The purpose of this article is to highlight one of the oldest and most pervasive plots that exist between men and woman, and to provide a roadmap of what to do to get out of this plot.

When we talk of the plot, we are referring to the story or interrelated sequence of events that exists between two or more people. The nature of a plot is that it takes a minimum of two sides in order to exist. When one side decides to exit the plot and takes the necessary steps to do this - the plot can no longer exist. Therefore, if a plot is existing, then both sides are contributing to it.

A relationship is often a complex web of plots that combine into a major theme. Therefore, if you can identify and resolve the major themes, you can experience a quantum leap in your results and level of intimacy.

In an ideal partnership the man and the woman have equally developed masculine and feminine characteristics and the man utilizes more masculine qualities and the woman utilizes more feminine qualities in their expression with each other.

Problems occur in a partnership when one of the partners has not developed or embraced the characteristics of their gender. This forces their partner to compensate by taking on and expressing the opposite characteristics of their gender.

In other words if a man isnít fully developed in his masculine role, then the woman in the partnership is forced to take on and act out the masculine traits that her partner isn't owning.

On the other hand, when a woman is over-expressing masculine characteristics, then the man is forced to become more effeminate and to under-express their masculine characteristics.

This can show up as a lack of male productivity - resulting in a lower than normal self-worth and a low income. For a man, his self-esteem is directly connected to his sense of productivity.

So if you want to disempower a man, make him feel unproductive. If you want to disempower a woman, make her feel ugly.

The basic masculine and feminine characteristics or qualities are as follows:

To the extent that a person is missing or overdeveloped in any of these qualities, they will draw partners to themselves who play right into their plot!

So the first key to escape this plot is to look at which of the masculine and feminine characteristics you have developed and are able to express - and which are underdeveloped and unexpressed in you.

The second key, is to look at which of the masculine and feminine characteristics your partner has developed and are able to express - and which are underdeveloped and unexpressed in them.

For example, if both partners are overly competitive - then you will have a partnership that is combative, argumentative and constantly challenging. The solution in this example is not for the man to win the competition, or to back down. This will only lead to a lack of productivity. The most effective solution would be for the woman to stop being competitive with the man, and to focus on supporting him to channel his competitive spirit into an appropriate expression that benefits the partnership.

This is not to say that the woman should not be competitive, or that the man should not be supportive of her competitive expression. What we are saying is that in the partnership, they should not compete with each other!

And finally, if a man is getting all his needs met, is productive, expressive and the woman is not getting her needs met, she will either shut down sexually, or become nagging and controlling. A healthy balance of masculine and feminine characteristics in both partners, with each partner expressing the characteristics of their gender - is the only way to develop and sustain a fulfilling, productive and rewarding partnership.