We may also have to contend with inertia. An anxious, self-protective ego is most comfortable in a familiar role in which it knows exactly what’s expected of it. This attachment, in the face of changing conditions or new demands, leads the ego to hold on to one model of identity unless it has another equally comfortable one to slip into. It’s reluctant to grow, which means opening to the ambiguity of the unknown and learning new roles. This clinging can hold us back from even the simplest actions.
