What Is NLP and How Does It Benefit You?

NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming is an incredibly powerful approach to communication and personal development. To quote Richard Bandler, one of the co-founders of NLP - “NLP is a discovery, not an invention”.

Learning NLP techniques gives you greater control over your ability to be at your best more often. You will be able to effectively manage your thoughts and feelings no matter what is happening in your environment to affect you!

The real power of your mind, language and actions are uncovered through NLP training but it’s more than just a collection of techniques. It is a way of thinking, a frame of mind based on curiosity, exploration and FUN!

Created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in 1972, it is apparent why NLP has come to be named:

• NEURO – refers to the patterns of our neurological thought processes. Essentially our mind and how we think.
• LINGUISTIC – refers to the ways that our language reflects our neurology.
• PROGRAMMING – refers to the fact that we can break free from the way that we have been programmed and choose to organise our ideas and actions in the way that we want.

There are very few rules of NLP but there are 4 governing principles often referred to as the “4 legs of Neuro Linguistic Programming”.

Although it can take days / months / years to master NLP techniques, some of the principles are in fact very simple and easy to implement into everyday practice.

Putting the principles of NLP into everyday practice


1. Know what you want

In NLP, we believe that the more precisely and positively you can define what you want, the more likely you are to achieve it. In every interaction, action or thought, you should know what you want to achieve as your outcome, this will create a more empowering outcome for you.

2. Be aware and alert

Any living creature does not simply communicate with language. Just like animals and plants, humans communicate non-verbally too! Sensory acuity (seeing, hearing, feeling - physically and emotionally) is critical to NLP and a great life-skill to have in general. Are you consciously aware of what is going on around you or inside of you? Are you listening to your own internal signals as to what you really want to do or are you doing what you think others expect or demand of you? Are you responding to the opportunities that are there - if you just take a moment to choose to see, hear, feel or experience a greater awareness of non-verbal communication you can respond to opportunities that could otherwise go un-noticed.

3. Have sufficient flexibility to change your behaviour

Rapport skills enable you to quickly put others at easy and create trust. Mastery of rapport skills allows you to get on with anyone anywhere, greatly increases your confidence and effectiveness and makes it easier for others to communicate with you.

4. Adopting a physiology of excellence and take action

Our thoughts affect our feelings and our feelings affect our physiology, which in turn affects our behaviour or the actions we take. Therefore, checking that your physiology, or body language, is supporting your desired outcome is vital. We know that during communication, body language accounts for the largest proportion of the overall message – communication isn’t just between two people it’s also within a person. What physiology do you associate with when you want to operate at your most confident, resourceful and productive?

NLP coaching could be just that one extra step that could make a big difference in your life.