After a large commitment collapses, recommit…

When This Fires

• After any significant commitment collapse (weeks or months of non-compliance)
• When the instinct is to "restart at full power" after a break
• When previous restart attempts at full scope have failed — the scope wasn't the problem, the identity damage was
• Complements When an agent fires below 80% after 30 days, simplify… (simplify before sophisticating) and Rebuild boundary capacity through small wins first — after… (small wins after helplessness) with the collapse-specific recovery path

Common Failure Mode

Full-scope restart: "I'm back! Starting Monday: 60 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week!" This is the same commitment that collapsed. The identity damage from the collapse means willpower available for this commitment is lower than when it was originally established. The restart fails faster than the original installation, deepening the identity damage: "I can't even restart things."

The Protocol

(1) After a commitment collapses, do NOT recommit at the original scope. (2) Reduce to micro-commitment level (Micro-commitments must pass three tests): the smallest possible version that passes all three tests (under 15 minutes, worst-day executable, binary-clear). (3) Execute the micro-commitment daily for 2-4 weeks. Each successful day rebuilds a fragment of the identity: "I am someone who shows up." (4) After identity has been restored (you feel "of course I do this" rather than "I'm trying to do this") → expand scope by one increment (Automate each habit link before adding the next — stacking…). (5) Continue graduated expansion until you reach the original scope or a scope that matches your current life — the original scope may not be the right target anymore.