Future-Faking (Narcy-Style)
Promises that feel like progress but function as a leash. Narcy paints tomorrow so brightly you’ll ignore today. That’s not hope, that’s narrative control powered by intermittent reinforcement.
A textbook promise sounds like a plan; a future-fake keeps the plan just out of reach, keeping you hanging on with ‘soon, sooner, or later.’
Until the plan fades away… and you’re told you were the reason it failed. Don’t be surprised if somehow you “screwed it up.” That’s the sting of uncountable Future Fakes… it hurts, and worse, you end up hurting for them.
Ohh..Narcy...
Narcy future-fakes because her needs, wants, and concerns always take center stage, leaving your needs, wants, and concerns stuck in her future-fake queue.
Baseline: A real plan has dates, steps, and accountability. It gets smaller as you get closer.
- Shiny Later: “After this busy season, we’ll do counseling.” → The date drifts; the promise doesn’t.
- Milestone Mirage: “Once I get the promotion…” → The milestone moves, or a new one appears.
- Carrot & Stick: Small treats now, big vows “soon.” That’s classic intermittent reinforcement.
- Audience Insurance: Promises are loud in front of others (polishing image) then quiet at home. See Triangulation.
- Textbook Promise: Sounds perfect, lacks follow-through. See Validation (you deserve specifics) and Boundaries.
Tell: If the promise cancels your present needs, but never lands, you’re not in a plan; you’re watching a performance.
How to Spot a Fake Plan (and Ask for a Real One)
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Clarify
“Which day are we starting? What’s first?” (dates + steps)
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Commit
“If we miss the date, we reschedule within 48 hours.” (ownership)
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Confirm
Put it in writing. If it won’t go in writing, it likely won’t go in life.
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Boundary
“If the start date slips again, I’ll pause on [X] until we begin.” See Boundaries.
Hope is healthy. Leashes are not.
Narcy uses promises like a leash (keeping you close but never letting you free).
Always keeping you hanging on with a tray of ‘soon’ cookies.
“Why give you freedom when I can keep you tied up with just one more promise?” — Narcy
Key Takeaway
Real plans materialize as they approach. Future-fakes stay shiny at a distance. If “soon, sooner, or later” keeps you hanging on while today hurts, treat the promise like a tactic, not a timeline.“Hope is a bridge. Future-faking is a treadmill.” — Anonymous Supply