Thepsychologicalreasonsforthislienearthesurface。Whenwedropabstractionsandtakewhatwecallourwillintheact，weseethatitisaverycomplexfunction。Itinvolvesbothstimulationsandinhibitions；itfollowsgeneralizedhabits；itisescortedbyreflectivecriticisms；anditleavesagoodorabadtasteofitselfbehind，accordingtothemanneroftheperformance。Theresultisthat，quiteapartfromtheimmediatepleasurewhichanysensibleexperiencemaygiveus，ourowngeneralmoralattitudeinprocuringorundergoingtheexperiencebringswithitasecondarysatisfactionordistaste。Somemenandwomen，indeed，therearewhocanliveonsmilesandtheword“yes“forever。Butforothersindeedformost，thisistootepidandrelaxedamoralclimate。Passivehappinessisslackandinsipid，andsoongrowsmawkishandintolerable。Someausterityandwintrynegativity，someroughness，danger，stringency，andeffort，some“no！no！”mustbemixedin，toproducethesenseofanexistencewithcharacterandtextureandpower。Therangeofindividualdifferencesinthisrespectisenormous；butwhateverthemixtureofyesesandnoesmaybe，thepersonisinfalliblyawarewhenhehasstruckitintherightproportionFORHIM。This，hefeels，ismypropervocation，thisistheOPTIMUM，thelaw，thelifeformetolive。HereIfindthedegreeofequilibrium，safety，calm，andleisurewhichI
need，orhereIfindthechallenge，passion，fight，andhardshipwithoutwhichmysoul’senergyexpires。
Everyindividualsoul，inshort，likeeveryindividualmachineororganism，hasitsownbestconditionsofefficiency。Agivenmachinewillrunbestunderacertainsteam-pressure，acertainamperage；anorganismunderacertaindiet，weight，orexercise。
Youseemtodobest，Iheardadoctorsaytoapatient，atabout140millimetersofarterialtension。Anditisjustsowithoursundrysouls：somearehappiestincalmweather；someneedthesenseoftension，ofstrongvolition，tomakethemfeelaliveandwell。Fortheselattersouls，whateverisgainedfromdaytodaymustbepaidforbysacrificeandinhibition，orelseitcomestoocheapandhasnozest。
Nowwhencharactersofthislattersortbecomereligious，theyareapttoturntheedgeoftheirneedofeffortandnegativityagainsttheirnaturalself；andtheasceticlifegetsevolvedasaconsequence。