He thought that his mother saw him as a good boy who could be doing a lot more to reach his potential.  He kept telling her that if he were already a good boy, he had then reached his potential.  This made her say that he belittled her with his fancy talk.  His sister thought he used being “good” to stay in small and defensive poses, that he was basically afraid of real life. His father thought he needed the help of professionals to reconnect to the stronger traits in himself that he long ago subverted with make believe.  These professionals took their time, and worked to create an equilibrium and a balance in his life — quite the opposite, he came to realize, to what he most required.  States of disequilibrium and imbalance were his occupational stomping grounds.  What he needed most was stamina — for, as it turned out, though work to do good was understandably difficult, the work to be good was an extreme act.