The principles which form the foundation of NLP have been modeled from key people who consistently produced consistent and successful results.
- Have respect for the other person’s model of the world. We are all unique and experience the world in different ways. Everyone is individual and has their own special way of being.
- The map is not the territory. People respond to their ‘map’ of reality, not to reality itself. How people make sense of the world around them is through their senses and from their own personal experience; this means that each individual’s perception of an event is different.
- Mind and body form a linked system. Your mental attitude affects your body and your health and, in turn, how you behave.
- If what you are doing isn’t working, do something else. Flexibility is the key to success.
- Choice is better than no choice. Having options can provide more opportunities for achieving results.
- We are always communicating. Even when we remain silent, we are communicating. Non-verbal communication can account for a large proportion of a message.
- The meaning of your communication is the response you get. While your intention may be clear to you, it is the other person’s interpretation and response that reflects your effectiveness. Ensure that the message you send equals the message that is received.
- There is no failure, only feedback. What seemed like failure can be thought of as success that just stopped too soon. With this understanding, we can stop blaming ourselves and others, find solutions and improve the quality of what we do.
- Behind every behavior there is a positive intention. When we understand that other people have some positive intention in what they say and do (however annoying and negative it may seem to us), it can be easier to stop getting angry and start to move forward.
- Anything can be accomplished if the task is broken down into small enough steps. Achievement becomes easier if activities “chunked” into pieces that are a manageable size.