What Are Meta Programs?
Meta programs are the mental filters and patterns that influence how we take in, organize, and interpret information. They affect our motivations, decision-making, interests, time management, job or relationship duration, effectiveness in tasks, and problem-solving approaches.
How Meta Programs Work
The term “meta” means beyond or about something, so meta programs operate on a higher level, guiding and controlling other mental processes or routines. These programs shape much of what others perceive as our personality. They represent habitual patterns in the way we think and act rather than defining who we are at a core level. Michael Hall describes them as “frames of mind” that govern how we process experiences.
Sorting and Filtering Information
We filter the vast amount of information around us by favoring certain sensory inputs or thought processes. For example, someone who primarily uses visual processing is more likely to notice sights rather than sounds or feelings. These sorting preferences can vary depending on the context — for instance, work versus home — which helps explain why people with similar cognitive styles can still have different reactions and results.
Coding Our Experiences
We also tend to mentally “code” or color our experiences in habitual ways. Imagine viewing life only in black and white instead of vibrant colors—this shift in perception can be a form of meta program. One example is the “association vs. dissociation” pattern, which determines whether we fully engage with memories or keep emotional distance. Flexibility in this area can greatly influence how we see the world.
Meta Programs vs. Strategies
Meta programs influence how we organize and prioritize our experiences, while strategies are the specific sequences of thought or action we use to solve problems. For example, someone’s problem-solving might involve noticing something visually, feeling a sense that something is off, internally commenting on it, then focusing their attention until the issue is resolved. To understand or improve such strategies, we must also consider the meta programs that guide what the person notices and how they search for solutions.
Can Meta Programs Be Changed?
Because meta programs are processes rather than fixed traits, they can be modified. Sometimes these mental filters interfere with success, but with awareness, we can adjust them to improve outcomes.
Common Meta Programs in NLP
Motivation Direction: Toward Pleasure or Away from Pain
People tend to move either toward desired outcomes (pleasure) or away from unwanted situations (pain). This fundamental pattern impacts choices and behavior deeply. Tony Robbins popularized this concept as a core motivational driver.
Action Filters: Levels of Activation and Reflection
- Proactive: Balances acting and reflecting.
- Reactive: Acts quickly, often without much thought.
- Reflective: Prefers to think before acting.
- Inactive: Neither thinks nor acts much.
Source of Motivation: Internal vs. External
Some individuals rely primarily on internal standards for direction and decision-making, while others look outward to external authorities or social cues.
Primary Focus of Interest
People differ in where they focus their attention:
- People: Interested in relationships and social interactions.
- Places: Focused on locations and environments.
- Things: Concerned with objects and possessions.
- Activities: Motivated by actions and doing.
- Information: Driven by knowledge and data.
For example, when recounting a holiday, a person with a “people” focus may emphasize the friends they met, while someone focused on “activities” might describe what they did.
Values as Filters
Values themselves act like meta programs, shaping how we view and prioritize the world. For instance, valuing connection creates a different experience than valuing status or money.
Decision-Making Styles: Options vs. Procedures
- Options-Oriented: Generates many possibilities but may struggle with following strict procedures.
- Procedures-Oriented: Good at following set processes but may get stuck without clear guidelines.
Convincer Strategies: How We Build Belief
People become convinced something is true through different channels:
- Visual (it looks right)
- Auditory (it sounds right)
- Kinesthetic (it feels right)
- Logical (it makes sense)
How long it takes to trust or believe can vary widely from person to person.
Judging vs. Perceiving
Related to Myers-Briggs types, judging types prefer closure and decisions, while perceiving types tend to keep options open and may find making decisions challenging.
Attention Focus: Global vs. Specific
Some prefer seeing the big picture, while others focus on details. Both are useful, but individuals tend to favor one style over the other when processing information.
Relationship Filter: Similarity vs. Difference
This pattern influences how often people want change. Those who prefer sameness like stability, while those oriented toward difference seek variety and change.
Attention Direction: Self vs. Others
This filter affects how much attention we pay to other people’s reactions, body language, or tone of voice. It often correlates with introversion or extroversion.
Work Style: Independent, Proximity, or Cooperative
- Independent: Prefers working alone with control.
- Proximity: Likes being part of a team but with clear personal responsibilities.
- Cooperative: Enjoys working closely with others, sharing tasks and rewards.
Task vs. Relationship Focus
Some people prioritize the task or project itself, while others put relationships and feelings first. Ideally, effective collaboration balances both.
Time Orientation
- In-Time: Focus on living in the present moment.
- Thru-Time: Learning and growing from past experiences.
- Time Filter: People differ in whether they focus mostly on past, present, future, or exist somewhat outside time (atemporal).
Further Reading:
- Figuring Out People: Reading People Using Meta Programs by L. Michael Hall
- Words That Change Minds by Shelle Rose Charvet