The Stories Behind Our Life Scripts: The Myths Eric Berne Used to Explain Why We Do What We Do

Have you ever felt stuck in a loop, always making the same mistake? Or maybe you put off your happiness, telling yourself you'll relax "one day"? According to psychiatrist Eric Berne, many of us are living out invisible life stories, or "scripts." To explain these patterns, he used timeless myths. These stories aren't just ancient tales—they're mirrors reflecting our own lives.

Let's explore the six myths that reveal the hidden scripts we follow.

1. The Open-Ended Script: The Story of Philemon and Baucis

The Script: "What now?" This person lives a full and purposeful life until a certain point the kids leave home, they retire, a big project ends and then they feel lost, with no script for the next act.

The Myth: Philemon and BaucisIn a small, poor cottage lived an old couple, Philemon and Baucis. They had very little, but their hearts were full of love for each other and kindness for strangers.

One night, two tired travelers came to their village, seeking shelter. They went from door to door, but all the rich neighbors turned them away. Finally, they came to the humble cottage of Philemon and Baucis. Despite their poverty, the old couple welcomed the strangers in. They stoked the fire, laid out their best food and wine, and even offered the travelers their own bed.

As they shared their meager meal, the old couple noticed a miracle: the wine jug never emptied. Realizing their guests were gods in disguise, Philemon and Baucis were humbled. The gods revealed that because of the couple's kindness, they would be spared from a flood that would punish the selfish village.

The gods led them to a hilltop and asked them what they desired as a reward. After a quiet moment, Philemon spoke: "We have spent our long lives together in happiness. We have only one wish left: that when the time comes, we may die together, so neither has to live without the other."

The gods granted their wish. The couple lived out many more years as caretakers of a beautiful temple. When they were truly old and frail, they stood before the temple, said a loving goodbye, and were transformed Philemon into a great oak tree and Baucis into a graceful linden tree, their branches entwined for eternity.

The Lesson: This myth shows a life with a graceful, complete, and loving ending. Berne used it to highlight the opposite of the "Open-Ended" script. For those with this script, their story lacks this kind of peaceful resolution, leaving them feeling purposeless and adrift when one chapter of their life concludes.

2. The "After" Script: The Story of Damocles

The Script: "Enjoy now, pay later." This person feels a constant sense of dread that hangs over any moment of happiness. They believe that any joy will be followed by punishment or things falling apart.

The Myth: The Sword of DamoclesDamocles was a courtier who constantly flattered his king, Dionysius, telling him how lucky he was to have such power and wealth. Tired of this, the king decided to give Damocles a taste of this "luck."

He offered Damocles the throne for a single day. Damocles eagerly accepted. He dressed in fine robes, feasted on the most delicious foods, and was entertained by servants. For a moment, he felt like the happiest man alive.

Then, the king told him to look up. Hanging directly above his head, point-down, was a massive sword, suspended from the ceiling by a single hair from a horse's tail.

In that instant, the color drained from Damocles's face. The fine food tasted like ash in his mouth. He could no longer enjoy any of the luxuries around him. All he could think about was that thin hair snapping and the sword falling. He spent the rest of the day frozen in fear, begging the king to let him leave the throne.

The Lesson: The sword represents the looming punishment that ruins all present joy. For someone with an "After" script, every success, every happy moment, has an invisible "sword" hanging over it—the anxiety that something bad must be coming next.

3. The "Never" Script: The Story of Cinderella

The Script: "I will never get what I want." This person feels destined to be on the outside looking in, forbidden from achieving their deepest desires, whether it's love, success, or belonging.

The Myth: CinderellaCinderella was a kind and gentle girl, but after her father died, she was forced to live as a servant to her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. They gave her rags to wear, forced her to sleep in the cinders by the fireplace, and mocked her dreams.

When the palace announced a grand ball where the prince would choose a bride, Cinderella dared to hope. But her stepmother laid down the law: she could only go if she finished all her work and if she had a suitable dress. Of course, the work was made impossible, and her hopes were crushed. The message was clear: "You will never go to the ball. You are not good enough."

Thanks to a little magic, Cinderella does get her moment at the ball. But in the daily reality of someone living a "Never" script, the fairy godmother never arrives. The script is defined by the prohibition and the longing, not the magical rescue.

The Lesson: The core of the "Never" script is the internalized voice of the "stepmother"—the belief that we are fundamentally the kind of person who does not get to have what we truly want.

4. The "Always" Script: The Story of Prometheus

The Script: "Here we go again." This person finds themselves trapped in a repetitive cycle, always facing the same kind of problem, the same kind of failed relationship, or the same kind of disappointment.

The Myth: The Torment of PrometheusPrometheus was a Titan who defied the mighty god Zeus by stealing fire from Mount Olympus and giving it to humanity. This gift allowed humans to develop civilization, knowledge, and art.

But Zeus was furious. As punishment, he had Prometheus chained naked to a rock high in the mountains. Each day, a giant eagle—the emblem of Zeus—would fly down, tear open Prometheus's belly, and devour his liver. Each night, as Prometheus lay in agony, his liver would grow back, making his body whole again.

But this was not a mercy. It was the crux of the torture. The next day, the eagle would return, and the horrific process would repeat itself. Day after day, year after year, Prometheus was trapped in this endless cycle of pain and regeneration.

The Lesson: The "Always" script feels exactly like this. The person isn't just facing a one-time hardship; they are chained to a rock of their own making, doomed to watch the same "eagle" of their problems return to cause the same pain, over and over again.

5. The "Until" Script: The Story of Sleeping Beauty

The Script: "I can't have fun yet." This person postpones all happiness and relaxation until some condition is met. The work is never done, so the reward never comes.

The Myth: Sleeping BeautyAt her christening, a princess was cursed by a vengeful fairy: on her 16th birthday, she would prick her finger on a spindle and die. Another fairy softened the curse: she would not die, but fall into a deep sleep until she is awakened by true love's kiss.

On her 16th birthday, the curse came true. The princess pricked her finger and fell into a deep sleep. But the sleep didn't just affect her. A magical, thorny forest grew around the castle, and every living thing inside—the king, the queen, the cooks, the servants, even the fires and the dogs—fell asleep, frozen in time.

The entire kingdom was put on hold. Life, growth, and time itself stopped. Nothing could progress, and no one could live their lives until the specific condition was met: the prince fighting his way through the thorns and breaking the spell with a kiss.

The Lesson: Someone with an "Until" script is like the entire sleeping castle. They put their life, joy, and passions on hold, waiting for a magical "something" to happen before they can finally start living.

6. The "Almost" Script: The Story of Sisyphus

The Script: "I almost made it." This person works hard and comes tantalizingly close to success, but at the very last moment, something always happens to snatch victory away.

The Myth: The Punishment of SisyphusSisyphus was a cunning king who cheated death not once, but twice. For his arrogance, the gods devised a special punishment for him in the Underworld.

His task was to push a gigantic, heavy boulder up a steep, tall hill. It was back-breaking, exhausting labor. He would strain and sweat, pushing with all his might, inching the boulder higher and higher.

Just as he got the boulder almost to the very top—just as success was within his grasp—it would slip from his hands. With a great rumble, it would roll all the way back down to the bottom of the hill.

His punishment was eternal. He would have to trudge back down, and start the futile task all over again, forever. He was forever the "almost" man, never allowed to complete his goal.

The Lesson: The "Almost" script is a life of Sisyphean effort. The person is defined by the struggle and the near-miss, not by achievement. The payoff isn't success; it's the drama of coming so close and the self-pity that follows when it falls apart.