What is NLP?

 

Everything you do, you have a way of doing it ... a method you follow, a way of thinking about it. Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP is a way of discovering and changing the way you (N) feel, (L) think and (P) behave in your life.

 

NLP was created in the 1970's when Richard Bandler and John Grinder began 'modelling' the success patterns of those who excelled and how they achieved the results they did. The principles they discovered became the basis of NLP.

Since then NLP has continued to develop and today it provides many simple powerful methods for changing the way you think, feel and behave. These principles are being used to achieve success in teaching, counselling, business, health care, sports and personal development.

 

NLP is both art and science and has been described as an attitude and a methodology that leaves behind a trail of techniques. First, the attitude of NLP is one of curiosity and experimentation. Next, the methodology is modelling, which is the process of duplicating excellent behaviour. Another person's behaviour can be duplicated by studying what that person does inside their head (language, filters, programs, etc.) and with their physiology (actions and behaviours) to produce results. NLP was initially created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, who began modelling and duplicating the "magical results" of a few top communicators and therapists. And finally, the trail of techniques created through this type of modelling is what is commonly known as NLP.

 

Today, NLP is widely used in business to improve management, sales, achievement, performance, and inter-personal skills. In education it can be used to better understand learning styles, develop rapport with students and parents and to aid in motivation. NLP can be used in many other professions and of course, it is a profound set of tools for personal development.