Landmark vs Gollwitzer

A huge part of integrity that is barely glossed by Landmark is future planning.

I can see it:

Leader: What are you going to do?

Student: I’ll have to restore integrity with my mom and …

Leader: No! You need to stop wasting time here and get thyself to your desk. Write that damn book. Stop coming here and feeling good about enrolling us into your having gotten your goal. Gollwitzer has shown that for normal, social-loving humans, that’s dangerous. The organism will feel accomplishment and stop striving. What gives me that idea? The fact that you feel good when you do enroll others into you having gotten something. Beware.

Student: What!? But this is also my friend community. I mean, we help each other like real friends. We encourage each other. I’m happy here. It’s like a have a bunch of friends for three hours. My friend-life is kinda crappy, so this is a huge boon.

If you are lonely, it will be hard to leave Landmark.

So you stay there and enroll your “friends” into your having gotten something you don't have.

What Tech is this?

Oh friend! Feel loved and believe that you are the possibility of writing that book! And I acknowledge you for being that possibility, for being that non-completion and absence from your daily routine and lack of implementation intentions.

This is poison to Right Motivation.

But isn’t this good?

Leader: Oh friend! Feel loved and believe that you are the possibility of writing that book! And I acknowledge you for being that possibility, for being not taking any actual steps.

Student: I haven’t taken any damn steps.

Leader: Well, are you committed to that goal? What’s your real commitment here?

Student: To my comfort.

Leader: Thank you. Yes, that’s your true commitment. Now what do you need to do to write your book?

Student: I need to just do it. I need to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Leader: Give me the actual steps.

Student: [Blah blah blah …]

Leader: Good. Everyone? Did you hear what Student said? She’s going to to X, Y, and Z by … When was it? Oh yeah, by 8 AM Monday morning, before work. You heard her, right? OK Student, we’re holding you accountable. You have my number. If you don’t, Jarleen will give it to you in the back there as we walk out after our final completion exercise and I believe Janelle is wanting to talk to you about the Wisdom Course. Get my number then and call me. If you don’t, I’m going to call you.

Student: Thank you.

Is it good? Now you’ve got even more friendship, and if you fail the attention and concern—good feelings—will increase.

Truly our greatest nemesis.

The most powerful proxy: the attributes that are other-affirmed and agreed upon.

If they give you that love, you will feel satisfied, and your goal achievement will suffer.