The mistake most of us make about NLP

We think NLP is something out there, when actually it’s something in here.

OK, the name is unfortunate. It stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming. What sort of mouthful is that? It simply refers to the way we form habits by what we repeatedly do and say, and how we are. That’s it. At bottom, it’s as simple as that.

The interesting bit comes when we understand the structure of this habit-forming behavior and intervene in some way to change it, to overcome an issue or learn something new. That’s where the power lies.

Here’s the thing…

This programming process is going on inside us all the time, whether we’re aware of it or not. We’re unconsciously setting up patterns of behavior day in, day out, sometimes changing old ones (though usually we leave them alone until we realize they’re not helping us any more), and sometimes making new ones. NLP is just a handy set of principles for working with this, a process already going on inside us.

So if NLP didn’t exist as a subject of study, we’d end up discovering it again and calling it something else. The learning process is there anyway, whether we pay attention to it or not.

Sure, a whole industry has built up around training courses, qualifications, accreditations, techniques, jargon and so forth to learn all the milarkey. And that can undoubtedly be off-putting.

But know this…

You’re programming yourself every day whether you know it or not.

You can be aware of that or be unaware—up to you.

I chose the “be aware” choice and I wouldn’t go back. I wouldn’t turn the lights off again.

And if more of us opted to be mindful of our inner programming it would serve the world better. Among other things we’d relate well to other people.

Some of the essentials to do that—without signing up for the industry—are available here.