I believe the answer to your question is that stability is maintained by a balance of pain and pleasure. By analogy, imagine a tower with guy wires only on one

I believe the answer to your question is that stability is maintained by a balance of pain and pleasure. By analogy, imagine a tower with guy wires only on one side. The tower will remain upright only as long as the “right” magnitude of force comes from the “right” direction to balance the force of the wires. But stability is achieved by balanced opposing forces, such that any reasonably expected deviation (in any direction) is countered and stability is maintained.