Cognitive Engineering & Self-Mastery — Part 5C: Identity Architecture & Anti-Sabotage (Floors, Ceilings, and Narrative Rewrites)

Track: Identity Floors · Ceiling Experiments · Shadow Incentives · Narrative Rewrites · Commitment Devices · Proof-of-Identity

Habits are votes. Identity is governance. Install laws (floors), run reforms (ceilings), and audit corruption (sabotage) so the nation of you compounds.

1) Identity Operating System (IDOS)

• Roles: the few that matter (e.g., Builder, Parent, Athlete).
• Principles: short, testable rules (“Ship on schedule; tell the truth.”).
• Proof-of-Identity Artefacts: things you produce that no one can fake (published work, logs, lifts, ledgers).
• Floors & Ceilings: minimums that never fail; sprints that raise capacity.

2) Floors First (Continuity on Bad Days)

Floors prioritise identity continuity over intensity. They are binary: done/not done.

Rule: If life explodes, protect the floor. Identity > intensity.

3) Ceiling Experiments (Stretch Without Breaking)

• Scope: 7–14 days only; one metric (pages, minutes, sessions).
• Design: +20–40% above normal with built-in rest days.
• Exit: keep 10–15% of the gain as the new “steady.”

4) Shadow Incentives (Why Sabotage Wins)

Self-sabotage is often rational: it protects a hidden payoff (avoid judgement, keep comfort, preserve identity with a group).

5) Narrative Rewrites (Language That Moves Behaviour)

• From threat → task: “This must be perfect” → “Write the First Line.”
• From identity doubt → process pride: “Maybe I’m not a writer” → “Writers write floors; I wrote mine.”
• From binary failure → data: “I blew it” → “Rung too high; step down one.”

6) Commitment Devices (Make the Default the Destiny)

• Environmental: single-purpose desk; frictionless tools for floors; blockers for saboteurs.
• Social: ship slot with witness; “green/amber/red” signal to partner; consequences agreed in advance.
• Financial: deposit or donation trigger tied to missing the floor (gentle but visible).

7) Proof-of-Identity Artefacts (Receipts, Not Vibes)

• Weekly ship links (posts, drafts, models, commits).
• Scorecards (deep hours, floors kept, bounce time trend).
• Portfolio page that updates itself from the ledger.

Templates (Copy/Paste)

Identity OS Canvas

ROLES (max 3): ________________________________________________
PRINCIPLES (≤5, testable): ____________________________________
FLOORS (daily, binary): _______________________________________
PROOF-OF-IDENTITY (weekly): ___________________________________
REVIEW CADENCE: Weekly Fri 16:00 · Monthly 1st Tue 10:00
  

Floor Writer

DOMAIN: _______________________  FLOOR (one sentence): _______________________
EVIDENCE: ______________________  TIME/PLACE: ________________________________
IF MISSED: 60s “repair floor” within 24h (describe): __________________________
  

Ceiling Experiment Sheet (7–14 days)

METRIC: __________________  BASELINE: _____  TARGET ( +20–40% ): ______
REST DAYS: ____  START: ______  END: ______
KEEP (10–15%) AFTER: ________   REVIEW NOTES: __________________________
  

Shadow Incentive Map

BEHAVIOUR: ______________________
HIDDEN PAYOFF: __________________
REPLACEMENT ACTION (tiny): ______
PRE-COMMIT (env/social/financial): ____________________________
TRIGGER → SCRIPT: “When I feel ___, I will ___ for 2 minutes.”
  

Narrative Rewrite Cards

OLD: _____________________________  →  NEW: ________________________________
OLD: _____________________________  →  NEW: ________________________________
OLD: _____________________________  →  NEW: ________________________________
  

Proof-of-Identity Ledger (Weekly)

WEEK #: ____  SHIPS: links/artefacts ________________________________________
FLOORS KEPT: __/7  CEILING EXP: On/Off  NOTES (identity signals): ___________
NEXT RECEIPT DATE/TIME: _________  WITNESS: ________________________________
  

KPIs (Identity Health)

• Floor adherence: ≥ 85% of days/month
• Ceiling retention: keep ≥ 10% gain post-sprint
• Sabotage events redirected by script: ≥ 70%
• Weekly proof-of-identity artefact shipped: 4/4 weeks
• Bounce time (from Part 5A) trend: ↓ ≥ 15% over 4 weeks

Seven-Day Identity Sprint

1. D1: Fill the Identity OS Canvas; write one floor in each domain.
2. D2: Build Shadow Incentive Map for two sabotages; add pre-commits.
3. D3: Start one Ceiling Experiment (7–14 days); schedule rest.
4. D4: Write three Narrative Rewrite Cards; practise aloud twice.
5. D5: Produce one Proof-of-Identity artefact; log in ledger.
6. D6: Audit floors (5-minute review); repair any miss within 24h.
7. D7: Weekly review: keep 10–15% of gains; book next ship slot.

Free Execution Prompt — Identity Architect (10-Year Proof)

You are my Identity Architect (Part 5C).
Goal: install an Identity OS with floors, ceiling experiments, anti-sabotage maps, and proof-of-identity artefacts.

ASK FIRST:
1) Top 3 roles and 3 principles I want to live by
2) One behaviour I can do on my worst day in each domain (work/body/money/relationships)
3) Two recurring sabotage patterns and what payoff they secretly give me
4) My current weekly output (ships) and a realistic ship slot
5) One metric I want to stretch for 7–14 days

DO THIS:
1) Draft the Identity OS Canvas (roles, principles, floors, proof cadence).
2) Write floor statements (binary, 60s–5m) with time/place and repair plan.
3) Create a Ceiling Experiment (7–14 days) with target, rest days, and retention (10–15%).
4) Map two Shadow Incentives with replacements and pre-commit devices (env/social/financial).
5) Generate 3 Narrative Rewrite Cards that convert threat to task and doubt to process pride.
6) Produce a Proof-of-Identity plan: one ship/week with a public or private witness.
7) Define KPIs and a 7-day Identity Sprint.

OUTPUT / ARTEFACTS:
- Identity OS Canvas
- Floor Writer set (4 domains)
- Ceiling Experiment sheet
- Shadow Incentive Map (×2)
- Narrative Rewrite Cards (×3)
- Proof-of-Identity Ledger + weekly ship slot
- KPIs + 7-day sprint checklist

EVIDENCE GRADING:
- High: floors ≥85%; one ship/week; sabotage redirects ≥70%; retention ≥10%.
- Moderate: floors 70–84%; redirects 50–69%.
- Low: below → shrink floors, add pre-commits, shorten sprint, increase social witness.

LINK-FORWARD:
Advance to Part 6A — Cognitive Ergonomics & Environment Design (make the right action the easiest action).
    

FAQ (Part 5C)

Next: Part 6A — Cognitive Ergonomics & Environment Design.

Apply It Now (5 minutes)

1. One action: What will you do in 5 minutes that reflects this essay? (write 1 sentence)
2. When & where: If it’s [time] at [place], I will [action].
3. Proof: Who will you show or tell? (name 1 person)

You are my Micro-Action Coach. Based on this essay’s theme, ask me:
1) My 5-minute action,
2) Exact time/place,
3) A friction check (what could stop me? give a tiny fix),
4) A 3-question nightly reflection.
Then generate a 3-day plan and a one-line identity cue I can repeat.

🧠 AI Processing Reality… Commit now, then come back tomorrow and log what changed.