NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) is a respectable body of knowledge that has a background in a number of intellectual disciplines. NLP draws on general semantics, linguistics, hypnosis, gestalt therapy and takes into account ecology and family therapy. It is a study of what works — how do you produce results and what kind of results do you want to produce?
NLP is used in three areas — business, education and therapy.
The simplest way to explain NLP is to define the three words that make up its name.
Neuro : the mind through which our experience is processed by way of the five senses – visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory and gustatory.
Linguistic : relates to language and other non-verbal communication systems through which our neural network representations are coded, ordered and given meaning. This includes pictures, sounds, feelings, tastes and smells and the words we use (self talk).
Programming : relates to the ability to discover and utilise the programs that we run inside ourselves, the things we do inside our heads, and also that others do, so that we can achieve our own specific and desired outcomes.
NLP is how we use the language of the mind to consistently achieve our specific and desired outcomes.
NLP is really the study of excellence — how do we discover excellence wherever it is and then utilise it in such a way that we can create change in ourselves and others.