Practical NLP Podcast

This episode marks a new direction for the Practical NLP Podcast! Up to now we've been talking you through various aspects of NLP in a structured way - essentially the episodes build up into an audio home study pack for an NLP Practitioner course (contact me if you'd like to license them for your own Practitioner courses). From now on, I'll be interviewing various stars of the NLP field - people I rate and admire. The episodes will be quite a bit longer - rather than the 10 minutes or so of most of the episodes so far, we could go up to an hour. A couple of weeks ago I was running some corporate trainings in Malaysia, so while I was in a closer time zone than usual to Australia I took the opportunity to interview someone I've wanted to talk with for a long time - Melbourne-based NLP trainer and innovator James Tsakalos. James is somewhat unusual in the NLP field these days because he runs super in-depth NLP Practitioner trainings that are 28 days long! He's also developed some exciting new approaches, notably Spiral Somatics. Our conversation ranged far and wide, covering among other things: * Why it's not easy to choose an NLP Practitioner course until you've already had quite a lot of experience of NLP, so you just have to hope you get lucky unless you do some research beforehand * Who James really admires in the NLP field * A great process for making perfect choices - the 'Trousers of Time'! (process notes to follow but James explains the steps pretty clearly in the podcast) * Why reading Terry Pratchett's books about witches is a great preparation for being an effective NLP Practitioner Duration: 46m 28s Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  https://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store. Links to some of the things we mentioned in the conversation: Jonathan Altfeld's Knowledge Engineering Notes for running the Trousers of Time process (to follow) Where to catch James running a course in the near future: NLP in Melbourne Spiral Somatics in Melbourne Spiral Somatics in India Spiral Somatics in Dubai Spiral Somatics in the UK Books mentioned in this episode: Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck and Chris Cowan      Books by Terry Pratchett            

This episode marks a new direction for the Practical NLP Podcast! Up to now we’ve been talking you through various aspects of NLP in a structured way – essentially the episodes build up into an audio home study pack for an NLP Practitioner course (contact me if you’d like to license them for your own Practitioner courses). From now on, I’ll be interviewing various stars of the NLP field – people I rate and admire. The episodes will be quite a bit longer – rather than the 10 minutes or so of most of the episodes so far, we could go up to an hour. A couple of weeks ago I was running some corporate trainings in Malaysia, so while I was in a closer time zone than usual to Australia I took the opportunity to interview someone I’ve wanted to talk with for a long time – Melbourne-based NLP trainer and innovator James Tsakalos. James is somewhat unusual in the NLP field these days because he runs super in-depth NLP Practitioner trainings that are 28 days long! He’s also developed some exciting new approaches, notably Spiral Somatics. Our conversation ranged far and wide, covering among other things: * Why it’s not easy to choose an NLP Practitioner course until you’ve already had quite a lot of experience of NLP, so you just have to hope you get lucky unless you do some research beforehand * Who James really admires in the NLP field * A great process for making perfect choices – the ‘Trousers of Time’! (process notes to follow but James explains the steps pretty clearly in the podcast) * Why reading Terry Pratchett’s books about witches is a great preparation for being an effective NLP Practitioner Duration: 46m 28s Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store. Links to some of the things we mentioned in the conversation: Jonathan Altfeld’s Knowledge Engineering Notes for running the Trousers of Time process (to follow) Where to catch James running a course in the near future: NLP in Melbourne Spiral Somatics in Melbourne Spiral Somatics in India Spiral Somatics in Dubai Spiral Somatics in the UK Books mentioned in this episode: Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck and Chris Cowan      Books by Terry Pratchett            

The SCORE model is not taught on that many NLP Practitioner courses, which is a shame as it’s very useful in coaching and problem solving and doesn’t require superhuman sensory acuity to use (although that helps of course). This episode introduces the model and gives some sample questions and tips on how to use it successfully when coaching individuals. In this week’s podcast: * How Robert Dilts and Todd Epstein developed the SCORE model * Why it’s better than the ‘Present State to Desired State’ model it evolved from * How the elements in the model relate to time * Sample questions for each element in the model * A brief description of a client breakthrough * … and much more! For a fuller description, more tips, and how to use it with teams in a business setting and with an Appreciative Frame, get my little e-book How To Work With The SCORE Model, the first in the Practical Coaching Guides series.   

The SCORE model is not taught on that many NLP Practitioner courses, which is a shame as it's very useful in coaching and problem solving and doesn't require superhuman sensory acuity to use (although that helps of course). This episode introduces the model and gives some sample questions and tips on how to use it successfully when coaching individuals. In this week's podcast: * How Robert Dilts and Todd Epstein developed the SCORE model * Why it's better than the 'Present State to Desired State' model it evolved from * How the elements in the model relate to time * Sample questions for each element in the model * A brief description of a client breakthrough * ... and much more! For a fuller description, more tips, and how to use it with teams in a business setting and with an Appreciative Frame, get my little e-book How To Work With The SCORE Model, the first in the Practical Coaching Guides series.   

This week, the end of an era as we come to the end of the ‘scripted’ Practical NLP Podcast episodes. From next episode we’ll be switching to a longer format where I interview thought leaders and practitioners applying NLP in original ways to solve real-world problems. So, a short and sweet episode in two parts. I show you a process you can use on the timeline to clear anxiety about an upcoming event. And for those of you who have been following the podcast since its early days (or who have bought and listened to the back episodes), I guide you through planning what you will use your NLP knowledge for in the future. Clearing Anxiety Process (Note: this is worded as you would say it to a client) * “Float up above the timeline and into the future to 15 minutes after the successful completion of the event about which you thought you were anxious. Tell me when you’re there.” * “Good. Turn and look back towards now.” * “Now, where’s the anxiety?” * “Come back to now, only as quickly as you learn what you need to learn from all of the actions you took took to prepare for the successful completion of that event.” * Test by thinking about the future event. “Where is that anxiety now? Try to feel it – what happens?” This process works even better if unresolved fear has been cleared from the past timeline, but you should still notice a significant reduction in anxiety. This episode also mentions the SYDER model for well-formed outcomes, which you can find in the show notes for episode 73. How to listen to this Practical NLP Podcast Episode Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 04m 20s If you like the podcast, please review it on Apple Podcasts. Even if you’re not an Apple Podcasts subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store. If you’re currently studying or on a training course, this guided visualization MP3 is for you! Originally developed as part of the forthcoming NLP Practitioner home study pack, it’s designed to help you review and integrate everything you’ve learned on any course or training that you’re undertaking. Find out more and download Using Your Timeline For Learning And Review here

This week, the end of an era as we come to the end of the 'scripted' Practical NLP Podcast episodes. From next episode we'll be switching to a longer format where I interview thought leaders and practitioners applying NLP in original ways to solve real-world problems. So, a short and sweet episode in two parts. I show you a process you can use on the timeline to clear anxiety about an upcoming event. And for those of you who have been following the podcast since its early days (or who have bought and listened to the back episodes), I guide you through planning what you will use your NLP knowledge for in the future. Clearing Anxiety Process (Note: this is worded as you would say it to a client) * “Float up above the timeline and into the future to 15 minutes after the successful completion of the event about which you thought you were anxious. Tell me when you’re there.” * “Good. Turn and look back towards now.” * “Now, where’s the anxiety?” * “Come back to now, only as quickly as you learn what you need to learn from all of the actions you took took to prepare for the successful completion of that event.” * Test by thinking about the future event. "Where is that anxiety now? Try to feel it - what happens?" This process works even better if unresolved fear has been cleared from the past timeline, but you should still notice a significant reduction in anxiety. This episode also mentions the SYDER model for well-formed outcomes, which you can find in the show notes for episode 73. How to listen to this Practical NLP Podcast Episode Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  https://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 04m 20s If you like the podcast, please review it on Apple Podcasts. Even if you’re not an Apple Podcasts subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store. If you’re currently studying or on a training course, this guided visualization MP3 is for you! Originally developed as part of the forthcoming NLP Practitioner home study pack, it’s designed to help you review and integrate everything you’ve learned on any course or training that you’re undertaking. Find out more and download Using Your Timeline For Learning And Review here

Having elicited the timeline in the previous episode, this week we take it for a ‘test drive’. In this week’s episode: * Two ways people may experience their timeline – as moving or static * Step by step instructions for how to guide people through this exercise (also see the show notes below) * Why this also works as an instant relaxation and clarity exercise * … and much more! If you’re doing any kind of timeline emotional clearing (e.g. Time Line Therapy) that involves the client ‘floating’ above their timeline, this exercise is very helpful in flushing out any little ‘blocks’ that might get in the way. The two most common are “I can’t float up above my timeline”, which I have found is usually caused by the client viewing time something that moves past them while they stay still (like a river, or traffic on a road) rather than something still that they move along, like a canal or the road itself. The process outlined here preframes this ‘objection’ out by suggesting they can float above the timeline, or they may prefer to stay still while the timeline sinks away below them. The end result – gaining vertical distance from the timeline – is the same. The other commonly heard ‘block’ becomes apparent when you ask the client to float back a short way towards the direction of the past, and they find that they can’t float in that direction. You can usually help them get over this (literally) by asking them to float up as high as they need to until they can float in that direction – the implication being that they are rising above the metaphorical block. As many emotional clearing processes involve floating back towards the past above the timeline, it is best to find out if there is any problem floating back during the preliminary ‘test drive’, rather than waiting until you’re conducting the actual intervention. Here’s the wording that I use for ‘test driving’ the timeline. In the second paragraph of step 1, for precision I am assuming the listener is familiar with the NLP meaning of ‘associated’ – if your client isn’t familiar with NLP (as most real-world clients won’t be) I would say something like “It’s important that you’re looking down on the timeline through your own eyes”. The ‘induction’ is in italics, explanatory asides (in step 6) are in normal text : * Close your eyes and float up above the timeline to a height at which you are completely comfortable. Or, you may want to stay where you are and let the timeline sink away below you – in either case, just get some vertical distance between yourself and the timeline. It’s important that you’re associated into floating above the timeline rather than watching yourself. Now float up even higher – way up high – and notice what happens as you do. * Now turn towards the past, staying at the same comfortable hight, and float a short distance in that direction. * Now float a similar short distance towards the direction of the future. * And come back to above now and practice floating up a little and down a little and notice what happens as you do. Notice the difference between this experience and your normal everyday experience as you went about your life down at timeline level. * And now bring back everything you liked about that sensation as you come back down to now, back into the room, and when your unconscious mind is ready to move on to the next stage you can open your eyes. * And “Welcome back” (which of course presupposes that you’ve been somewhere).

Having elicited the timeline in the previous episode, this week we take it for a ‘test drive’. In this week’s episode: * Two ways people may experience their timeline – as moving or static * Step by step instructions for how to guide people through this exercise (also see the show notes below) * Why this also works as an instant relaxation and clarity exercise * … and much more! If you’re doing any kind of timeline emotional clearing (e.g. Time Line Therapy) that involves the client ‘floating’ above their timeline, this exercise is very helpful in flushing out any little ‘blocks’ that might get in the way. The two most common are “I can’t float up above my timeline”, which I have found is usually caused by the client viewing time something that moves past them while they stay still (like a river, or traffic on a road) rather than something still that they move along, like a canal or the road itself. The process outlined here preframes this ‘objection’ out by suggesting they can float above the timeline, or they may prefer to stay still while the timeline sinks away below them. The end result – gaining vertical distance from the timeline – is the same. The other commonly heard ‘block’ becomes apparent when you ask the client to float back a short way towards the direction of the past, and they find that they can’t float in that direction. You can usually help them get over this (literally) by asking them to float up as high as they need to until they can float in that direction – the implication being that they are rising above the metaphorical block. As many emotional clearing processes involve floating back towards the past above the timeline, it is best to find out if there is any problem floating back during the preliminary ‘test drive’, rather than waiting until you’re conducting the actual intervention. Here’s the wording that I use for ‘test driving’ the timeline. In the second paragraph of step 1, for precision I am assuming the listener is familiar with the NLP meaning of ‘associated’ – if your client isn’t familiar with NLP (as most real-world clients won’t be) I would say something like “It’s important that you’re looking down on the timeline through your own eyes”. The ‘induction’ is in italics, explanatory asides (in step 6) are in normal text : * Close your eyes and float up above the timeline to a height at which you are completely comfortable. Or, you may want to stay where you are and let the timeline sink away below you – in either case, just get some vertical distance between yourself and the timeline. It’s important that you’re associated into floating above the timeline rather than watching yourself. Now float up even higher – way up high – and notice what happens as you do. * Now turn towards the past, staying at the same comfortable hight, and float a short distance in that direction. * Now float a similar short distance towards the direction of the future. * And come back to above now and practice floating up a little and down a little and notice what happens as you do. Notice the difference between this experience and your normal everyday experience as you went about your life down at timeline level. * And now bring back everything you liked about that sensation as you come back down to now, back into the room, and when your unconscious mind is ready to move on to the next stage you can open your eyes. * And “Welcome back” (which of course presupposes that you’ve been somewhere).

We use spatial, linear metaphors to think about time (e.g. time is like a road, or like a river) without even thinking about it. How your unconscious mind represents time has a big effect on how you experience life – and that’s what this week’s podcast is about. Including: * How to elicit the timeline * “In Time” and “Through Time”, and their effects on how you think and behave * Why time management courses often don’t stick … and much more! If you’re currently studying or on a training course, this guided visualization MP3 is for you! Originally developed as part of the forthcoming NLP Practitioner home study pack, it’s designed to help you review and integrate everything you’ve learned on any course or training that you’re undertaking. Find out more and download Using Your Timeline For Learning And Review here How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 75: Eliciting Your Timeline Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  https://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 08m 51s If you like the podcast, please review it on Apple Podcasts. Even if you’re not an Apple Podcasts subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

We use spatial, linear metaphors to think about time (e.g. time is like a road, or like a river) without even thinking about it. How your unconscious mind represents time has a big effect on how you experience life – and that’s what this week’s podcast is about. Including: * How to elicit the timeline * “In Time” and “Through Time”, and their effects on how you think and behave * Why time management courses often don’t stick … and much more! If you’re currently studying or on a training course, this guided visualization MP3 is for you! Originally developed as part of the forthcoming NLP Practitioner home study pack, it’s designed to help you review and integrate everything you’ve learned on any course or training that you’re undertaking. Find out more and download Using Your Timeline For Learning And Review here How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 75: Eliciting Your Timeline Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than Apple Podcasts (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 08m 51s If you like the podcast, please review it on Apple Podcasts. Even if you’re not an Apple Podcasts subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on Apple Podcasts. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

This week’s podcast shows you two ways to install goals into your future, plus (if you’re using this for coaching or facilitating other individuals or groups) when you would use each method. Includes: * How to discover your unconscious mind’s typical way of thinking about time * How to make the image of your goal as compelling as possible * The difference between goal setting and daydreaming * How to ‘float’ a goal into your timeline * How to ‘walk’ a goal into your timeline … and much more! How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 74: Two Ways To Install A Goal On Your Timeline Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via iTunes here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than iTunes (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 08m 04s If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes. Even if you’re not an iTunes subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on iTunes. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

This week’s podcast exposes the missing piece from the SMART goals model, and gives you a better model that takes account of your motivations and how you feel about the goal. Forget SMART, meet SYDER! Including: * Why you don’t have to achieve every goal entirely by your own efforts * Why you need to put a date on your goal, and what will happen if you don’t * What the Treaty of Versailles has to do with goal setting, and why you need to know about it * Why you need a rich sensory representation of your goal * A quick and easy way to find the route to your goal … and much more! Show Notes – The SYDER Model For Well-Formed Outcomes S – Stated positively Always set goals in the positive sense. That is, what do you want, rather than what you don’t want. Y – You own it “What can you do to bring this about by your own actions?” “What can you do to influence the outcome?” “What do you need to do to achieve this goal?” D – Defined in sensory specific terms (a) “What date do you intend to have this outcome by?” (b) “Put yourself in the situation of having it. What do you see/hear/feel when you have it?” Make sure that your image of the goal is sensory- rich, vivid and compelling. E – “Ecology” (Effects on every area of your life) This is a ‘risk assessment’ on how the goal will affect every area of your life. (a)  “What will happen when you have it?” “What won’t happen when you have it?” “Are there any downsides to achieving it?” (b)  “How would having this outcome affect each area of your life?” “Who else would be affected by you having this outcome?” “How would you having this outcome affect the planet?” (c)  Congruence check: “How do you feel about this goal?” “Do you want it 100%?” “Does your energy increase when you think about it?” If not, adjust the goal until you feel enthusiastic about it! R – Resources and Route What resources do you have that will help you reach your goal? What additional resources do you need? It’s much easier to work out how to get to your goal once you’ve got there! Put yourself in the position of having achieved the goal. What had to be in place immediately before to allow your goal to happen? And what had to be in place before that? Continue all the way back to the very first step. How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 73: What’s Missing From S.M.A.R.T Goals Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via iTunes here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than iTunes (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 11m 44s If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes. Even if you’re not an iTunes subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on iTunes. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

In this week’s episode we look at the different effects ‘towards’ and ‘away-from’ motivation when you’re setting goals. Each has its place, but they do different jobs – and if you don’t get the mix right, you’ll never reach your goal! Including: * Why some millionaires go bankrupt and bounce back several times * Why it’s so hard to lose that last half-stone * How to discover if your motivation is ‘towards’ or ‘away-from’ * How to spot ‘concealed away-froms’ in people’s thinking from the words they say * Tips for converting ‘away-from’ motivation into ‘towards’ * Why it’s important to formulate your goals in positive language * ….and much more! How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 72: Why You Need Towards Motivation In Goal-Setting Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via iTunes here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than iTunes (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 9m 01s If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes. Even if you’re not an iTunes subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on iTunes. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

So, you’ve elicited a list of values (in episode 70). Some values are more important to you than others, so you need to find out which are the most important – your ‘values hierarchy’. You also need to check for clashes between values and resolve them to avoid dilemmas and ‘stuckness’. That’s what this week’s episode is about. Includes: * How to discover which values are most important to you * What to do when two values seem equally important at first sight * Why ‘money’ should not be your #1 value * How to test if you have the values in the right order * How to check for values clashes * … and much more! How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 71: Prioritising Values And Resolving Conflicts Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via iTunes here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than iTunes (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post, or download the episode. Duration: 8m 41s If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes. Even if you’re not an iTunes subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on iTunes. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.

In this week’s episode we learn how to elicit values the NLP way, and why values are important for motivation. This is useful for coaching and for personal development, and essential for successful goal-setting. Includes: * A simple process for eliciting values (your own or a client’s) * How to know when you’ve got a genuine value rather than just a thing that’s nice to have * Why you need to watch out for words like “satisfaction” or “fulfilment” * Why you need to get your own values out of the way when eliciting someone else’s * … and much more! How to listen to Practical NLP Podcast Episode 70: How To Elicit Values Listen and/or subscribe to this podcast via iTunes here – and if you like the podcast, please leave a review! If you want to subscribe using something other than iTunes (e.g. if you have an Android phone), here’s the feed:  http://nlppod.com/feed/podcast/ Or, simply listen online using the player embedded in this post. Duration: 9m 10s Again, if you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes – because even if you’re not an iTunes subscriber yourself, that’s where most people still find their podcasts, so that’s where your review will make the most difference. Only the most recent 10 episodes of the podcast are available free on iTunes. You can download collected back episodes (with transcripts!) from the online store.