[Neurons] 2016 "Neurons" #13 Attitude as a Meta-State

[meta at acsol.net]

L. Michael Hall
Meta Reflections #8
February 22, 2016 
Meta-States “Genius” Series (APG) #13

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    AN ATTITUDE IS A META-STATE


Here is something that everyone has heard and that most
people fully agree with— Attitude is everything.  Do you
believe that?  Most of us know that in just about any and
every situation, a person’s attitude makes a tremendous
difference.  Success and failure often hinge on attitude. 
Resilience and defeat often teeter on attitude.  Close
bonding with a loved one and/or bitter resentment can even
turn on an attitude.  We also know that sometimes a person
will adopt a horrendous attitude about something and that
attitude will consume them, make them sick, undermine their
immune system.
    “He has copped an attitude about authority; I can’t
even stand to be around him.”
    “She’d be great in that position in terms of her
skills, but her whiny attitude makes her obnoxious.”

This is true for just about everything in human experience,
isn’t it?  Take learning as a prototype.  Attitude governs
not only the quality of your learning but also your ability
to learn.  To undermine your learning, to prevent yourself
from effectively learning—all you need is a “stickin’
attitude.”  Hate learning, despise the person teaching,
think others are getting special treatment, imagine the
presenter has a “thing” against you, and so on—and you
can go through the learning experience and yet learn
nothing.  The attitude can completely nullify the learning. 
Amazing, wouldn’t you say?

So, how is your attitude?  Take anything and step back and
ask yourself, “What is my attitude about this?”  Or
perhaps do this: Talk to someone about that subject and
invite them to ask you repeatedly, “What is your attitude
about X?”
∙    What’s your attitude about problems,
difficulties
, mistakes?
∙    What’s your attitude about business?  Money? 
Charging?  Asking for business?
∙    What’s your attitude about selling? 
Influencing
others?  Trying to win someone’s or a group’s mind about
your project?
∙    What’s your attitude about exercise?  Sweating?
Eating healthy foods?

Now for the connection between attitude and meta-states. 
Every attitude is a meta-state!  That is, whenever you
consider an attitude, you are actually working with a
meta-state.  And if it is a meta-state, then knowing the
structure of a meta-state means that you can do something
about it.

Analyze the Attitude 
Begin with the subject or theme of the attitude.  Complete
this sentence stem: “It is an attitude about ___.”  This
will enable you to specify the primary state.  For example:
It is about work.  It is about saving money.  It is about
being frugal.  It is about following a schedule.  Now you
have your primary state, so describe it in sensory-based
terms (see, hear, feel terms).

Next, now that you have a primary state description, explore
the meta-state frames that you or another person has about
it.  “What do you think or feel about X (the primary
state)?”  “What images, meanings, awarenesses, etc. come
to mind when X is mentioned?”  Ask these questions
repeatedly so that you get the frames that are in the back
of your mind about it.

Once you have that, repeat the meta-frame elicitation. 
“Let’s say Y comes to mind.  Let’s say that idea or
feeling is true for you, if that’s true for you, what do
you think, believe, understand, etc. about that?”  This
holds the first frame and enables you to get the next level
frame.  With this you now have a structural description of
the attitude.  You now can see how your attitude is
constructed and held together.

Quality Control the Attitude
Does that attitude enhance your life?  Does it empower you
as a person?  Does it set in motion the consequences that
you want?  Is this your highest spiritual pathway?  Does it
reflect your highest values?

Built up a New Enhancing Attitude 
What attitude would you like to have?  First identify the
context and subject and ground in sensory-description the
primary state where that attitude would be required.  Then
asnwer the meta-frame elicitation questions: “What do you
need to think, feel, believe, understand, decide, etc. about
that which would create the desired attitude?”

If you want a robust attitude of determination so you
courageously and persistently stick with something, where
and when do you want that?  And what do you need to think
and feel so that you have that attitude?  If you want a
resilient attitude of always bouncing back when you
experience a set-back, what do you need to perceive,
understand, etc.? 
    
Knowing meta-states and the structure of meta-states, it is
now possible for you to design-engineer the attitude that
you want and need.  You can now create the right frame of
mind for any given context that you have to face.  You can
also now interview people you admire who have an attitude
that you’d like to have.  That is, you can now model their
“attitude” precisely because you know what comprises an
attitude.  Do you want an attitude of collaboration?  Of
abundance?  Of equality with people?  With a
servant-leadership?  All of that is now possible.  It is
available to you through using the Meta-States Model.