30 NLP AT WORK
Questionnaire: Identify your preferred thinking pattern
The aim of this questionnaire is to help you identify any preferences you have in your thinking
patterns. This is in no way a definitive analysis but is merely to intended to raise your awareness
of how you think. Your thinking patterns can vary from one circumstance to another or you might
be very balanced in your profile. Through awareness you can consider the choices you are
making and whether they are influencing you and others in the way you would choose. The real
advantage of learning the different thinking patterns is to be able to use them in real time.
For each of the following questions, think about the item, the person, or place described and
tick the sense(s) that come to mind. The examples given are just that, examples. Be aware of what
you are thinking before you look at the examples with each option. Check your answers on the
analysis sheet provided at the end of the chapter.
You may tick as many senses as are true for you for any question. You may, for example, have
one sense ticked for one question and five for another question. Work through each question and
be aware of what comes to mind the moment you see it. Then tick the relevant sense(s). Go
through each question in turn and answer them all immediately.1 Petrol
a An image of some sort, e.g., a car, a petrol station?
b A sound, e.g., the sound of petrol pouring into a tank, the sound of an explosion?
cA touch, e.g., the feel of the pump handle?
dA smell, e.g., the smell of the petrol?
eA taste, e.g., the taste of petrol (assuming you know!)?2Your best friend
aA sound e.g., the sound of their voice?
b An emotion, e.g., your feelings toward them?
cA smell, e.g., the smell of their perfume?
dA taste, e.g., the taste of a meal you ate with them?
e An image, e.g., what they look like or a place you have been to with them?3 The way you would most like to spend your time
a The sounds associated with doing this, e.g., the sound of people’s voices or the
sounds of the environment?
bA taste, e.g., the taste of a favorite meal?
cA smell, e.g., the aroma of your environment?
d An image, e.g., where you would be or who you would be with?
eA touch or an emotion, e.g., how you feel when you think of spending your time
this way, the sensation of your muscles working in your body?