Logical Levels: Introduction to NLP and Personality Type

Transitioning Past Personality Type

One of the downfalls of being so wrapped up in personality type is a critical, and detrimental attachment to thinking what you have to be. This often takes place of what you are inherently. Personality type theory primarily attaches to a level of awareness that only scratches the surface behind behaviors. Behaviors only point in the direction of how you fundamentally operate and from what place you operate from.

Introduction to Logical Levels

So why do some people never change their behavioral patterns despite all the contrary evidence given to them from others, and more importantly themselves? This is because pain and trauma runs so much more deep within the psyche. There is a particular concept written by Robert Dilts in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) called Logical Levels.

Where challenges begin to occur for most people is when their 5th function (Suggestive) and 6th Function (Activating) fail to provide the needed backbone to counter-balance the Base function; Even more-so, when parts of the Enneagram fail to come into complete integration. These parts can be broken up into a few different “levels.” You can think of this as a pyramid, and the deepest part (Mission / Vision / Spirituality) affects the entire personality (but very unseen). The levels start there and move all the way to manifested behavior or to preferred environments. Often times, these levels derive some behaviors that aren’t necessary conducive to what it is you want – often leading to self-sabotage.

One of the main things that causes self sabotage is when these levels aren’t aligned. Certain parts are in an internal war, or they are fighting against themselves. For example, your behavior may not be what you want it to be.

Think of someone who wants to stop yelling at their kids because they fear that their kids might wind up doing the same thing? Maybe even to their spouse? So this parent may want to desperately change their behavior. It can be super frustrating, because they are unable to make such changes.

It’s the same as going to a motivational seminar and coming back to with all these intentions, but they don’t happen. Why?

There is a serious underlying misalignment between these logical levels or “parts of yourself.” They must be integrated and in complete alignment to restore a focused conviction that drives true behavioral change. At which point, “willpower” becomes a distant memory and commitment becomes reality.

The wisdom of understanding how the integration of these “parts” of your can lead to long-lasting direction of the pursuit of your goals (whatever they may be).

“The truest wisdom is a resolute determination.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

Integration of Critical Parts

Awareness is the first step to complete integration. These critical parts of yourself (Sensory Acuity) yield transformational change that most people never realize. Every personality type struggles with disintegration and misalignment of the logical levels. Self-sabotage begins to come to an end when your “self” gets aligned. Neuro-Linguistic Programming can vastly improve full integration by using specific sub-modalities within representational systems (VAK), states of awareness, and reprocessing (all discussed in future articles) to bring about the unconscious influence (not the unconscious shadow) into aligned action.

Examples of Desires of Personality Types that Can Be Integrated with Logical Levels

Alpha Quadra Dysfunction Logical Level Behavioral Traits

So here are some examples (not always applicable) of where personality types really struggle with disconnected logical levels:

• SEI (ISFp) – Desire to break routine, bringing about more theoretical understanding, the pursuit of taking care of oneself or doing what needs to be done, to add to excitement.
• ESE (ESFj) – Centering one’s idea of self, establishing personal boundaries, being more creative when necessary,
• LII (INTj) – Integrating a sense of being here-and-now; to get out of one’s head; to enjoy life; and to be open and free to express their feelings without concern of being oppressed or muted
• ILE (ENTp) – Bringing about a sense of order from their chaotic lifestyle, finding a sense of comfort in the moment, living life at an easier pace, less scattered pace, have basic needs provided for to enjoy their pursuits

Beta Quadra Dysfunction Logical Level Behavioral Traits

• SLE (ESTp) – Desiring to find meaning and purpose in life, integrating long-term perspective behind their desire for power or competition, to empower and inspire others to contribute to a larger cause that remains mostly out of focus
• LSI (ISTj) – To be able to motivate and inspire, to further realize their own ambitions, to find a place where they can let go of logic and accept that they actually can feel things and are free to express it without consequences
• EIE (ENFj) – To make logical sense of their emotions, to continue to produce at a high-level, to have an even pace in pursuit of their long-term vision, to develop a strong sense of identity (who am I?) along their devotion to an ideological cause.
• IEI (INFp) – To get into action, to teach others meaning and purpose with sound reasoning, to bring their sense of removal into a more grounded physical presence, to not be seen as or feel useless, to teach effectively, help others derive meaning and purpose through understanding

Gamma Quadra Dysfunction Logical Level Behavioral Traits

• LIE (ENTj) – To have someone that sees them for who they are and loves them for who they are, to realize their long-term goals, to experience life in the fullest capacity without having a detrimental self-awareness causing “stupid” physical mistakes or overreactions
• ILI (INTp) – To integrate their long-term rumination into actual, functional practice, to take action, to be loved, to love others with full regard of who they are not how they behave or operate
• SEE (ESFp) – To be oriented around world solutions, to strengthen identity, to find meaning & purpose beyond the daily, to have insight and perspective
• ESI (ISFj) – To be practical problem solvers, to be objective, to fulfill their destiny in an efficient manner, to attain their goals more effectively, to integrate more facts in their decision making, slowing down their impulsive nature

Delta Quadra Dysfunction Logical Level Behavioral Traits

• LSE (ESTj) – To be expansive in one’s creativity, to find new ways of optimizing, to form strong & lasting bonds, to give others good faith and bring out potential, to encourage long-term development.
• SLI (ISTp) – To change their routine, to be have new experiences, to be more creative and see potentials, to be able to see more potential in others,
• IEE (ENFp) – To be organized and more grounded, to feel competent and knowing, to have knowledge of more worldly affairs, to live in the moment, to have a routine, to wind down and relax
• EII (INFj) – To find a sense of comfort, to be more objective about others, to be able to wind down and relax with those they care for, to

These behavioral desires may be in your awareness or not. Some may seem foreign and completely unrelated. That is entirely normal. Some may not even apply to you in particular.

Logical Levels Integrates The Point of Severe Pain

It is common in Socionics theory that people’s primary pain point is the Vulnerable function (4th). The name attributes to this belief. However, most times its purpose seems annoying and irrelevant — so it has a very limited use and preference. It is not valued; therefore it most often does not cause the same amount of pain as the Suggestive Function (5th). The suggestive function is what the psyche (or inner you) craves (although mostly unconscious in people). One can only use the base function for a while before it fails to bring you what you need for complete fulfillment.

The practice of integrating Logical Levels integrates the Suggestive function into all aspects of your life. It creates alignment. This allows it to gather more information in the outer and inner world and introduce it to experience. This fulfills and even enhances the use of the base function by adding its complementary component (the missing piece).

So what can you do? The first step is to begin to understand these different aspects of you ultimately desire. Not just all of you – but the individual parts. Take a moment, breathe, and identify the sections of yourself that have their own needs. How can you serve all these needs without compressing one of the other? Where can you create true alignment within?

For more information on NLP Development & Coaching, visit our NLP page.