What Is NLP?
NLP, or neuro-linguistic programming, is a school of psychological techniques that effectively commu-
nicates with the listener’s subconscious or unconscious mind. In modern-day terms, brain-hax.
The end result is that you can communicate / argue / negotiate / persuade people (or yourself) much
more effectively. Astoundingly, significantly, suspiciously more effectively!
Neuro: Pertaining the neurons, or nerves, the brain’s communication tool
Linguistic: Pertaining to language
Programming: To configure or set the way something works
What Can NLP Do?
The tagline of this book is “Upgrade Your Mind” which is the best way I can describe the effects of NLP.
You can upgrade your mindset, intelligence, memory, senses, appearance, and your communication
skills. You can gain the ability to improve, enhance or modify ANY aspect of yourself or someone else.
NLP can be an extremely powerful tool, when used correctly. I have seen Derren Brown, a world-fa-
mous mentalist, use NLP techniques to talk a total stranger into giving him their wallet - in 20 seconds
flat! NLP can be used on yourself as well as other people, with hundreds of opportunities to do so oc-
curring every day.
A Basic Example of NLP
The most basic example to illustrate this, is if I said to you:
“Don’t think of a black cat!”
What’s the first picture that came to your head? A black cat. The command “think of a black cat” lay
within that short sentence. Of course, before you have a chance to not think of a black cat, your un-
conscious brain has already put a picture of a black cat up and stuck a DON’T label on it saying “this is
the thing to not think about.”
Very basic, yes? Everyone knows that. How could that possibly be used to help me communicate?
Okay, how about we use that same lesson, and apply it to another example, slightly more useful.
Imagine you’ve got a 5-year-old son, and he starts trotting towards a busy road. We’ve established that
if we yell to him “Don’t walk on the road!” - there is every chance he might take a split second longer
than usual to process the full command.