Define Exit Criteria
Execution without a stopping point leads to burnout. Discipline requires knowing exactly when to stop.
This directive mandates that every action must have a defined endpoint before it begins.
The Core Principle
Infinite execution is unsustainable.
Without exit criteria, tasks stretch to fill available time. The brain resists starting tasks that have no clear end. Defining the endpoint removes the friction of starting and prevents the exhaustion of over-execution.
A disciplined system knows when the work is finished.
Why This Fails for Most People
Most people work until they are tired. They judge completion by how they feel rather than by what they produced.
They rely on intuition to stop. They let tasks drag on. They confuse effort with completion.
Fatigue is a terrible exit criterion.
The Gyōji Directive
Define the exit criterion before initiating execution.
If you do not know exactly when a task is finished, you cannot start it.
Implementation Protocol
- Identify the exact condition that marks completion.
- Write the condition down.
- Execute until the condition is met.
- Stop immediately upon completion.
- Do not extend the task.
Exit criteria must be binary and verifiable.
Common Errors
- Stopping based on mood.
- Working until exhausted.
- Moving the goalposts during execution.
Enforcement Rule
If execution continues past the exit criterion, the system is broken.
Final Order
Define the end. Stop when done.