Normal behaviour is rarely appropriate. How could it be! Because normal behaviour is dictated automatically – you don’t have to give it any thought, you just react – by your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is maasterful at creating your reactions – it is this ability that has got the human race to the pinnacle of success! But, as I said, normal behaviour is rarely appropriate – because that same subconscious mind is constantly focused in the past – your childhood years

How could it be appropriate when you understand that the normal person is permanently in this automatic reactive mode? It’s simply the way we are. If you’re having a good day, your behaviour may be mildly effective – that’s compared to how effective you could really and truly be had you taken the trouble to pay attention and act, rather than react. But even at that, normal people only have good days now and again.

Our problem is that we tend to confuse our behaviour with who we are – a fatal mistake that leads us into recrimination, guilt, frustration, anxiety and even more inappropriate behaviour. You are not your behaviour. How could you be? Your behaviour is dictated by your personality – all the bits and pieces of ‘stored knowledge’ in your subconscious mind.

So here’s the deal. You’re only able to take really appropriate action (as distinct from normal reaction) by deliberately side-stepping your ego or personality – this is the essence of personal development (as distinct from personality development). However, you cannot do that until you realize that all inappropriate action comes from your illusionary personality. What’s done is done – if your reactions have done damage, go and sort the damage out.