Neuro-linguistic Programming For Dummies

Neuro-linguistic Programming, or NLP, provides essential building blocks for discovering

how people think and manage their emotional states. This practical Cheat Sheet gives you
some useful NLP checklists to keep handy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Altering Your Mental State with Music

Here are some different ways to think about using the music you play to alter your state of
mind. Perhaps youre stuck in a groove with your listening taste.

Vary the range of CDs you buy Change up your selections, from baroque to folk,
jazz and blues to reggae, and pop and rock to opera.

Change the rhythm Compare predictable rhythms with varied and unfamiliar
ones to encourage your creativity. World music works well for this purpose.

Instrumentation or lyrics? Words can distract; solo instruments tend to

encourage relaxation.

Intuition Trust your own tastes. If you dislike a piece of music, dont struggle with
it. Turn it off its unlikely to make you feel good.

Start the day differently When you feel good in the morning, you get off to a
flying start. Try swapping the confrontational news channel on the radio for inspiring and
uplifting music.

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How to Change a Personal Belief

Learning to change beliefs that no longer support you enables you to transform your life in
all kinds of positive ways. You make the switch by working with the submodalities the
fine sensory qualities of how you see, hear, or feel your experience of the belief.
1.

Think of a limiting belief you currently hold, one that youd like to change.
Perhaps you believe that you have two left feet as regards dancing or that youre not a
good swimmer.

2.

Think of a belief that you used to hold but which, for you, is no longer true.
This belief can be something such as believing in the tooth fairy. Note the submodalities
of your old belief.

3.

Think of something that you believe to be certain.

If you cant think of anything, try the belief that The sun is going to rise tomorrow.
Note the submodalities of this belief.

4.

Think of a belief that youd rather have.

This belief can be the opposite of your limiting belief in point 1, but restated in the
positive: Im a good dancer. Perhaps you want to be better at parking Im good at
parking or want to feel more confident when speaking professionally Im a confident
professional speaker.
Notice the submodalities of the belief youd rather have.

5.

Change the submodalities of your limiting belief Step 1 to those of the

belief that for you is no longer true Step 2.

6.

Change the submodalities of the belief youd rather have Step 4 to those of
the belief of which youre certain Step 3.

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Checking In with Yourself to Stay on Track

In order to keep on track to where you want to get, on a daily basis or longer term, use the
following checklist of questions to ask yourself:

What do I want?

What is that going to do for me?

Whats stopping me?

Whats important to me here?

Whats working well?

What can be better?

What resources are going to support me?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Comparing the Conscious and Unconscious Minds

Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) recognises that your conscious mind and
unconscious mind excel at different things. When you know what each part does best you
can then concentrate your development where it will have most effect. Learning to
meditate is one discipline that harnesses both conscious and unconscious processing.
The Conscious Mind Excels at

The Unconscious Mind Is Better at

Working linearly

Working holistically

Processing sequentially

Intuition

Logic

Creativity

Verbal language

Running your body

Mathematics

Taking care of your emotions

Analysis

Storing memories

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Employing NLP Logical Levels

Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) logical levels are a powerful way to think about
change by breaking it down as a model into different categories of information. As you
begin to think about some change you want to make, you can ask yourself some
questions that relate to the different levels:

Environment refers to the factors that are external opportunities or

constraints. Answers the questions where?, when?, and with whom?

Behaviour is made up of specific actions or reactions within the environment.

Answers the question what?

Capabilities are about the knowledge and skills, the how-tos that guide and give
direction to behaviour. Answer the question how?

Beliefs and values provide the reinforcement motivation and permission to

support or deny your capabilities. Answer the question why?

Identity factors determine your sense of self. Answer the question who?

Purpose goes beyond self-consciousness to relate to the bigger picture about

mission, to ask what for? or for whom?

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Overcoming Fears with the NLP Fast Phobia Cure

The NLP Fast Phobia Cure takes you through the experience of a traumatic situation in a
way that distances you from feeling the normal phobic response. Only do this in an
environment where you feel safe and with someone who can help you to stay grounded.
1.

Identify when you have a phobic response to a stimulus or a traumatic or

unpleasant memory that you want to overcome.

2.

Remember that you were safe before and after the unpleasant experience.

3.

Imagine yourself sitting in the cinema, watching yourself on a small, blackand-white screen.

4.

Now imagine floating out of the you thats sitting in the cinema seat, and into
the projection booth.

5.

You can now see yourself in the projection booth, watching yourself in the
seat, watching the film of you on the screen.

6.

Run the film in black-and-white, on the very tiny screen, starting before you
experienced the memory you want to overcome and running it through until after
the experience when you were safe.

7.

Now freeze the film or turn the screen completely white.

8.

Float out of the projection booth, out of the seat, and into the end of the film.

9.

Run the film backwards very quickly, in a matter of a second or two, in fullcolour, as if youre experiencing the film, right back to the beginning, when you
were safe.

10.
11.

You can repeat steps 8 and 9 until youre comfortable with the experience.

Now go into the future and test an imaginary time when you may have
experienced the phobic response.

The Four Pillars of NLP

Look no further for a summary of Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) in just four key
points. Pay attention to these four chunks of the subject and youll be well on your way to
integrating NLP into the way you go about your daily life.

Rapport: How you build a relationship with others and with yourself.

Sensory awareness: How the world is different when you use all your senses.

Outcome thinking: How to think about what you want.

Behavioural flexibility: How to do something different when what youre currently

doing isnt working.

Sharpening Your Rapport in Seven Quick Ways

Rapport is the foundation of valuable relationships and is key to your success in your
interactions with others. Here are some ways to help you build rapport fast:

Take a genuine interest in getting to know whats important to someone with whom
you want to build rapport. Start to understand that person rather than expecting the
person to understand you first.

Pick up on the key words, favourite phrases, and manner of speaking that someone
uses, and then build these items subtly into your own conversation with that person.

Notice how someone likes to handle information. Does the person like lots of details
or just the big picture? As you speak to the person, feed back information in this same
portion size.

Breathe in unison with the other person.

Look out for someones intention the underlying aim instead of what the person
does or says. People may not always get things right, but expect their heart to lie in the
right place.

Adopt a similar stance to the other person in terms of your body language, gestures,
voice tone, and speed of talking.

Respect someones time, energy, favourite people, and money. Theyre important
resources for that person.

Using the NLP Four-Point Formula for Success

You can apply this neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) formula for success to both longterm and short-term goals. So, whether you simply want to hold a productive meeting or
are planning the holiday of a lifetime, heres the quick way to hit your target.
1.

Know your outcome.

Specifying precisely what you want is vital. You can use the outcome frame to fine-tune
the desired outcome and satisfy the well-formedness conditions.

2.

Take action.
Unless you take that first step, and then the following ones, nothing happens to help you
towards your outcomes, no matter how clearly theyre defined.

3.

Have sensory awareness.

If you have the awareness to see, hear, and feel what isnt working, you can modify your
behaviour to steer you towards your desired outcome.

4.

Have behavioural flexibility.

This point ties in beautifully with the NLP presupposition that In interactions among
people, the person with the most flexibility of behaviour can control the interaction. Or
you can say, If it aint working, do something different.