📏 Move the Goalposts 🏈
Definition: To change the rules or expectations in the middle of an enterprise or process, typically making it more difficult for someone to succeed. The term originates from sports (soccer, rugby, football) and entered popular lexicon in the second half of the 20th century.
Similar Terms & Expressions:
- Shift the goalposts
- Change the rules of the game
- Throw a curveball
- Change the playbook
Proverbs & Quotes:
- “The rules of surrealism are simple: the more you complicate them, the more successful you’ll be.” – Salvador Dalí
- “When life moves the goalposts, consider it an opportunity to sharpen your aim.” – Anonymous
Recommended Reads & Media
- Books: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (satirical novel where rules constantly change)
- Movies: The Truman Show (1998) – explores a controlled environment where the boundaries and rules shift unexpectedly.
- Songs: “Changes” by David Bowie (embracing and overcoming change)
- Poems: “If—” by Rudyard Kipling (focuses on resilience and adaptability)
Synonyms:
- Change the parameters
- Alter the conditions
- Modify the framework
Antonyms:
- Stick to the plan
- Keep the rules
- Maintain consistency
Humor-Filled Anecdote: “In the game of life, when opponents keep shifting the goalposts, just remember, you’re not the only one wondering why there’s a zebra on the pitch. Adapt, improvise, and before long, you’ll be scoring goals regardless!”
Inspirational Farewell💡:
Embrace the uncertainty, for it’s often the unexpected twists that mold us into the resilient, adaptive individuals we are meant to be. Everything changes, but your capability to navigate through those changes is your constant superpower.
