What is the personality profile of the archetypal action hero in terms of the NLP Meta Programs? Phone 07 5562 5718 or send an email to book a free 20 minute telephone or Skype session with Abby Eagle. Do you have the traits of the action hero? NLP Coaching, Hypnotherapy and Meditation. Gold Coast, Robina, Australia. Online NLP Coaching sessions on Skype and by phone also available.

What is the Action Hero Personality Type in Terms of NLP Meta Programs?

Have you got what it takes to be an action hero?

(By Abby Eagle) The Action Hero is street smart, strong, resilient, selfless, caring and reliable. They don't procrastinate - they are go getters and they have the ability to quickly size up a situation and act in such a way that they outsmart their opponents.

The Action Hero is good with timing, details and procedures. If they say they will do something then we can trust them to follow through but they determine how they will do that as they are very much an individual. The Action Hero is not the bad guy - you can't trust the bad guy but you can trust the Action Hero.

In terms of the Wealth Dynamics Profile the Action Hero is probably a Trader. However to really understand the Action Hero we need to look at their NLP Meta Program distinctions.

Intuition/Sensing

We start by doing a comparison between the Intuitor and Sensor. The Intuitor is the creator - they are the eternal optimist - they live in the future - and the last thing they want to deal with is the present reality. On the other hand the Action Hero being a Sensor tends to be more sensory based, that is grounded in physical reality and having a realistic attitude. The Action Hero tends to be present to past oriented so they are more likely to reflect upon what went wrong in the past - which gives them a present problem to deal with.

In each of the examples below we find the same pattern: a big problem which needs to be dealt with immediately. The consequences of not taking action are worse than the consequences of taking action.

We also find many examples of timing. The Action Hero is precise with time. If they say 2.00pm they mean 2.00pm to the second. If they say five minutes they mean exactly five minutes. In the film Parker, Parker drives into a carpark in a stolen vehicle. A moment later a woman drives into the carpark. As she enters the shop he breaks into her car and drives away. In one of the Bourne films, Jason Bourne is simultaneously running away from the Police across roof tops and towards a woman who he needs to protect. With impeccable timing he grabs clothing from a clothes line, wraps it around his hands and jumps over a wall which is impregnated with broken glass. As the viewer we are left breathless but for the Action Hero it is just about following his energy.

[Taken 1 & 2 - The daughter gets kidnapped into sex trafficking. She will be sold within 48 hours and will never be found again. This gives Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) a big problem to deal with and he has to be decisive and take action fast. There is no room for personal issues.

In Taken 2 the father gets kidnapped and now the teenage daughter has to be the Action Hero to save her fathers's life.

[The Sweeney- Bad things are happening on the streets of London and a Police task force headed by Jack Regan (Ray Winstone) take the law into their own hands.]

[Jason Bourne - CIA Black Op, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) wakes up on a boat with total loss of memory. His task is to discover who he is.]

[Traffick Miniseries - The CIA Op Ben Edmonds (Balthazar Getty) takes the law into his own hands not only to stop drug trafficking but also a deadly small pox attack on the USA.]

[Parker - A thief Parker (Jason Statham) with a unique set of values is double crossed and attempts to make things right. ]

Introversion / Extroversion

The Action Hero can be either an introvert or extrovert though I tend to think they favour introversion. The introverted Action Hero is very much a loner, and much better with systems and things than people.

Representational System

Not only does the Action Hero have a well developed kinaesthetic sense but they have a photographic memory. They have the ability to take a snap shot picture of a situation and then examine the picture in their mind in fine detail.

[Taken 1 & 2 - In Taken 2 Brian Mills is held captive somewhere in Istanbul. He calls his teenage daughter from a micro mobile phone that he tucked in his sock for an emergency. He gives her explicit instructions on what action to take - all which requires a well developed visual and auditory representational system.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne in the first film said to the girl, "I can tell you the number plate of every vehicle parked out the front of the cafe and I can tell you which one is most likely to have a weapon stashed in the glove box."]

Sameness/Difference

The Action Hero is probably more likely to sort for difference than sameness. Sometimes we hear the CIA Operative ask the question, "What is not right with this picture?" Sorting for difference is a sign of creativity. It also means they are less likely to be in agrement with others - and by sorting for difference they don't fall into the trap of trusting the wrong person. The only person they can trust with confidence is themselves which is about the internal/external authority sort meta program.

Global/Details

The global/details meta program is associated with intuition/sensing. The Action Hero tends to sort more for details rather than the bigger picture. If they considered their problem in the context of the bigger picture they would probably lose motivation.

Options / Procedures

Options tends to be a function of intuition, reflection, creativity and being open to new ideas and a new plan. Procedures is more a function of sensing, doing, timing, sticking to a plan and completing the project step by step.

At some level the Action Hero needs to keep their options open because the context determines the action. At another level the Action Hero has a project that they need to complete. I sometimes think that the Action Hero has a balance between options and procedures. It is like they are procedurally optional.

[Taken 1 & 2 - The Action Hero Brian Mills phones his daughter and gives her explicit, procedural instructions on the actions that she needs to take to find him. We see her transformed as she discovers her inner power.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne is systematic as he steadily works his way back to the CIA headquarters.]

[Parker - Parker was not happy when his partners in crime changed the conditions on which they robbed a Bank. He wanted to complete the agrement as per the agreed upon conditions. His need for closure motivated him to go to extraordinary lengths to complete the transaction.]

Either or / And

The Action Hero tends to have a more simplistic way of thinking about things than the Intuitor. The Action Hero thinks in terms of black and white rather than shades of gray.

[Taken 1 & 2 - In Taken 1, the Action Hero, Brian Mills is motivated to save the life of his daughter. In pursuit of that outcome he leaves a trail of carnage and wreckage in his path not because he wants to but because he has only one outcome in mind and he is committed to doing absolutely whatever is necessary to achieve that.

[The Sweeney - There are criminals on the streets of London and they need to stopped. Detective Inspector Jack Regan gets the job done but at great cost to property - and in stark contrast to his superiors he does not see any problem with that.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne is decisive. Each scene provides a context in which he has to act quickly in order to stay alive. If he was to sit back and reflect upon the situation and make allowances for those trying to kill him then there would have been no film.]

[Parker - Parker had an agrement. He is not open to renegotiating the contract. There is no room for discussion.]

Away from negative / Towards positive

The Action Hero tends to be away-from motivated. They are attuned to what is wrong or what could go wrong. To perform at their best they need a situation which creates a sense of urgency.

[Taken 1 & 2 - The Action Hero Brian Mills has been kidnapped but having planned for contingencies is able to phone his daughter on a micro mobile phone that he had secreted in his sock.]

[The Sweeney - The reason why the Action Cops enjoy being part of the Sweeney is because it gives them an opportunity to legally do what the Action Hero does.]

[Jason Bourne - In the second episode the CIA decide to track down Jason Bourne and kill him but end up killing his girlfriend instead. This pulls him back into a fight with the CIA.]

[Traffick Miniseries - Part of the reason why the CIA Operative, Ben Edmonds enjoys his job of tracking down drug traffickers in Afghanistan is because he enjoys the Action Hero lifestyle. Back in the suburbs of Seattle, USA he is bored.]

[Parker - Part of the requirement of working for the Police seems to be the ability to sort for what is wrong. For example, have you ever been pulled over by a traffick cop to be congratulated on your driving ability?]

Independent / Team Player / Manager / Follower

Even though he may team up with others like himself the Action Hero is very much an individual and this puts him in conflict with authority. His sense of timing tells him when to take action - the situation dictates the action that he takes - and no one can tell him what to do better than himself. The Action Hero can only do what he does best because he is an individual. He is not a follower. Most often the hero has difficulty with their personal relationships.

[Taken 1 & 2 - Brian Mills works alone. He is separated from his wife and has difficulty in relating with his daughter because he spent so many years away from home.]

[The Sweeney - Even though Detective Inspector Jack Regan manages a team of cops he himself is not a team player.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason works alone.]

[Traffick Miniseries - The CIA agent Ben Edmonds works alone. There are problems in relating to his wife and teenage son, partly because of his secretive lifestyle.]

[Parker - Parker manages a team but is not a team player.]

Authority sort. Internal/External

The Action Hero is very much their own authority and does not like being told what to do. They may be open to what others think but it is them who make the final decision.

Self / Other

The self/other meta program is going to be highly contextualised for the Action Hero. At times they may have attention on self - on taking care of own needs and wants - but often it is on helping others. So we get the focus on other plus a big reason why they need to take care of other and hence the Action Hero puts their own life at risk for another person.

[Taken 1 & 2 - Brian Mills risks his life to save his daughter. In Taken 2 the daughter risks her life to save her father.]

[Traffick Miniseries - Ben Edmonds risks his life and reputation to save the lives of millions of Americans from small pox.]

[Parker - Parker may be a thief but he is a man of his word and he expresses thanks to those who help him. He rewards the couple who saved his life and the woman who helped him steal the jewels.]

Reflection / Action

The Action Hero is not a procrastinator. They reflect upon the 'pros and cons' against a set of values that provide the meaning and hence the motivation to take action. Action requires meaning - if there is no significant meaning associated with a goal there will be no motivation to take action. The reason why the Action Hero, the activist and the revolutionary are motivated to go to such extremes to achieve their outcomes is because they have massive meaning associated with it.

[Taken - Brian Mills loves his daughter. As a CIA agent he has a set of skills which he is willing to use to save her.]

[The Sweeney - DI Jack Regan can see that crime has changed on the streets of London and that urgent action needs to be taken in order to protect the residents.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne has amnesia for his CIA Black Operative training. He wants to discover his past and his identity.]

[Traffick Miniseries - Ben Edmonds learns that terrorists are using a drug trafficking route to deliver barrels of small pox into the USA. He can't discuss it with his fellow CIA agents because he believes that one of them is in league with the terrorists - so he has to initiate action.]

Perceiving/Judging

Perceivers tend to be more open ended whereas judgers need closure. Perceivers are generally happy to go along with what others think and do, while Judgers want others to fit in with them. I would say that the Action Hero is more a judger than perceiver.

[Taken 1 & 2 - In Taken 1, Brian Mills can't rest until he knows in minute detail the itinerary of his daughter's trip to Europe. He wants the structure and he wants her to fit his structure.]

[The Sweeney - It is not enough to just catch one bad guy, Jack Regan and his team have to catch all the bad guys. He wants to do it his way and he wants his superiors to think like him.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne wants to find who is responsible for him being the way that he is. He needs closure.]

[Traffick Miniseries - Ben Edmonds can't just let the rest of the CIA and military do their job in Afghanistan. He needs closure for himself. Even though there is a protocol that the CIA have to follow Ben mismatches and follows his own protocol.]

[Parker - Parker has an agrement (that is a structure) with some thieves to rob a Bank but after the robbery the others renege on the agrement and try to kill him. A Perceiver would cut their losses and let it rest but a Judger will want to complete the original agrement. Parker is motivated by the desire to do just that.]

Modal Operator

The Action Hero is compelled to take action because he has to. He acts out of necessity rather than from the possibilities that life has to offer.

Values - highest intention.

Values are ordered in a hierarchical system at the level of the unconscious mind. In a functional value system each value will support the actualisation of the next higher value. Values direct every decision that we make and give us the reason for taking action. If a value has massive meaning associated with it then it will compel us to take action.

[Taken 1 & 2 - The Action Hero Brian Mills will do whatever it takes to save his daughter from sex trafficking.]

[The Sweeney - A new era of crime has hit the streets of London and it means a lot to the hardened detective Jack Regan to address that issue.]

[Jason Bourne - Jason Bourne wakes up on board a trawling ship with amnesia. He wants to know who he is and who did this to him? In the second episode his girlfriend is killed which propels him once again into the search for truth.]

[Traffick Miniseries - Not only does CIA agent Ben Edmonds want to keep heroin off the streets of USA he wants to stop a deadly small pox attack. He is motivated to save millions of lives]

[Parker - Being a man of your word and keeping an agrement are high values for Parker - so when the other thieves change the agrement and then attempt to kill him he is highly motivated to complete the original agrement.]

Was Gautama the Buddha an Action Hero?

Now let's shift the context and look at another type of hero. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later to become Gautama the Buddha was born an only son. Astrologers predicted that he would either be a great military leader or spiritual leader. Fearing the later the King created three palaces for the prince - one for each season - such that he would never come to see suffering, decay or death. But perhaps this created a foundation which would propel Buddha into the search for truth?

At 29 years of age, on his first excursion from the palace he saw an old man, a sick man and a corpse. He was shocked. He asked his charioteer if this too could happen to him? The charioteer told him yes. Then they came across an ascetic. When the charioteer explained that the ascetic had renounced the world to seek that which was beyond death, Buddha made a decision that he too would renounce the world, and ordered the charioteer to return to the palace. That night he abandoned his wife and unborn son to go on the search for truth.

The king had created a situation such that when Buddha saw death and suffering for the first time he was deeply affected. Buddha did not reflect for long but took immediate action. Even though he loved his wife and unborn child he made the tough decision to abandon them to go on the search for truth. If he stayed to see his son born then he may never leave the palace and make the journey of a lifetime. If he left the palace he would miss his wife and son, and lose his kingdom. As he weighed up the pros and cons - as he compared the away-from and towards - as he reflected upon and compared the meaning of his values - he came to a decision to immediately leave the palace. He did not discuss his decision with anyone else - he was self referential - his own authority - he knew what he wanted to do and was willing to risk everything that he had - and he was willing to do whatever was absolutely necessary in order to discover the ultimate truth - and this was the right moment to take action. There was a doorway of opportunity and he took it.

Buddha brought an intensity and and urgency to the search. For twelve years he practised severe physical austerities that reduced his body almost to a skeleton but it was only by going to great extremes did he learn the middle way. And even that understanding was not enough - it was only when he sat under the Bodhi tree totally exhausted and the quest for enlightenment dropped from his mind did he attain to enlightenment. He had moved from a human doing to a human being.

So was Buddha an Action Hero? At the risk of being condemned by his family and subjects he seized an opportunity and risked everything for the truth - something that had immense significance to him - and something that could have immense importance for humanity.

If you are looking for a NLP Coach feel free to contact Abby Eagle via the contact form on this page.

Copyright © Abby Eagle

×