Doing the Same Thing Over and Over

Doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results — this is a symptom of insanity, but not its definition. The symptom comes from a lack of objectivity about oneself and one’s actions. When you see what you’re doing, when you evaluate your actions and their results like a scientist, then by definition you’re rational and not insane. You might not be right. But you’re rational — and reason is self-correcting. An irrational person stubbornly persists in what he’s doing, assuming he can force something to work that cannot. He tries to bypass reason and thought in favor of will. Will and purpose are great and necessary things. But you dare not divorce them from reason, thought and self-awareness. When you do … that’s when you get insanity.