365 Days With Self-Discipline: 365 Life-Altering Thoughts on Self-Control, Mental Resilience, and Success

Day 103: On Controlled Burn

Small  forest  fires  periodically  cleanse  the  system  of  the  most

flammable material, so this does not have the opportunity to accumulate.

—Nassim Taleb

 

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Fire is a natural part of the forest ecology. Regular small fires serve a

cleansing purpose, reducing the amount of fuel build-up and consequently

lowering the likelihood of a potentially large, disastrous fire.

Fires  promote  the  growth  and  biodiversity  of  surviving  healthy

vegetation when the old, sickly trees burn and the ashes add nutrients to the

soil.  Moreover,  burned  trees  provide  habitat  for  the  wildlife  which  often

grows in numbers after a fire.

A controlled burn is a strategy that foresters around the world use to

regulate plant and animal life, usually as a way to reduce the risk of a larger,

uncontrolled fire.

You  can  use  a  similar  strategy:  give  yourself  some  slack  every  now

and  then  to  prevent  yourself  from  a  massive,  uncontrollable  loss  of  self-

discipline.

The most obvious application of this technique is in dieting: allowing

yourself a cheat meal every now and that will help you avoid an unplanned

cheat  day  or  cheat  week  that  could  result  in  disastrous  consequences  for

your long-term progress.

You can use a controlled burn in any other endeavor that requires you

to  maintain  high  levels  of  self-discipline  for  a  long  period  of  time.  For

example, if you’re working hard on your business, every other week give

yourself  an  entire  day  to  slack  off  instead  of  working  your  fingers  to  the

bone and burning out.

Controlled  burns,  as  long  as  they  remain  controlled and  limited  to  a

defined period of time, can increase your long-term discipline, so don’t feel

guilty  about  scheduling  one  every  now  and  then.  You  might  temporarily

lose some momentum, but in the long haul it will be worth it. 

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