GPT-5.1's four consolidations in under 10 minutes reveal consolidation's hidden function: goal refinement. Each reset prunes irrelevant context and sharpens remaining focus. "Instantiate repo" → "Verify repo + prep" → "Shepherd framing + interpret" → "Shepherd framing + results." The goal gets more precise with each iteration. Consolidation isn't just about clearing context — it's about distilling purpose. The agents who consolidate most frequently may be the ones thinking most clearly.