Yesterday I was Clever,
So I wanted to change the world.
Today I am wise,
so I am changing myself. ——— Rumi
Process Script is the process of living or life style, which are consistent with overall life plan. Process Script refers to the patterned behaviours and responses which a person uses on a day to day or second by second basis. Berne points out that a person‘s life plan is mostly influenced by her injunctions, while life style is mostly influenced by her drivers. There are 6 script process pattern or scripty life style .
1)Until Process script :People with Until style set certain targets to be completed before enjoying their life. “I can’t have fun until I have finished my work.” “After I retire, I will be able to go for picnic.” “Once the children are grown up, my problems will be over and then I can enjoy“.
Eg : I will submit the presentation and then take have dinner.
Eg: I will work till 60 years of age and then only travel for pleasure.
2) After Process script :People belonging to After style believe that if they enjoy today, they may have to weep tomorrow. They are always anxious about the future, ever expecting some calamity to follow. When they start their vehicle their first thought is about the probability of an accident. When children are late from school or the spouse is late from office, their mind is burdened with the possibility of calamity.
Eg: Don’t laugh too much today or else you will have to cry tomorrow.
Eg:Don’t be too happy with your papers today or else tomorrow’s exam may be tough.
Eg:Don’t celebrate your success today ,you don’t know how long it will last ?
3) Never process script : People with the ‘Never’ script are always running after something they do not have. They moan ” I don’t get whatever I want most” .They cannot enjoy life though they have adequate facilities at their disposal. They never reach their goal. They never finish their tasks. Since they are not satisfied with the present life, they never to experience intimacy or enjoy sex, and never to succeed professionally.
Eg: Life is tough for me, I’m constantly struggling ,as always.
Eg: Nothing is easily available to me, I’ve to struggle for everything.
4)Always Process script : People who belong to the Always script bemoan” My fate is to suffer always.Why do I always get such a negative deal?” “Why does this always happen to me?”. They think living is always working and suffering. They will go from one unsatisfactory relationship, job or locality to another. They follow the pattern, why does this always follow to me ?
Eg: Why do I always get such horrible bosses to report to ?
Eg: Nothing comes to me easily, I’ve to always struggle to achieve anything .
5) Almost Type 1 process script : Such people make “all” efforts to become successful but in the end, something happens and they lose their due share Almost : Almost script says, I almost made it this time. Berne called this pattern “over and over “ as in almost1. Eg. Questions for the exams were very easy, but I could not finish satisfactorily . My job interview with that company was comfortable, but I could not conclude it well. This time I almost reached the top of the promotion list, but. “. “My son had prepared very well for exams, but he fell sick. He listens to all the lectures attentively but does not understand.
Eg: I prepared well for the interview but did not get the job.
Eg: I always plan my work well but some or other mistakes are always there.
6)Almost Type 2 process script : Almost 2,here people feel they have not made it.They cannot remain happy with what they achieve. There are people who go on adding degree after degree to their name. People of this type, are not satisfied on getting promotions, because there are still some higher post above the promoted post. Their achievements do not make them happy.
Eg: Its fine I did my Masters but I will be happy when I complete my Phd.
Eg: Its ok to complete my studies but the real importance is getting a good job.
7)Open ended script :this resembles the until and after scripts in having a particular cut off points after which things change. This may be lived out over and short as well as long term , the time after that point is just one big void. The motto is , once I get to a certain point in time, I won’t know what to do with myself afterwards.
Eg: I just don’t know how to kill my time especially after both my kids have gone abroad.
Eg: Now that I have retired from my job I don’t know how to keep myself busy.
| Primary Driver | Process script |
| Be perfect | until |
| Please others | after |
| Be strong | never |
| Try hard | always |
| Hurry Up | |
| Please others + try hard | Almost type 1(I almost completed it) |
| Please others + be perfect | Almost type 2(never satisfied, move to next target) |
| Please others + be perfect | Open ended |
As a part of the process of TA therapy, clients are often encouraged to return to the childhood scenes in which they arrived at self-limiting decisions. Once there, the clients re-experience the scene and then relive it in fantasy in some new way that allows them to reject their old decisions and create new ones. They then design experiments so that they can practice new behaviour to reinforce their re-decision.
Breaking free from process script patterns:
Establish your main process script patterns .Take adult control to break the pattern.
For until script : Go ahead and have fun even before you have finished the work.
For After script : Go ahead and enjoy today and enjoy tomorrow also.
For Never script : Decide what 5 specific things you can do to attain your want. Then do one of these things each day.
For Always script : realise that you do not have to repeat the same mistakes or persist when things are awful. Leave it and look for something new.
For Almost Type 1:Complete what you do
For Almost Type 2: Recognise each of your own successes as you achieve it.Keep a list of your aims. Every time you achieve something strike it out of your list. Do not start something new before celebrating what you have just achieved.
Suparna's Yugen 