Debt reduces optionality

“Physical debt is like technical debt. You’ll pay for every missed workout later.” – Balaji S. Srinivasan

Technical debt: time saved during development is later paid many times over during future maintenance and integrations.

Managerial debt: an easy decision today is paid back as many hard decisions later; an example: failing to be clear while setting an objective will lead to misunderstandings and frustration down the road.

Learning debt: saving time by superficially studying a subject might make studying subsequent subjects much harder and time expensive)

Political debt: censorship is an easy tactic to beat today’s enemy but also creates tomorrow’s.

…debt is not just problematic because of the interest it commands. It also creates dependence. Debt reduces optionality – and that alone might cost dearly. (An example: financial debt might constrain you to keep working a job you don’t like or prevent you from jumping on a start-up opportunity.)

See also: Architecture sells options