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I need help interpreting a "Four Throughlines Themes" report that says:

However, only if MC continues to believe that his own deficiency of Inertia is not really causing all the problems but is just the work he must do to resolve the problems will he be able to set things right. The question is, will he be able to hold on to his resolve long enough?

Any clue what that means? I thought that in a Steadfast character, the problem was always external to the character, in the character's environment. That's one thing that confuses me, because this MC is a Steadfast Start character, and I would have thought that the Problem would be a deficiency in the Inertia of the environment, against which the MC holds out.

Another thing that confuses me is the "is not really causing all the problems but is just the work he must to do resolve the problems" language. What does that mean? Does that mean that the MC has to keep focused on the Symptom and the Response?

Does that mean that the MC has to keep focused on the Symptom and the Response?

Yes, that's exactly what it means.

I thought that in a Steadfast character, the problem was always external to the character, in the character's environment.

It is, but that doesn't mean it appears that way to the MC. As a Steadfast character in a Start story, the MC will hold out for something (generally positive) to begin. The lack of inertia (waiting for things to go back to the way they were, perhaps) is seen as external by the MC, not internal. Their "problem" element will be seen by us (author and audience) as the source of their drive, not so much as a "problem." This is only true for Steadfast characters.

If your asked the MC what his or her problem is, he/she would respond that it is the MC Symptom that is the source of personal conflict, not the MC Problem.