What do you want?

Why not try the 10 NLP techniques suggested below to help you to achieve exactly what you want this year?

1. Be Clear About What You Want
Sometimes, we only have a vague notion of what we want and we have not really thought our goals through. This can be compared to drifting downstream, in a boat, and just letting the water carry us along. If we don’t know where we are going, then how can we plan how to get there?

2. How Do I Know What I Want?
In order to find out what you really want, NLP suggests that you can ask yourself questions such as: if I carry on as I am, where will I be next year? Am I happy with my current direction? If I am not happy, then what do I want instead? The answer to such questions will show you what you want.

3. Create Inner Pictures of What You Want
Once you know what you want then write it down. Is it a new job, more money or a fitter body? Once you know what your goal is really imagine it. You need to create strong internal images of success and to play these through your mind as often as possible. Add colours, sounds and smells to the inner pictures. Perhaps you can imagine what you are wearing, the scent of flowers in a garden or a piece of music playing in the background.

4. Find a Model
If one person has achieved something, then NLP believes that anybody can. A lot of time can be saved by finding other people who have already reached your goal. Read about them, speak to them, ask them questions or copy the steps they have taken. This is a very important belief in NLP. If your model is a modern, famous person, you can watch videos or films about them. You can copy their modes of speech or physiology (body movements) to help you to really understand how it feels to get into their shoes.

5. Take Action
If you don’t do anything about your goals, then you won’t reach them. By taking the first step towards your goal, you are moving towards it. If you want to write a novel, you may wish to make a plan or write the first chapter. If you want to get fit, you might need to join the gym and see a trainer to set up your programme. One step along the path gets you moving.

6. Have a Plan
Once you have taken the first action, then take another. Work out a timescale for completing each step. As you take the steps, keep your clear, positive image of the final goal in mind. Don’t forget to see it in bright colours and to set it to inspiring music.

7. Stay Positive
On any journey we face challenges and sometimes we feel like we are ‘failing’. NLP teaches us to stay confident. In NLP, there is no such thing as failure because each mistake or problem is an opportunity to learn how to succeed. If you do take a wrong step, analyse it to see what went wrong and then adjust your actions accordingly. Keep playing the positive images in your head, and if any negative images appear, fade them out into your mind (make them faint, distant and in black and white) and play the positive image again several times to overcome them.

8. Be Flexible and Aware
If your actions are not working, then change them. You may need to make several adjustments in order to succeed. If you apply for a job and you fail at the interview, then get feedback from the company or think through your responses and actions. If somebody says ‘no’ to your idea, ask if it needs changing but don’t give up on it.

9. Keep Going
Many people are so afraid of failure and rejection that they give up on their dreams too soon. Some very successful writers have been rejected many times, but they have continued to believe in themselves. You might not get the first job or the second job but the third job may be better than any of them.