It’s easier than ever to start, and it shows.” Why do I quit everything I start?” “Why can’t I finish anything?” The training program, the new book, the business idea. We start with fire, and come week 3, it’s all cold ash.
Generically, we’re told the problem is discipline, but that’s too convenient. Galen saw this type of behavior 2000 years ago in his clients. Hot temperaments (sanguine, choleric) peak early and crash. This is me at my worst.
Cold constitutions (melancholic, phlegmatic) have it easier. They might start slow, but if they can get going, it’s steady trekking from there.
This is called the explore-exploit pattern. Humans benefit from exploiting opportunities. Pluck the fruit from the tree that you found. Milk the opportunity dry, but God also designed us to value exploration. It helps us find new opportunities.
This desire to explore, but tendency to exploit worked until modernity made it too easy to explore. Anyone can start a business. There are more books at your fingertips than you could finish it 100 lifetimes.
If you’re struggling with this, rip off the band-aid: no more 30 day challenge. No more 75-hard. Do a campaign. Pick one thing and commit to it. the small task. Don’t get flashy. Don’t allow yourself to overextend. Especially you fire types, I’m looking at you (me). Keep. It. Simple.
Alexander conquered the world in ten years because he campaigned. He didn’t do a 30 day “conquer Persia” challenge. He buckled down and endured. And he was classic choleric.
So, if this is you, try lowering the intensity and raising the consistency. A man training 20 minutes a day for a year beats one training 3 hours a day for 30 days and then quits.
It’s just arithmetic.