Minimum viable output (MVO)

Life doesn’t move in a straight line. Stress, illness, and sudden change can disrupt even the strongest routines. When that happens, most people try to maintain full output until they burn out and stop completely. MVO is a way to prevent that collapse. Instead of pushing through at full intensity, you temporarily scale down to the smallest version of your habits that still preserves consistency and identity.

The goal is not progress during difficult periods – it’s preservation. By keeping a reduced baseline alive, you avoid the need to rebuild from zero once conditions improve.

Minimum viable output is a practice within Behavior, supporting discipline, reflection, and systems

The role of minimum viable output in the Hagen Growth Philosophy

This pillar is part of the core Hagen Growth philosophy, which you can read here.

The Hagen Growth Loop explains how change builds over time. MVO protects that loop when pressure rises. It acts as a fallback system that keeps your habits and identity safe during unstable periods, making it easier to regain momentum later.

MVO reflects Positive Realism: it accepts the limits of difficult periods without surrender or pushing through where it isn’t possible. Instead of letting the loop drift into regression, MVO keeps it stable until you’re ready to scale up again.

How minimum viable output works in practice

MVO works when it is planned in advance. You define a realistic baseline – the smallest version of your key habits that you can maintain even on difficult days. This baseline should be low enough to be manageable under stress, but high enough to keep your systems alive and prevent regression.

You also decide when to activate MVO and when to return to normal output. This preparation ensures that when life becomes heavier, you shift deliberately rather than reactively. With practice, finding the right balance becomes easier, and MVO becomes a reliable tool for protecting long-term consistency.

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Paul Hagen
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