An attempt is made to explain the reasons why some patients who are genuinely motivated, capable of developing transference, and have insight with affect and working through, fail because they are incapable of using action to implement the changes effected by therapy. The author discusses will power, which he considers an ego function, and stresses the need for action before change can take place. Case histories are presented which display difficulties that are interpreted as inhibitions due to pathological self- and object-representations as well as pathological identifications due to impaired mother-child relationship.