Play the “Gottman Island” Survival Game.
from The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert by John M. Gottman, Nan Silver
This game is a fun way to discover and talk about how you can be more receptive to each other’s influence.
How to Apply This
-
Each spouse writes down on a separate piece of paper what you consider the 10 most important items from the inventory list of the ship.
Rank these items based on their importance (1 being the most important, 10 being the least important.)
* There are no right or wrong answers. -
Ship’s Inventory:
- Two changes of clothing
- AM-FM radio receiver
- Ten gallons of water
- Pots and pans
- Matches
- Shovel
- Backpack
- Toilet paper
- Two tents
- Two sleeping bags
- Knife
- Small life raft
- Sunscreen
- Cookstove
- Rope
- Two walkie-talkies
- Freeze-dried food for seven days
- A fifth of whiskey
- Flares
- Compass
- Local maps
- Gun with six bullets
- Condoms
- First-aid kit with antibiotic
- Oxygen tanks
-
Share your list with your partner.
Together, come up with a single list of 10 items. This means talking it over and working as a team. Both of you need to be influential in making the final list. -
When you’ve finished, evaluate how you both did.
Why Use Mentorist?
- Track your progress and build lasting habits
- Get personalized reminders to stay on track
- Access hundreds of book summaries with actionable steps
- Transform knowledge into action in just 15 minutes a day
Ready to Take Action?
Download Mentorist to track your progress, get personalized reminders, and turn this insight into a lasting habit.