Adult stem cells must balance maintaining tissue stability with the ability to regenerate after loss. A new study in the lab shows how the male germline resolves the paradox of progeny retaining stem cell potential while adopting differentiated identities. Differentiating cells preserve stem cell competence by inheriting stable stem cell mRNAs without actively expressing them. At the same time, two niche signaling pathways, BMP signaling and JAK-STAT signaling, independently regulate distinct gene sets, whose combined activity defines whether cells self-renew, differentiate, or dedifferentiate. Together, these mechanisms maintain a pool of progeny capable of reverting to stem cells when needed, while preventing excess stem cell production and explaining why multiple niche signals are required in stem cell systems.