Constraint Inventory Worksheet
This worksheet captures your constraint profile across seven categories.
It is a required output of Phase 1 and carries forward as input into Phase 2.
Write what is currently true. Not your best-case version.
Accuracy here determines the quality of every decision downstream.
Before You Begin
For each constraint, you will record:
- The constraint itself -- what is actually true
- Hard or Soft -- does violating it cause real damage, or only discomfort?
- Type -- Fixed (cannot change), Temporary (real now, not permanent), or Adjustable (can move with effort)
- Your key insight -- the one thing most important to remember about this constraint
If you need a refresher on Hard vs. Soft or Fixed / Temporary / Adjustable, see the
Constraint Inventory page before continuing.
1. Time
Available hours per week:
Consistency of those hours (Fixed / Variable):
Best work blocks (mornings / evenings / weekends / other):
Peak energy window:
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (What is the most important thing to remember about your time constraints?)
2. Money
Comfortable investment amount: $
Maximum investment amount: $
Months before income is required:
Income volatility tolerance (Low / Medium / High):
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (What is your realistic financial runway, and what level of loss creates instability?)
3. Energy
Social energy level (1--10):
Work that drains you:
Work that feels sustainable over months:
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (What types of work will you find sustainable vs. exhausting across months and years?)
4. Personality
Work preference (Solo / Collaborative / Managing others):
Visibility comfort (Low / Medium / High):
Selling and persuasion comfort (Low / Medium / High):
Decision speed (Fast / Deliberate / Slow):
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (Which personality traits will help or work against specific business models?)
5. Skills
Skills you execute well today:
Skills you consistently avoid regardless of intent:
Skills you are willing to develop:
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (Where do you have natural advantage, and where would execution require sustained force?)
6. Lifestyle
Non-negotiable responsibilities:
Location constraints:
Schedule flexibility (Fixed / Flexible):
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (What aspects of your life cannot be compromised for a business?)
7. Risk
Comfort with uncertainty (Low / Medium / High):
Tolerance for public failure (Low / Medium / High):
Patience for results (months):
| Constraint | Hard or Soft | Type |
|---|---|---|
Key insight: (How much ambiguity and downside risk can you actually sustain?)
Your Three Non-Negotiable Constraints
These are your Hard Constraints. Any business model that violates any one of them is eliminated without exception.
1. 2. 3.
Output Requirement
Before moving to Phase 2, compile a one-page Constraint Profile that includes every constraint above with its Hard / Soft classification and Fixed / Temporary / Adjustable type. This document is the required input for the Discovery Engine.
Do not carry forward a mental summary. Write it down.
Optional: AI Constraint Analysis Prompt
Once your worksheet is complete, paste your answers into any capable AI tool
using the prompt below. This surfaces patterns and tensions you may have missed.
You are analyzing a constraint inventory within a structured decision framework.
Here is my completed constraint profile:
[Paste your completed worksheet here]
Identify:
1. My top 3 most restrictive constraints
2. Any contradictions or tensions between constraints
3. Business model categories eliminated by my top constraints, and which constraint eliminates each
4. Any missing clarifications that would improve the analysis
Do not suggest specific businesses.
Do not rank or recommend.
Only analyze structural patterns.
Proceed to Leverage Zone Worksheet
Return to Constraint Inventory