# shifting goalposts (drift)

*Ordinarily means:* Changing the criteria for success after the process has begun.

A parameter that was stable now moves because no maintenance held it, and the model that depended on it fails only after the wall has already shifted.

- Computed level: L16 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: emergence

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [parameter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-parameter.condition), [drift](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-drift.aimless), [model](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-model.representation), [wall](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-wall.range-end), [maintenance](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-maintenance.upkeep)

**Through:** drift nobody noticed

**Novel properties:**
- emergence.novel_properties

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-shifting-goalposts.drift*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-shifting-goalposts.drift.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*