Metaprograms are mental structures that determine the way in which we capture and process information, which is why they end up conditioning our decisions and behaviors. Basically, they filter what we pay attention to among all the stimuli we are constantly exposed to and function as “thought habits” to process that information.
For example, if we follow an equalizing metaprogram, we will have a tendency to focus on the common points of situations, while a person with a differentiating metaprogram will focus fundamentally on the dissimilar aspects. If we have a reactive metaprogram, we will be prone to putting off solutions until the last minute, but if we follow a proactive program, we will be more planners and anticipate problems. The good news is that cognitive metaprogramming allows us to change those attention filters and thinking habits.
Cognitive Metaprogramming
In the past, metaprograms were thought to be immutable formations. Today it is known that they can be changed. In fact, Cognitive Metaprogramming is precisely in charge of facilitating this transformation, making sure that there are no higher-level patterns that interfere with the change, or that operate to revert it to its previous state.
How to change a metaprogram in 7 steps?
1. Identify the metaprogram to change. It is important to specify the type of thinking that is not working and creates more problems than it solves. We can describe in which situations it is activated, with which people or in which places. It is also important to be aware of why you are not being adaptive.
2. Know the metaprogram we prefer. In this step we try to identify the metaprogram that we want to activate. It is essential to know it in depth and understand its impact on our perceptions, knowledge and decisions. Understanding how that metaprogram will influence our lives will give us additional motivation to apply it.
3. Try the new metaprogram. We can physically change our location to another part of the room and imagine adopting the new metaprogram. That simple physical change will help us detach from the old metaprogram. So we should only use it to perceive, classify, attend, think or feel the things around us. The key is to observe how we feel, what thoughts go through our minds or how things look. The idea is to begin to familiarize ourselves with that metaprogram, accepting the discomfort that in some cases it may bring. We can also practice in imagination using this metaprogram in as many contexts and future scenarios as we can think of, until we feel more comfortable.
4. Ecological check. At this point we must leave the “test zone” and move to a new location where we adopt the perspective of an outside observer who will assess the experience from a distance. This is the time to ask ourselves how much tension or anxiety it caused us. How much effort did it cost us? What benefits could it bring to our life? What kind of person would it help us become?
5. Ecological control. At this point we must return to where we were initially, look within and ask ourselves: does a part of me have any objection to this change or prefer to do it another way? It is important that we pay attention to our thoughts and emotions. If any objection comes up, we simply need to acknowledge it, write it down, and move on.
6. Address conflicts and objections. If we do not pay attention to the conflicts that a metaprogram change generates and ignore the objections, the chances of returning to our old mental habits are high. We must ask ourselves: what secondary gains are important to preserve? How will we preserve them? In fact, generally it is not a question of completely changing a metaprogram, but of extending it to include other ways of functioning. In this step we must reformulate and redefine our objectives and it is essential not to proceed until we have the green light.
7. Install the new metaprogram. It is not necessary that we make a radical change, it is about applying the new metaprogram during a specific period of time, which can be from several hours a day to a week. It is a trial period in the real world to check the functioning of that metaprogram and decide if we want to strengthen it.
In general, we must bear in mind that metaprograms are well-established mental habits that are influenced by our hierarchy of values, limiting beliefs, stereotypes, and internal conflicts, so change is not always linear but is marked by ups and downs.
However, we have the ability to reorganize ourselves to protect ourselves from unwanted changes and apply transformations that can improve our lives. It is convenient to take notes, walk away from the process for a while to return to it and make the necessary changes. Taking our time will ensure that cognitive metaprogramming transformations are more effective in the long run.
