A mile consists of 1760 yards, a yard is made of 3 feet and one foot includes nearly 12 inches. Likewise, any long action consists of many subactions. Besides no goal can be achieved without a sequence of steps leading to this achievement. This principle is universal for humans, mammals and reptiles. In the simplest case, we make an way to a goal – often subconsciously – consisting of some learned and automated actions. Nevertheless, nearly always we’ve to correct our activities constantly. For example, before going to work we look through the window, think about the weather and choose the clothing according to it. Possibly, we also decide what means of transportation to use. However, given the weather changes in a way that nullifies every means we know to commute to work. Then we find it impossible and decide to stay home. Actually, the goal change mechanism isn’t as simple. Providing we must go to work, but we can’t do it. Thus, the element called helplessness appears. When such unachieved goals accumulate, the helplessness is accompanied by the hopelessness. In general, a person, normal from the point of view of the clinical psychology or psychiatry, experience such attacks of helplessness occasionally. It’s supposed we have to find potential in ourselves either to stop the feeling or to find effective ways to overcome it. However, it happens that helplessness becomes regular and efficiency fails now and again and, what is more, unexpectedly. Thus the elements of stress, a complex phenomenon we’re going to describe later, appear. Right now, let’s talk about coping skills, a phenomenon that is equally important for the theory of social learning together with its other above-mentioned elements.