Franklin argues that desires can multiply once they are repeatedly indulged. Refusing an initial unnecessary want may require some self-control, but satisfying it can create expectations for further gratification. What begins as a single impulse may therefore develop into a continuing pattern in which each fulfilled desire is followed by another.

The saying does not suggest that all desires should be suppressed or that enjoyment is inherently harmful. Its broader point concerns desires that are unnecessary, excessive or difficult to sustain. Early restraint can be simpler than trying to satisfy an expanding series of wants, whether they involve spending, consumption or other forms of gratification. Franklin therefore presents self-control as a way of limiting escalation: managing the first impulse may prevent a person from becoming dependent on continually meeting new appetites.