What is NLP?
As a certified NLP trainer, I am often asked 'What is NLP?'
The term NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming and was
coined in the early seventies by John Grinder and Richard
Bandler. They began their work by studying: Fritz Perls,
psychotherapist and originator of the Gestalt school of therapy,
Virginia Satir, well-known family therapist and Milton Erickson,
a world-famous hypnotherapist. Their intention was to model
outstanding therapists (i.e. identify patterns) in order that
others could use these patterns to generate similar results. You
may say that NLP is about identifying excellence, and then
devising means for others to use those patterns to achieve
similar results.
And NLP is more than that.
NLP also draws on earlier work, such as Ivan Pavlov's
conditioned reflexes (1904). In NLP this is called anchoring.
You could say that NLP takes theoretical results developed by
others and makes them available to you and me so that we can
improve our lives and well-being.
And NLP is more than that.
NLP had its origins in therapy and is now applied in all areas
of human endeavour - education, health, sports, business, and
the list goes on. For a list of NLP books and audiotapes, please
see www.renewal.ca/books.htm.
And NLP is much more than that.
Let us look at the terms Neuro Linguistic Programming.
Neuro refers to your brain and your neurology. It is about how
you take in information. For example, you can use your eyes to
see something. Other ways to experience an event include: hear,
kinesthetic (tactile touch or emotional feeling), gustatory
(taste) and olfactory (smell).
Linguistic refers to the language -- pictures, sounds, feelings
(kinesthetic), tastes, smells and words -- that you use to
remember a particular experience (or to forecast a future
experience). For example, did you have breakfast this morning?
When you remember having breakfast, can you see a picture in
your mind, can you hear sounds (maybe a radio was on or someone
said something to you), what about tastes and smells, how were
you feeling - happy, tired, excited?
For a future experience, do you see yourself being successful?
Or failing? The pictures, sounds, feelings, tastes, smells and
words that you use to describe future experiences have a bearing
on what actually happens! You do create your own reality!
Programming refers to your habits, patterns, programs,
strategies, etc. If it is a workday, do you follow a particular
pattern, as you get ready for work? Maybe you like to lay in bed
an extra 5 minutes after the alarm goes off. Do you shower right
away or have breakfast first? If you take time to look at what
you do, I am sure that you will see a pattern that you follow in
getting ready for work. If for some reason you do not follow
that pattern, do you find yourself feeling that something is
missing? You have patterns, habits, strategies, programs for
everything you do. Some of these patterns serve you, others do
not - resulting in unwanted outcomes. You maybe fully aware of
some of your patterns. You may become aware of other patterns
only when someone else brings them to your attention. And you
may choose to quickly forget about these patterns because you do
not want to address that part of your life. And there are still
other patterns that you are not aware of at all; yet they
continue to influence how you look after yourself, communicate
with others, etc. If the patterns serve you - generate positive
results in your life - great! If you find that some patterns do
not serve you, would it be useful to discover which patterns
they are and to change them?
Question: Who put your patterns, habits, strategies, programs in
place? You did! So who can change them? You can! First, you must
be aware that you run these patterns. For me, this is one of the
biggest benefits of NLP - become aware of the patterns, habits,
strategies, programs that I have been running unconsciously and
then use NLP techniques to change them so that I achieve the
outcomes that I desire.
And NLP is MUCH more than that!
In subsequent articles, we will explore NLP in more detail,
giving you insights as to how you function, how you communicate
with others and how you can change your life, if you choose.