In this episode, Carl reframes optionality as one of the most important forms of safety in planning. Pushing back on the romantic idea of “burning the boats,” he explains why removing all alternatives doesn’t create commitment; it creates fragility. In an uncertain world, optionality is the ability to respond to new information, not a sign of fear or indecision. Through ideas like micro-actions, Slack, and margin of safety, Carl shows how small, reversible steps create learning, resilience, and real momentum. This is a conversation about designing plans that can bend instead of break, and why flexibility, not drama, is what actually carries us forward.

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