If youre new to NLP and have maybe read a book like Frogs Into Princes or another older book on NLP, then you might be asking Why is there so much jargon? and Why is this so hard to understand?
Well, these are questions I asked myself a lot when I first started learning about NLP, and even after attending my first NLP Training. Truth be told, I found the jargon so frustrating at first that it actually pushed me to understand it better- partly because I felt a little dumb for not getting it at first, but mostly because I knew how incredibly valuable these technologies are when understood- and I wanted to be able to master these tools and eventually teach them to others as well, modeling Einsteins 2 quotes; Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler and If you cant explain something simply You dont understand it well enough.
Simply put, I knew that these technologies could change my life and help me help others change theirs as well. But first, I needed to understand the Jargon well enough to both be able to fully integrate it into my own life, and then be able to explain it in simple terminology to others.
It actually reminded me of a time many years ago that I was living in Scotland for the summer, staying with my sister and her husband as their house guest.
I remember pulling the Stephen Hawkings book, A Brief History of Time off of my brother in laws bookshelf and reading the very easy to understand introduction. In the introduction, it is explained that this book was written in a way that any laymen would be able to easily understand it, so I thought Great Im a laymen, so Im sure this will be easy for me to understand.
Well, if memory serves, I found myself swearing out loud (to myself) Stephen Hawkings name a few times as I was finding that the more I read, with the complicated graphs and charts, the more confused I became and started to think that Stephen Hawking was lying to me. Simply put, it was NOT easy for a laymen to understand.
Then, I actually did something in NLP that we call taking the Second Position, which is to imagine yourself in someone elses shoes and experiencing things from their perspective. When I did that, it hit me that Stephen Hawking wasnt a liar after all. He simply processes information is such a profoundly different manner than most layman, that what he sees as incredibly simple to understand- is in fact still very challenging for others to get.
Some of the original developers of NLP process in a very similar manner and well, their writing and teaching styles are in alignment with that style.
Thats the Bad News. The good news however is that NLP has come a very long way since books like Frogs Into Princes and other classics like that (although still very good books). In addition, certain trainers, like myself, have continued to develop NLP in ways that not only evolve NLP into the 21st century, but weve spent the years understanding and mastering these technologies- including all of the jargon- so that we can teach them to others in ways that truly are simple to understand.
Many of us have also learned and now teach what works in the real world, and what has simply been taught over the years as false theory, but thats a whole other article that Ill probably write next.
That said, personally, Ive always modeled Albert Einstein in this regard and there are two quotes of his that have always resonated with me that Ill share below
1. Everything should be made as simple as possible- but no simpler. **The latter part of that quote is key by the way. You see, I often see those that teach NLP by watering it down, because truth be told- they dont understand it well enough to teach it, so they teach the memorized theory of what they were taught, instead of teaching what theyve truly practiced and experienced to be true and effective in the real world, which is a real shame.
2. If you cant explain things simply- it means you dont understand it well enough. **Again, this reminds me of some less than great teachers Ive had in my day.
And one other quote that is actually a Chinese Proverb that pretty much sums it all up when it comes to how to truly understand NLP
Tell me and Ill forget Show me and I may remember Involve me and Ill understand
That, my friends is the ultimate key to understanding NLP. Its through being able to fully experience it in a live NLP, Hypnosis, & Life Coach Training environment where you wont just be reading about it, you wont just be listening to someone talking about it, but you will gain true hands on experience with real live feedback from an instructor that understands how to make sure each and every student in that class understands what he/she is doing so that they can leave that training not only able to help themselves continue to improve their own life, but can also leave that training able to help others do the same.
Now, dont get me wrong. This doesnt mean that books, audios, videos etc. are bad. They are actually rather excellent tools to help you integrate what you learn on an even deeper level after fully experiencing it, but bottom line Tell me and Ill forget, Show me and I may remember Involve me and Ill understand."
Well, these are questions I asked myself a lot when I first started learning about NLP, and even after attending my first NLP Training. Truth be told, I found the jargon so frustrating at first that it actually pushed me to understand it better- partly because I felt a little dumb for not getting it at first, but mostly because I knew how incredibly valuable these technologies are when understood- and I wanted to be able to master these tools and eventually teach them to others as well, modeling Einsteins 2 quotes; Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler and If you cant explain something simply You dont understand it well enough.
Simply put, I knew that these technologies could change my life and help me help others change theirs as well. But first, I needed to understand the Jargon well enough to both be able to fully integrate it into my own life, and then be able to explain it in simple terminology to others.
It actually reminded me of a time many years ago that I was living in Scotland for the summer, staying with my sister and her husband as their house guest.
I remember pulling the Stephen Hawkings book, A Brief History of Time off of my brother in laws bookshelf and reading the very easy to understand introduction. In the introduction, it is explained that this book was written in a way that any laymen would be able to easily understand it, so I thought Great Im a laymen, so Im sure this will be easy for me to understand.
Well, if memory serves, I found myself swearing out loud (to myself) Stephen Hawkings name a few times as I was finding that the more I read, with the complicated graphs and charts, the more confused I became and started to think that Stephen Hawking was lying to me. Simply put, it was NOT easy for a laymen to understand.
Then, I actually did something in NLP that we call taking the Second Position, which is to imagine yourself in someone elses shoes and experiencing things from their perspective. When I did that, it hit me that Stephen Hawking wasnt a liar after all. He simply processes information is such a profoundly different manner than most layman, that what he sees as incredibly simple to understand- is in fact still very challenging for others to get.
Some of the original developers of NLP process in a very similar manner and well, their writing and teaching styles are in alignment with that style.
Thats the Bad News. The good news however is that NLP has come a very long way since books like Frogs Into Princes and other classics like that (although still very good books). In addition, certain trainers, like myself, have continued to develop NLP in ways that not only evolve NLP into the 21st century, but weve spent the years understanding and mastering these technologies- including all of the jargon- so that we can teach them to others in ways that truly are simple to understand.
Many of us have also learned and now teach what works in the real world, and what has simply been taught over the years as false theory, but thats a whole other article that Ill probably write next.
That said, personally, Ive always modeled Albert Einstein in this regard and there are two quotes of his that have always resonated with me that Ill share below
1. Everything should be made as simple as possible- but no simpler. **The latter part of that quote is key by the way. You see, I often see those that teach NLP by watering it down, because truth be told- they dont understand it well enough to teach it, so they teach the memorized theory of what they were taught, instead of teaching what theyve truly practiced and experienced to be true and effective in the real world, which is a real shame.
2. If you cant explain things simply- it means you dont understand it well enough. **Again, this reminds me of some less than great teachers Ive had in my day.
And one other quote that is actually a Chinese Proverb that pretty much sums it all up when it comes to how to truly understand NLP
Tell me and Ill forget Show me and I may remember Involve me and Ill understand
That, my friends is the ultimate key to understanding NLP. Its through being able to fully experience it in a live NLP, Hypnosis, & Life Coach Training environment where you wont just be reading about it, you wont just be listening to someone talking about it, but you will gain true hands on experience with real live feedback from an instructor that understands how to make sure each and every student in that class understands what he/she is doing so that they can leave that training not only able to help themselves continue to improve their own life, but can also leave that training able to help others do the same.
Now, dont get me wrong. This doesnt mean that books, audios, videos etc. are bad. They are actually rather excellent tools to help you integrate what you learn on an even deeper level after fully experiencing it, but bottom line Tell me and Ill forget, Show me and I may remember Involve me and Ill understand."
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