There has been a lot of talk these days about Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), but what is NLP? And how can it benefit us? Continue reading and find out!
What is NLP?
NLP is a method developed by Richard Blender together with John Grinder, through observation and techniques used by Virginia Satir, Alfred Korzybski, Milton Erickson, Fritz Perls, Gregory Bateson and Noam Chomsk. We can say that NLP is the combination of several areas of knowledge, including psychology, mathematics, neuroscience and language.
A little of history
In the 1970s, Richard Blender studied mathematics at the University of California, Santa Cruz and had a great interest in physics and computing, and it was there that he met John Grinder, a professor of linguistics. But what do mathematics and computing have to do with Psychology?
Well, anyone who is a programmer knows that behind a cute app there is a long list of codes that are the language used to program the software, such as: C++, C#, Java… etc.
The human mind works in a similar way, just like a computer it can be programmed through a language.
We need to understand that just like a computer we are receiving data all the time, we do this through our senses, vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. This synesthetic combination allows us to perceive the world in a unique and individual way, this helps us create our map of reality, but what does this mean?
This means that two people in the same situation will feel, see and hear completely different things, because each person will react according to their own beliefs, values and lived experiences.
Beliefs
NLP talks a lot about beliefs, which are ideas, thoughts and perceptions that we have as absolute truths and that are created throughout our lives based on the way we see ourselves and the world around us. To make this concept easier to understand, we will use programming language as an example.
If a programming code has one character wrong, it can “bug” the functioning of the entire system, the same happens to us in relation to the beliefs we have rooted in our minds.
If a person believes they are fearful, they will follow their programming and act like a fearful person, perhaps even shying away from situations that are good opportunities. This is where Henry Ford’s quote makes perfect sense: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Another point about beliefs is that there are no bad or good beliefs, they are only limiting or enabling, because the same belief in one context can bring a good result and in another a negative result. The results we have in life come from the beliefs we hold in our mind, and they are a powerful KPI (Performance Indicator).
What are the benefits of learning about?
As human beings we are an explosion of sensations, emotions and feelings, NLP comes with the proposal to help manage this set, helping us to have emotional intelligence. Observing “how you do or what you do” allows you to create strategies to achieve a different outcome or improve existing actions, all so that you can deal in the best possible way with the challenges and situations inherent to life, in a light and harmonious way. .
As important as learning to manage our emotions and actions is learning to deal with other people. In any profession and area of our life we are surrounded by people and it is vital that we know how to communicate with them, imposing our perception of the world on others causes conflicts and problems.
Therefore, understanding which lens people see the world through is an important differentiator, including when it comes to keeping teams united and motivated.
What are some of the pillars of NLP?
Rapport: While treating his patients, Milton Erickson realized that feelings are contagious! Rapport is the act of getting in tune with the person we want to connect with. This happens by mirroring the other person’s behavior, tone and speed of voice, posture, making them feel comfortable and understood.
Self-responsibility: You are the main point of the process! Blaming the world, others, your upbringing, your family, the government, won’t get you out of where you are. The only way to change something is to take responsibility for your own life and choices.
Alignment: Your beliefs and goals must be aligned, there is no point in wanting to arrive at a destination and continue following a completely opposite path.
Clarity: You need to have a clear understanding of your desires and objectives, and those of the people you are or want to interact with. Stay focused on what you want, so direct your emotions, thoughts and actions towards your goal. If you are looking to get rid of a problem, your focus should be on finding a solution.
Perception: Reality does not exist because it is linked to your senses, the way you perceive the world, and from there we create our map of reality.
Result: If you are not achieving the desired result, change! Transform! Do it different! It’s simple and often talked about, but unfortunately we often don’t do it, we just insist on doing things the same way.
How to use it in everyday life?
NLP is a very broad subject, there is no easy way to implement it, just like in other fields of knowledge, practice and repetition is necessary, this is because in each situation it is possible to adapt the techniques, in this article we comment only on one of these techniques that is Rapport, but there are many others, such as: anchoring, Metamodel questions, differentiation, monitoring.
In the commercial area, for example, it is possible to use Rapport and Metamodel questions during negotiations, to establish a connection with your client, specify and clarify information in order to better understand their needs. If your goal is to calm a person down, you can establish Rapport with the aim of mirroring your behavior to help the person relax.
The human mind is fantastic, the more we learn about it, the more we are surprised. Many studies have been developed over decades, in the fields of Psychology and Neuroscience, with the purpose of helping us understand this machine and there is still a lot to discover.
In this sense, NLP is another incredible tool that was developed to help people create a successful mindset, and because it has flexible applicability, it has been widely used in different professional segments. Here we talk briefly about the history and some pillars that make it up, in the next article we will talk about how to use NLP to boost your sales.
But tell us, did you already know NLP? Do you already use it in your daily life? Tell us here in the comments!
