflexible “no person” or trap them in self-imposed boxes.
  • Refusing to set goals can slide into Brownian motion: lots of improvisation with no net progress.
  • Constraints can also be arbitrary or harmful if misaligned with values (examples: religion, location, funding path).
  • Some point out that “keeping options open” is itself a (usually mediocre) constraint.

Critiques of the Essay Itself

  • Several call out:
    • Over-generalization (“successful/smart people do X”).
    • Lack of evidence beyond anecdotes.
    • Inconsistent or fuzzy use of “goal” vs. “constraint.”
    • Questionable examples (e.g., NASA and the moon landing) and “folksy wisdom porn” tone.

Applied Examples and Frameworks

  • Personal stories: careers built on refusing stagnant work, running without race goals but with strict training constraints, saying “no” logs, timeboxing experiments.
  • Links to OODA loop, agile vs. project management, optimization/constraints in math, Ikigai, and “analysis paralysis” in business and investing.