Vehicles
What is a ‘Vehicle?’
In this theory, we use the term “vehicle” in a special way, to describe the use of an action or behavior by an Indirect Motivation to get a person to the Hidden Goal.of Feeling-Good-about-Oneself as a Substitute Sense of Self.
A Vehicle is an action or behavior that is ‘a carrier’ for an Indirectly Motivatedobjective: the Hidden Agenda. It is used to improve the level of perfection of accomplishing an Ego-Reference. We always sense our Ego-Reference actions and behaviors need continuous “improvement” because through them – and depending on the level of perfection in achieving them — the Hidden Agenda is achieved. The Hidden Agenda evolves and develops into aSubstitute Sense of Self.
Vehicles Operate on Two Tracks
We might say that a ‘Vehicle’ works on two levels: open and covert. What shows in the open makes perfect sense to us and to an observer: a specific behavior leading to a specific purpose, which seem to be logical and connected to each other. This might be partially true, but it is not the whole truth of the matter. On the covert level the ‘Vehicle’ is serving to try to realize the Hidden Agenda.
You might say to yourself: “I am hurrying to get to College because I want to be in time, otherwise I miss out on the beginning of class and there might be good information I would miss.” If that were the whole truth, there would be only Direct Motivation and being on time would not be a ‘Vehicle’. OnlyIndirect Motivationuses ‘Vehicles.’
However, if your subconscious could speak, and if you could introspect clearly enough to hear it, it might be saying it has an Indirect Motivation: “I am trying (hard, with all my might) to be on time at College because (real motivation): I finally have to show the teacher, my classmates, myself, that I am able to be on time, (Ego Reference) because if I can’t prove that to them, I won’t be able to Feel-good-about-myself. It feels as if my life depends on being on time…I fear losing my credibility if I am late again; I will lose face, lose approval (which I need to Feel-good-about-myself.”)
The ‘Vehicle’ uses or co-opts the perfectly normal action or behavior of ‘wanting to be on time because it goes without saying that being on time is what every person should want’…or… ‘because I don’t want to be late for class’.
If motivation is indirect, however, then there is a vehicle being used, and the real – usually subconscious – objective of the action is something else. What else? The action is just a covert way of creating an opportunity for getting some ‘feel-good-about-Self’ through the improvement of the Ego-Reference “You are always late. You must be on time always.”
The Ultimate Destination of the Vehicle
Getting that ‘feel-good-about-Self’ accomplishes the Hidden Goal, which is the (internalized) parent’s approval, which over time evolves into a Substitute Sense of Self. The Substitute Sense of Self gives you a (temporary) permission to “be,” to exist, to be alive.
Why don’t we know about Indirect Motivation?
How come the existence of this pathological phenomenon of Indirect Motivation is not common knowledge? Well, because it isn’t visible to the eye of the beholder, and even the person herself is fooling herself by living a continuous lie. The only way to discover Indirect Motivations is by being completely honest with yourself – and there is in fact subconscious motivation to choose to deny your Indirect Motivation which exists to fill your black hole of our unfilled fundamental need for a Sense of your Self.
Examples of Vehicles
Here are some examples of behaviors which can be used as ‘Vehicles’: household- or job-related things; paying a visit to someone; sending a card to someone; helping someone in any way; pursuing a certain education; educating children a certain way; going places; washing your car, cleaning your kitchen, being on time, having a relationship partner, etc.
You’ll find other examples of ‘Vehicles’ discussed throughout this website.
