Galpin's Law

The principle that when faced with a flawed, ambiguous, or poorly designed problem, overthinking it is a trap. Instead of trying to figure out all the logical ways a situation could be interpreted, you should exert the absolute bare minimum effort required to achieve the maximum reward.

Originating from the realization that school test questions are often broken, Galpin's Law dictates that you shouldn't try to fix the system or point out its flaws. Just give them the exact, obvious answer they are looking for, take your "maximum marks" (whether that's a grade, a paycheck, or a nod of approval), and move on.

Employee: "The client's new brief makes absolutely no sense. If we build it this way, it's going to bottleneck their whole system. Should I write up a proposal on how to fix it?"

Coworker: "Dude, apply Galpin's Law. Just build exactly what they asked for, take the money, and let them figure it out later."

Student: "This essay prompt is so vague I could take it in five different philosophical directions. Which one should I do?"

Friend: "Galpin's Law, man. Just write the five keywords the professor always repeats in class, hit the word count, and get your A. Don't overthink it."

Person A: "The DMV forms want me to list my address history for the last 10 years, but there are only two lines on the paper."

Person B: "Galpin's Law. Write your current address, write your last address, and hand it in. If you ask for more paper, you'll be here for another three hours."

Galpin's Law by kaicodestech August 24, 2026