N Neuro refers to the nervous system, meaning how the brain influences people’s thinking processes through the nervous system.
L Linguistic refers to language, which includes both verbal and non-verbal communication, indicating how people’s language and non-verbal cues influence the process from sensory signal input to meaning construction.
P Programming refers to a set of specific instructions to produce a certain outcome. It relates to our habitual thinking and behavior, similar to programs in a computer, which can change through software updates. The learning process is about enhancing our software to improve personal programming.
NLP is directly translated as “Neuro-Linguistic Programming“, a term that often leaves a complex, rigid, and profound impression. In fact, NLP is a vibrant, lively, interesting, and practical application of psychology, hence it is also translated as “Mind-Body Language Programming“.
NLP is a study about “people”, focusing on the research of human thinking, language, and behavioral patterns, as well as how the brain works, thus it is also referred to as the “manual for using the brain”. In short, NLP begins by decoding the language and thinking patterns of successful individuals, discovering the underlying rules of human thought, emotion, and behavior, and summarizing them into a replicable and imitable program. NLP studies the “process and methods of success” (also known as “modeling excellence”).
Language is the carrier of thought. NLP revolutionarily elevates the study of consciousness and the subconscious to a new height, and importantly, it is not merely a theoretical framework for scholars to discuss but a methodology applicable to various aspects of real life. It is hailed as the most integrative, powerful, and promising application of modern psychology. Some say NLP is a study of success, but a correct interpretation is that success studies are just the tip of the iceberg; there is a deeper foundation in neuroscience and psychology behind it.
NLP is widely applied in various fields such as psychological counseling and therapy, corporate management, etc., revolutionarily bringing the study of consciousness and the subconscious to a new level. The source of all power lies in the inner world; thoughts determine all outcomes. NLP harmonizes body and mind, allowing us to have enough energy to tackle life’s challenges, break through our limitations, and elevate life to a broader space.
The Colorado government in the US once provided an apt definition:
NLP is a detailed and actionable model of human behavior and communication processes.
Therefore, NLP is hailed as:
NLP: The DNA of Human Wisdom!
NLP: A discipline that thoroughly decodes the communication code of humanity!
NLP: A revolutionary discipline, the manual for the human brain!
NLP: A knowledge that everyone who is alive should master!
NLP: The fastest, most extraordinary, and most effective discipline in discovering personal potential!
NLP: A discipline that helps you earn more easily and achieve time and financial freedom!
NLP: A discipline that allows you and your family to achieve harmony, happiness, success, and joy for a lifetime! NLP: A discipline that makes communication, management, sales, and training more effective, making life easier for business owners!
Richard Bandler and John Grinder from the University of California, USA, are the founders of NLP.
In the 1970s, dissatisfied with the lengthy and inconsistent treatment processes of traditional psychology, they were curious to understand what successful people had that ordinary people did not, and why there were extraordinarily effective therapists in clinical psychology. How did they achieve excellence? The two deeply studied four psychological giants in the field of American psychotherapy:
The founder of Gestalt Therapy, Fritz Perls;
The family therapy master, Virginia Satir;
The founder of the Ericksonian hypnosis school, Milton Erickson;
The communication master, Gregory Bateson.
They analyzed and decoded the language, behavior, and thought patterns of these four masters. After more than three years of experimental practice at the University of California, they finally identified the success factors, integrating the strengths of each, and thus created a set of operable skills named Neuro Linguistic Programming, NLP was born. Thus, the four sources of NLP are: Gestalt, Satir, hypnosis, and communication. It can be seen that NLP has an inherent blood relationship with clinical psychology; although it is not a set of psychological therapy, its significant effects in changing human experiential behavior are greatly beneficial for personal physical and mental enhancement.
Life’s dilemmas often arise from conflicts between the mind and spirit, rationality and emotion, consciousness and the subconscious. NLP has completely discovered the laws of thinking and emotions, knowing how to align your rational and emotional sides, achieving harmony of body and mind. Therefore, using it to handle various dilemmas and break through developmental bottlenecks is like using a sharp axe to cut wood, with astonishing effects. It can often quickly grasp the crux of the problem and resolve contradictions in the shortest time. To a large extent, NLP teaches you to find the method of finding methods.
NLP has discovered the laws of thinking, and the characteristics of these laws mean they can be continuously applied to similar situations. Therefore, NLP has unlimited extensibility. In the thirty years since this discipline emerged, countless individuals have developed hundreds of different techniques, and it continues to evolve. These techniques can be used to address issues in work, study, and life, significantly enhancing your learning ability, communication skills, and overall happiness. It is no exaggeration to say that no other discipline can open up such a vast world for you as NLP does; it allows you to see infinite possibilities and provides methods to move forward easily and joyfully in the direction you desire.
If you have the following conditions, then learn NLP!
If you are tired of not being able to significantly increase your income;
If you are tired of settling for a job you dislike;
If you are tired of not being able to properly honor your parents;
If you are tired of not being able to provide a better growth environment for your children;
If you are tired of your child’s poor performance, rebellion, early love, disobedience, lack of seriousness in studies, or even being addicted to the internet;
If you are tired of your husband/wife not understanding you, making you feel that their behavior is incomprehensible;
If you are tired of losing control of your emotions and performing poorly when facing life’s disappointments;
If you are tired of your character flaws leading to obstacles in life and work, being laughed at or underestimated;
If you are tired of doing tedious work every day for a living, being entangled by trivial matters and exhausted;
If you are tired of deep-seated inferiority, being trapped in self-doubt, not daring to pursue your dreams; almost all the goals set each year are unachievable;
If you are tired of bad habits that have troubled you for years, trying numerous methods to change but to no avail;
If you are tired of working hard but never getting corresponding rewards, facing bottlenecks in your career without breakthroughs;
If you are tired of your team lacking cohesion, with only you working hard while employees are indifferent;
If you are tired of your team’s communication efficiency being low, with sales performance consistently unsatisfactory;
If you are tired of various negative performances in life, family, and career…
NLP is practical psychology,
It is also a positive way of thinking,
And a philosophy of life!
NLP can bring positive impacts to life,
Allowing us to see the true side of things.
Traditional education and growth processes
Make it easy for us to only see the surface.
Thus……
Internally,We become estranged from our true feelings,,
Not knowing our inner needs.
Externally,We cannot harmoniously coexist with our environment and those around us,,
And cannot elevate each other.
Therefore, we live in hardship.
Fortunately, encountering NLP can help us out of difficulties,
Allowing us to live easily, satisfyingly, successfully, and happily.
NLP can be learned by almost everyone, especially suitable for: business leaders, professional managers, marketing personnel, administrative staff, public relations, trainers, coaches, educators, psychological counselors, parents, human researchers, and individuals seeking personal growth, etc.
According to the Fortune magazine, among the world’s top 500 companies,65% have introducedNLP psychological training, achieving remarkable benefits. Notable figures such as former US President Bill Clinton, director Steven Spielberg, motivational master Anthony Robbins, renowned host Larry King, Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan, tennis star Andre Agassi, Bill Gates, and General Electric’s CEO Jack Welch are all exemplary users ofNLP.
NLP is the best tool to help people achieve success.
Is NLP easy to learn? Very easy.NLP, while revealing the laws of thinking and behavioral activities, is based on concepts that most educated people are familiar with.NLP has rapidly spread in just thirty years due to its characteristics of “significant effects and easy understanding”; it is a discipline that elementary school students can comprehend while university professors find it profound. The teaching process heavily employs experiential and interactive methods, making the entire learning process enjoyable and engaging.
The Effects of NLP
Because NLP deciphers the language and thinking patterns of successful individuals, discovering the underlying laws of human thought, emotion, and behavior, it can help people address various dilemmas, such as emotional issues, life challenges, work problems, and parent-child relationships. Through self-awareness, it helps achieve harmony between rationality and emotion, unity of body and mind, inner peace, and ultimately leads to external harmony, happiness, success, and abundance. Today, NLP is recognized worldwide as a rapid and effective personal change technique.
What Concepts Does NLP Have?
In the five to six years following the establishment of NLP, more professionals joined, further solidifying its theoretical framework and reliability. Today, its application scope encompasses anything related to people, whether individual or group, from the reconstruction of abused children to the training of spies, from weight loss and addiction recovery to changing personal history, from management to marriage and family relationships, and everything in between. Below are some concepts and techniques of NLP:
The theories and techniques of NLP are built on several presuppositions. When we think or process things, we can assume the relationships between people, events, and objects are as these presuppositions state, and then design our thinking directions and behaviors based on these assumptions. By using this approach, we will find that the effects of thinking and behavior are better. By repeatedly applying this method, we will not fall into difficulties but will be more positive, progressive, and improving. If anything can conform to these presuppositions, it will yield good results and can be said to be error-free. In fact, if a person can base their thoughts, words, and actions on these presuppositions, their life will be smooth and happy.
NLP does not pursue “truth” or “reality”. NLP pursues effectiveness—on the basis of a three-win situation (i.e., I benefit, you benefit, everyone benefits, note the order of importance). NLP does not believe in absolutes; it does not reject or deny the existence of “absolutes” but does not spend time seeking or proving whether “absolutes” exist. NLP has a saying: “Nothing is absolute, including this statement.” Father Xu Zhizhong, known as the father of NLP in Hong Kong, said: “The presuppositions are NLP’s immune system.” Regardless of any thought or behavior, if you filter it through the twelve presuppositions, it will not cause much problem and will already be very “NLP”.
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Twelve Presuppositions
They form the foundation of NLP concepts and techniques.
1. No two people are the same;
2. One cannot change another;
3. Effectiveness is more important than rationality;
4. There is only a world shaped by sensory experience, not an absolutely real world;
5. The meaning of communication lies in the response of the other party;
6. Repeating old methods will only yield old results;
7. There must be at least three solutions to every problem;
8. Everyone chooses behaviors that provide them with the best benefits;
9. Everyone possesses resources to make themselves successful and happy;
10. In any system, the most flexible part is the one that can influence the overall situation the most;
11. There are no failures, only feedback;
12. Motivation and emotion are never wrong; only the behavior may not be effective.
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Submodalities
Scientists have discovered that when we see or think of a person, our brain conjures up a face, a voice, etc., which are the synthesis of small pieces of information, referred to as “submodalities”—I won’t tell you, just know that changing submodalities can alter our perceptions of things, even past memories! There are countless examples of friends who have helped children overcome internet addiction by changing submodalities.
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Subconscious
Human thinking is like an iceberg; what can be perceived by the brain is consciousness, while what is difficult to perceive is the subconscious. The conscious part is just the tip of the iceberg. Psychologists point out that consciousness accounts for only about 3% of human awareness, while the rest is subconscious. The subconscious is fascinating; almost all of a person’s memories and emotions are stored in the subconscious. This includes beliefs, values, and language habits.
The subconscious is powerful. Dr. Konstantin from the University of Vienna once said that over 95% of human neurons remain unused. If these dormant neurons can be awakened, almost anyone can become a “superhuman”. This 95% potential is the power of the subconscious.
“The subconscious is a vast container with infinite possibilities,” says Dr. Zhang Guowei, a leading NLP expert. Humanity originally had no airplanes or modern technology; everything that happens is a result of the subconscious at work. Learning to communicate with the subconscious can provide substantial resource support.
For instance, Mr. A invested in stocks one day; rational analysis told him he could definitely make a profit. However, he felt an inexplicable worry. Analyzing further, he realized that according to scientific analysis, the stock was a growth stock with significant appreciation potential; even if he lost, the impact would be minimal, and he could afford to lose. Where did this worry stem from? Under the guidance of a psychologist, he realized this was a signal from the subconscious: the investment loss was insignificant but could potentially upset his partner who worked hard with him. Thus, he consulted his wife, and the discomfort immediately vanished. At the same time, he understood another message from his subconscious: to respect his wife.
The basic concepts of NLP extend far beyond these; for the average person, mastering one or two principles and knowing more NLP techniques is more practical.
NLP Techniques
NLP pursues practical effectiveness; in NLP classes, instructors and assistants will teach you clear steps to understand and implement. Due to space constraints, we will only provide three example techniques.
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Anchoring: Adjusting States Anytime
In our surroundings, many things can evoke various emotions as soon as we see them. Such stimuli are called “anchors”. If utilized appropriately, they can help us achieve various goals.
Using the principles of anchoring formation and activation, NLP has developed techniques around “anchoring”. One common method is “confidence anchoring,” which supports individuals who lack confidence, helping them better face situations in life. For example, what to do when feeling down, how to adjust your state to the best before a speech, meeting important clients, or an interview? This anchor can assist you.
2
Perceptual Positioning: How to Change Perspectives
Do I have emotions towards someone?
Do I still feel angry/guilty/sad about a certain event?
Am I hesitant?
Do I wonder how others will view me?
……
In such situations, you might need to change your perspective. The empty chair technique is one example, but not the only one. This method is particularly effective in alleviating conflicts and contradictions.
3
How should a salesperson ask questions to understand clients?
How to handle complaints?
How to use your language to influence thoughts, mindsets, and behaviors?
“Checking language patterns” is a very interesting tool.It categorizes language patterns into three main types: distortion, generalization, and deletion. Different types require different decoding methods.
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When you are troubled by something? Or want to guide a friend or subordinate through difficulties? When making an important decision and unsure if it is truly what you want… You can use understanding levels to identify the root of the problem. Understanding levels is a vital concept and tool in NLP, categorizing a person’s understanding of things into six levels, from low to high: environment (when and where), behavior (what to do), capability (how to do it, methods), belief (what to believe), identity (who I am), and spirituality (who else is it for besides me). At which level are your words and actions stuck? How to break through at a higher level? What to do?
NLP has many more tools; mastering this is already quite challenging. Life’s dilemmas often stem from conflicts between the mind and spirit, consciousness and the subconscious. NLP effectively addresses various dilemmas and breakthroughs in development bottlenecks, often quickly grasping the crux of the problem and resolving contradictions in the shortest time—teaching you to find the method of finding methods.