Subjective Hardship & Internal Tolerance Framework
2026-02-18
The Subjective Hardship and Internal Tolerance (SHIT) Framework is a decidedly unserious tool for the very serious business of personal well-being
The S.H.I.T. Framework
“The shit-barometer’s goin’ crazy, Randy.” Jim Lahey
Traditional wellness journals can feel a bit - earnest. They ask you to track gratitude and happiness, which is great, but sometimes you’re just having a rough day and need a way to acknowledge it without feeling like you’ve failed at being positive.
This framework flips the script. Instead of chasing a perfect “10” on the “happiness” scale, it helps you manage the inevitable “shit” that life throws your way, making the process of self-reflection more approachable, relatable, and genuinely fun.
The S.H.I.T. Framework is a deliberate, comedic inversion of well-established psychological frameworks that measure subjective well-being. It recognizes that hardship is a universal human experience, so why not give it a name and track it with a sense of humor?
The goal isn’t to eliminate hardship—that’s impossible. The goal is to understand your relationship with it. By tracking the two simple metrics below, you can start to see patterns in your stress, build resilience, and learn what you need to do to feel more in control, even when you’re in the middle of a shitstorm.
The Metrics
“We’re in the eye of a shit-icane.” Jim Lahey
Subjective Hardship (SH) - Score (1-10)
This is your personal assessment of the total “shit show” you’re currently dealing with. It includes everything—work stress, personal issues, that thing your cat did, the weird noise your car is making. It’s a gut-check metric.
- 1: A beautiful, frictionless day. Barely a whiff of shit in the air.
- 5: A standard level of manageable, everyday bullshit.
- 10: A full-blown, category-five shit-icane.
Internal Tolerance (IT) - Score (1-10)
This is the crucial second metric. It’s not about the hardship itself, but your internal capacity to tolerate it at that moment. How are you coping?
- 1: Your reserves are empty. You’re one minor inconvenience away from crying shitwolf.
- 5: You’re handling it. You have coping mechanisms and they’re working.
- 10: You are an unshakable pillar of Zen-like calm. The shit can’t touch you.
S.H.I.T. Matrix
“You feel that? The way the shit clings to the air? It’s already started - The shit blizzard.” Jim Lahey
High Subjective Hardship (SH)
You are dealing with a lot.
| Absolute Shit Show (High SH / Low IT) | The Stoic Zone (High SH / High IT) |
|---|---|
| Your life is shit and you can’t handle it. You are overwhelmed, and your capacity to cope is low. This is the burnout zone where action is needed. | Your life is shit but you don’t care. You are resilient and enduring significant hardship without breaking. A noble, but potentially draining state. |
Low Subjective Hardship (SH)
Things are relatively calm and manageable.
| The Low BS Zone (Low SH / Low IT) | The Comfort Zone (Low SH / High IT) |
|---|---|
| You are extremely happy, but also easily pissed off. With low tolerance, even minor bullshit is unacceptable and provokes a strong reaction. | You are extremely happy and nothing phases you. With high tolerance, you have the inner calm and resilience to handle minor issues without breaking your stride. |
Your Personal SHIT Log Template
“We’re sailing into a shit-typhoon, Randy, so we’d better haul in the jib before it gets covered in shit.” Jim Lahey
Example Log:
| Date | SH (1-10) | IT (1-10) | What’s the shit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25/09/22 | 8 | 3 | Surprise deadline. Dishwasher broke. Overwhelmed. |
| 25/09/23 | 6 | 7 | Still busy. Good night’s sleep. I feel resilient. |
| 25/09/24 | 3 | 8 | Quiet day. Tackled some small tasks. |
Blank Template:
| Date | SH (1-10) | IT (1-10) | What’s the shit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . |