On NLP: Need to Know?
I noted there were searches like “NLP, unzip code, Baby, Childbirth, May 8 1997, 8 May 1997, Obstacle ’5’ in Personal year, the lust, career” and many others, made recently. I’ll randomly select one for today’s topic, leaving the rest for another day.
To the person who searched for “May 8 1997” or “8 May 1997,” I’ve posted an article “The Need for Self-Reflections & Help” on a similar birth date. My apologies as I did not explicitly mention the birth date in the article text, and the search function could not detect it. OK, I’ll take note. I hope you’ll find the article useful. Please feel free to email me at SunTzu2796@gmail.com to feedback.
Today’s topic is about NLP, the “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” primarily on communications, psychotherapy, and personal development. It’s not about the “Natural Processing Language” commonly associated with computer programming to process data.
Simply put, NLP is about applying the tools to help you understand your hidden potential and harness your strengths. You’ll learn to get rid of self-limiting beliefs, thrash out unwanted habits, accepting the past as something you cannot change, and understanding what “the map is not the territory” is all about, so that you can make paradigm shift today, for better tomorrow. When you examine a map – whether it’s a printed Street Map directory, or from the updated Google Map on your mobile devices – it wasn’t exactly the same. For example, the map showing the food street could not provide you with an individual experience – see, feel, touch, smell, and taste – when you are physically present in the actual food street location.
In many ways, I could correlate “the map is not the territory” in NLP, and that’s started me to come up with common sense “the birth chart is not the personality” phrase. Yes, exactly like the map, the birth chart does not show the personality of an individual, today. The birth chart, is just like the apartment layout plan when you first purchased your house. Along the years, you transformed your house to become a cosy home, beautified with the kind of furniture you like, the clothes in your wardrobe, and even the kitchen utensils. Your home, doesn’t feel the same anymore, when you stepped into your neighbours’ apartment, even though their house layout is similar. And that is why “the birth chart is NOT the personality” as your behaviours, ideas, and actions – the personality you presented to others, and how others perceive you – changes regularly. And your personality isn’t the same as somebody born on the same day as you, i.e., having the same birth chart. Always remember, it’s the periodic vibes – coming from the hours, days, months, and years, that influence you, and what you want (or hope) to be, at various stages of your life.
While knowing NLP is good, I felt it’s not essential. It’s more of a “nice to know” for most people who possess no desire to be an NLP practitioner. There are many choices available that you can apply. I’ve mentioned some of the methods in earlier articles, like understanding what Kurt Lewin’s B=f(P,E) equation is all about and how you can apply the equation to improve your behaviours and reactions to situations. You can apply the ADAPT change methodology to track your milestones. Or you can simply apply the Transaction Analysis method to improve your communication and relationship skills with others. Again, all these requires YOU, as the key driver to act and change.
It is essential to continue to improve and up-skill yourself, whenever possible. It’s even more timely today, especially during the COVID-19 restrictions, to learn something different, to prepare yourself for a new normal.
Regards, Ron WZ Sun