Exergy is the useful portion of energy that can be converted into work, governed by the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Maximizing exergy means extracting the most value from a given input. Once used, it is consumed.
A parallel exists in economics. Capital flows, is deployed, and generates return. Profit can be seen as the economic equivalent of exergy.
Outcomes depend on defined boundaries. In physics, these are system conditions. In finance, they are capital, timing, and structure.