A Different Kind of Rat Race

Pursuit Without Purpose

Friday, April 25th, 2025

Writing to you from Denver, Colorado

Last Saturday I finished a book written by a family friend, entrepreneur, and good man: Craig Ballantyne.

The book is called The Dark Side of Discipline and it is fitting for Craig to write a book like that since he’s one of the most disciplined people you could meet. In fact, he’s been able to gain the title of the “world’s most disciplined man”.

Anyway, my dad got to read the book before it was released.

He told me a little bit about it and how he guessed he wasn’t “in the know” about all of the wild fitness challenges/routines that people do nowadays. Of course, he knew about the Ironmans and things like that, but that’s just one level of craziness.

(Picture I took of someone’s Ironman stickers in Punta del Este, Uruguay)

We like to make fun of the people who shamelessly throw the Ironman completion stickers on their bumper…that just shows it’s all for attention.

But, it goes much father than that.

You’ve probably heard about cold plunges, saunas, 100-mile races, David Goggins, and the idea of waking up at 4 in the morning to start your 4-hour morning routine. It’s more common than ever - self-induced suffering masked as discipline.

The model for this idea of extreme self-discipline is usually someone like David Goggins: ex navy seal, came from nothing, and built himself into a man. He’s run so much that there is zero cartilage left in his knees - yet he still runs. In fact, one time he ran eight 100-mile races eight weeks in a row. He also set the world record for most amount of pull-ups in 24 hours: 4,030 in 17 hours and 16 minutes.

Impressive, no doubt about that.

To What End?

The real question is: What’s the point?

Which is exactly what Craig asks in his book and follows up with a blunt answer: That the people who follow the 4-hour morning routines and/or destroy themselves consistently in order to be more “disciplined” don’t actually know what discipline is.

“The ultimate definition of discipline is putting a level 10 effort into your level 10 problem. Everything else is just entertainment.”

-Craig Ballantyne

The vanity of a morning routine or the self-mutilation of consistent 100-mile races, 75 hards, crossfit competitions, Ironmans - it’s about entertainment, approval, or a serious indication that you’re not dealing with some internal problem.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that entertainment is wrong…

Not at all, especially if your preferred way of entertaining yourself is pushing yourself to the brink, doing something difficult. That’s respectable. Compared to watching sports ball or playing video games it’s the better choice.

…purposely pursued difficulty VS bread and circuses.

But, that’s where the difference is: whether or not something is done with just purpose and intention or not.

“Do not act without purpose or do anything without reference a guiding principle.

-Marcus Aurelius

The best part of Craig’s book - not to spoil too much - is when he talks about having a “Big Why” (an ultimate reason for why you do anything). Crafting that Why and reorienting your life around it cuts out the things that aren’t necessary or even destructive.

Everything you do should be done with intention.

Shift the Focus

Even though Craig has been in and around the fitness industry for a long time - he founded Turbulence Training: A fitness program that became his first multi-million-dollar business, amassing over 151,000 customers and 25 million YouTube views - the idea of the Big Why is not restricted to fitness, it’s all-encompassing for life.

You don’t want to be trapped in any kind of rat race.

Working 9-5 until you’re 65 and living off of what you managed to save is no way to live a good life. Neither is physically breaking yourself just to feel something or gain approval - the “extreme discipline” stuff is just another kind of rat race.

Both show lack of intention and misunderstanding of what actually matters to you.

The Big Why is the ultimate idea of what you actually believe, why you do what you do, and governs how you show up in the world. Discipline comes from taking time to figure out what matters to you, what you actually want to do, making progress toward your ideals, and maintaining your path.

First, you have to know what you believe.

The best way to do that is to create a moral code and write to down so that you can take it with you anywhere you go. The moral code is essentially a code of conduct - a written set of rules for yourself that, when thought out, will show you what matters to you.

Create a moral code and your Big Why starts to become clear.

P.S. I recommend checking out Craig’s book. He’s got a unique perspective on things due to the course of his life and entrepreneurial pursuits. He writes about ideas people need to hear - ideas that shift your frame of life. Plus, he’s a better writer than I am…

-Maxim Benjamin Smith