Like find alternatives if the right path ends in a yak

But taking his example at face value -- I mean, you are going to have to return that pillow someday, and to return the pillow you are going to have to go to the zoo and shave the yak. I mean, yeah, today day maybe you can just deal with the old broken hose. But if you'd shaved the yak last weekend instead of whatever other thing you were doing, you could have bought a new hose this weekend. The longer you wait to do what you need to do anyway, the more hassle you end up dealing with.