The version of the law of sustainment in this context describes a constraint on behaviour driven by identity. It states that people tend to continue acting in ways that are consistent with how they see themselves. When behaviour and identity do not match, the behaviour is unlikely to persist over time.
If a person is brought up to believe they are an “apple tree”, that belief becomes their internal reference point. It informs what feels natural, what feels possible, and what feels out of place. When they later see a “pear tree” and decide they want that outcome, the problem is not a lack of information or opportunity. The problem is that the new behaviour required to become that “pear tree” conflicts with the existing identity.
This is where sustainment applies: behaviour that contradicts identity creates friction. It can be performed temporarily, but it is not stable. Over time, the system tends to revert to what is consistent with the original self-concept. This is not a matter of motivation, it is a structural constraint.
Identity acts as a stabilising mechanism because it tends to filters decisions and regulates effort. Actions that align with identity require less resistance and are easier to repeat. Actions that contradict identity require continuous effort to maintain, which makes them less likely to sustain.
This explains why people can have clear goals and still fail to maintain progress. They may understand what to do and even begin doing it, but if the behaviour does not match how they see themselves, it remains temporary. The system corrects back to its baseline.
Doomscrolling and procrastination fit within this structure. They are not random or isolated failures, but more like behaviours that align with certain identity states. If someone sees themselves as uncertain, not ready, or not the type who follows through, then avoidance behaviours are consistent with that identity. They require less internal conflict than taking action that contradicts it.
The mechanism can be described as a loop which I call “hamster wheel”. Identity shapes expectations – expectations influence behaviour; behaviour reinforces identity. This loop sustains itself over time. Without intervention at the identity level, the loop continues to produce the same patterns.
Changing behaviour in a lasting way requires altering the identity that sustains it. This does not happen through intention alone. It requires repeated actions that provide evidence for a different self-concept. When those actions are consistent and accumulate over time, they begin to reduce the gap between behaviour and identity.
During this transition, there is instability. A person may act in ways that do not yet feel like “them”. This phase has high friction because the identity has not caught up with the behaviour. It is also where reversion commonly occurs, as the previous identity requires less effort to maintain.
Avoidance behaviours such as doomscrolling serve a functional role in this system. They allow the individual to remain within their existing identity without confronting the mismatch. They sustain the current state by removing pressure to change.
The law of sustainment, in this form, describes a limit on personal change. Behaviour that does not align with identity does not persist. Either the behaviour stops, or the identity adjusts. If neither happens, the system defaults to low-effort, identity-consistent actions.
Sustained change occurs when the identity itself shifts to support the new behaviour. At that point, the behaviour no longer requires continuous effort to maintain. It becomes consistent with how the person sees themselves, and the system stabilises around that new state.
References
Atomic Habits
James Clear
Explains identity-based habits and how repeated actions reinforce self-concept
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Carol Dweck
Covers fixed versus growth mindset and how beliefs about self influence behaviour
The Power of Habit
Charles Duhigg
Explains habit loops and behavioural reinforcement mechanisms
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Describes cognitive biases and automatic behaviour patterns linked to self-perception
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss
Includes discussions with guests on behaviour change, identity, and performance
Huberman Lab
Andrew Huberman
Provides neuroscience-based explanations of behaviour, habits, and attention regulation
