Introduction
W
elcome to the second edition of Neuro-linguistic Programming For
Dummies, which is packed with ideas and tips to increase your suc-
cess and happiness. Most likely, you’re reading this book because you’ve
heard neuro-linguistic programming (NLP throughout this book) mentioned
as you go about your daily life – in companies, colleges, and coffee shops. We
wrote the original version of this book because our experience of NLP trans-
formed our own lives. We wanted to ignite the spark of curiosity in others
about what’s possible with NLP. We also believed that the time had come for
NLP to move away from academic- and business-speak to real-life plain English,
and be used by all people who want to make improvements in their lives.In recent years, we’ve witnessed NLP growing ever more popular. Part of this
popularity is because NLP offers enlightening ‘aha!’ moments, and part is
because it simply makes sense. Yet the name itself can be off-putting and the
associated jargon may present a barrier to non-NLP professionals. So a little
explanation is required:✓ Neuro relates to what’s happening in your mind.✓ Linguistic refers not only to the words you use in your communication,
but also your body language and how you use it.
✓ Programming tackles the persistent patterns of behaviour that you
learn and then repeat.Some people describe NLP as ‘the study of the structure of subjective experi-
ence’; others call it ‘the art and science of communication’. We prefer to say that
NLP enables you to understand what makes you tick: how you think, how you
feel, and how you make sense of everyday life in the world around you. Armed
with this understanding, your whole life – work and play – can be renewed.It’s hard to believe that six years have passed since the first edition of this
book was published. The first edition of Neuro-linguistic Programming For
Dummies presented us with opportunities, which came primarily in the form
of amazing clients who’ve shared their lives, problems, and successes with
us. We have incorporated some of the lessons from this more recent work to
bring a fresh perspective to you.In particular, you have the benefit of two new chapters. The first one (Chapter
19) is about modelling. NLP began with modelling, an approach that enables
you to enhance your skills. The second new chapter (Chapter 20) is focused
on making change easier. Given that change is a given in the frenetic world
in which we live, you’ll find new ideas here to help you mitigate the negative
effects of stress, and the application of favourite tools out of the NLP toolkit.03_665435-intro.indd 103_665435-intro.indd 1 8/18/10 10:13 PM8/18/10 10:13 PM