Neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP, was developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler during the 1970s. Bandler and Grinder originally set out to study what set highly effective psychotherapists apart from the others in their field. What they ended up with was a methodology for self-improvement all its own.



It's different from traditional self-improvement, therapies, and positive thinking methods because it relies largely on a method called modeling and focuses on what works. It works off of certain presuppositions, and sometimes, it even disregards the truth.

NLP is very much about context, one of the things that it presupposes is that failure does not exist. NLP also assumes that if you want to make a change in your life, that you have all the resources that you need to be able to do that.

It doesn't matter whether or not the presupposition is true as long as it is useful. For example, is a drill true? What, you never asked that question about a drill? I never have neither, but I've used one many times and it works just fine whether or not it's true.

NLP also assumes that people are not broken. In fact, they work perfectly. Even burglars, thieves, and alcoholics work perfectly.

Often, many people assume that they need therapy because they are broken and need fixing. Some therapies seem to reinforce this idea. This has a tendency to turn people into victims and excuse their negative behavior in the future by imposing an inherent limitation. In a sense, these methods predict failure.

For example, let's say you believe the following... I'm a poor learner, so I have trouble learning. Until I fix my problem with learning, I won't be able to learn. You're now a victim of your self proclaimed limitation. So you spend all your time on trying to fix your learning problems and not on actually learning anything. Often, people who have these self-imposed limitations absorbed them from other people, and they are not at all real.

With neuro-linguistic programming, you would simply accept that whatever your results with learning have been in the past, it has been perfect. Remember also that another presupposition of NLP is that you have all the resources at your disposal to make a change. In other words, you can learn anything you want to learn right now, regardless of past results.

Life coaches, even those who don't rely on NLP, use a similar approach wherein there is a belief that the present is perfect. Instead of being a victim, you accept that things are as they should be, and empower yourself to make the necessary changes in your life.

NLP tells us that if someone can accomplish something, then someone else can do it as well by modeling those who are successful. It's also flexible in that it says that if your current processes aren't achieving the results you want, then try something different.

Neuro-linguistic programming was adapted and put into practice by Tony Robbins. Tony made his own brand of NLP-based self-improvement, and became very well known for showing people how to achieve quick turn-arounds.

There are a number of resources online where you can learn the basic techniques and principles, and many life coaches and NLP practitioners you can work with to take things to the next level. If you're looking for a practical and effective approach to life change, then NLP may just be for you.