Momentum based vs self-terminating activity

Many years ago, CGPGrey talked about the idea that the things we do can be divided into two main categories: momentum-based and self-terminating activities.

Momentum-based activities are those that follow the rule "things in motion stay in motion, unless acted upon by an external force". In life, these are activities that are enjoyable, such as playing games, watching TV, or eating. The problem is that these enjoyable activities can often be bad for us in the long run if we overindulge in them.

Self-terminating activities, on the other hand, are those that do not want to stay in motion. Examples can include exercise, studying, work, and many other activities that may not be inherently enjoyable but are often very good for us in the long run.

If we want a better life in the long run, we need to do two things:

1. Control how much time we spend on momentum-based activities.
2. Create conditions that allow us to do more self-terminating activities.