How to Let Go of Fear
                                                                                                  by Tina Taylor

Fear is part of our survival instinct; it sets our body and mind in motion in preparation for a perceived threat.  It’s hard wired into the subconscious and is one of our oldest emotions; sometimes generated without any conscious awareness.  We feel uneasy, yet don't know why.  It makes us jump when something moves on the ground or touches us, makes us blink when something is coming towards our eyes.  We respond due to sensory input driving us into action.

Fear makes you focus.  There’s a moment of awareness, with our unconscious telling us something isn't right, and as we sense "something" we freeze.  This freezing may stop predators from seeing us it also gives us a chance to evaluate the situation and if it is OK we continue - returning to what we were doing.

Fear is all about chemicals, epinephrine and norepinephrine; epinephrine (adrenaline) is secreted by the adrenal glands.  These chemicals are released in moments of fear to prepare us for the fight or flight response; and changes occur to improve chances of survival.  As well as increased strength an increase in oxygen increases sensory acuity whilst non-survival process like digestion are put on hold.

Fears and phobias are extreme anxieties.  As we go through life we learn a great many things by experience, things we are not even aware of.  An unconscious learning, fear is one of these experiences and is a demonstration of how quickly we learn an automatic response.

From one experience the mind can generalize and attach fear.  Then the flight or fight response kicks in.  Your imagination is far more powerful than conscious will and the area of the brain that you use to imagine something is the same area that is used when experiencing things.  Which is why your nervous system can’t tell the difference between a real or vividly imagined experience.

For an event to be coded as traumatic its said that four conditions need to be met.  First it needs to be a emotional event; second, have a meaning for the individual; third, the chemicals need to be in place and fourth the experience is perceived as inescapable.  If these are present it is possible that the brain will categorize the event as traumatic.

And yet there could be 2 people at the same event and one will be traumatized whilst the other will not.  How can this happen?

Life is full of traumatic moments, in order for an event to be traumatizing it must produce an emotional response.  Meaning is attached to the event, and whereby one person may code something as traumatic another may not.  A good example of this is those who are afraid of riding on roller coasters, they produce the four conditions in their mind and they know its scary and dangerous; whereas someone who loves roller coasters will have all the same conditions in place yet they love the thrill of the ride.

Our feelings are created by the way in which we think of something; for example someone scared of spiders may be creating an image in their mind of a larger than life spider which is scaring them.  Our fears may have begun due to specific event in our lives but these tend to evolve to a point whereby it’s the thought of the event/situation that causes the feeling rather than the situation/event itself.

There are a number of ways in which you can change the way you feel. One of these is: as you notice a feeling of anxiety/panic begin.

1.       Breathe in gently and slowly through your mouth when your lungs are full hold your breath for 10 seconds then.
2.       Breath out slowly through your nose.
3.      Breath in slowly through your mouth and hold your breath for 5 seconds.
4.      Breath out slowly through your nose.
5.      Continue breathing this way for a couple of minutes at which point the anxiety will have subsided.


Tina Taylor is one of the UK's sought after Licensed Master Trainers of NLP & Hypnotherapists, having been trained by and then assisting Paul McKenna & Dr. Richard Bandler.  With experience in the Human Resources sector, Tina has worked both on a consultancy basis and full-time for major corporations in the City of London.  Within her private practice, this diverse background has allowed her to create and provide some very unique services such as assisting couples with fertility issues and to help create a comfortable childbirth experience as well as coaching and hypnotherapy within the south of England to many individuals and companies.

Tina Taylor’s new CD, How to Let go of Fear, can teach you ways in which you can change your response’s and take back control of your thought processes.

                    It’s Time
                                               Three strategies to gain the most from the time you have
                                                                                          by John G. Johnson

Most of us lead a multitude of lives in today’s world. Adding to this, we perform a wide array of activities throughout the course of a single day… and then multiply that by seven. The result? Little to no time is left for us to appreciate the finer things in life. It’s no secret that we live in a world of consequences, so over-stressing ourselves, suppressing opportunities for personal rejuvenation will have a negative impact on our mind and body. “To every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction” is a fundamental law of physics. This law applies to human beings as well, meaning the way we live our lives.

The benefits of taking time out for yourself cannot be overstated. However, oftentimes, this classic refrain, better known as an “excuse,” frequently can be heard… “If only there were more hours in the day, then I could get everything done.” And then there’s the popular belief that most people subscribe to because they are convinced that certain tasks need to get done…or else: “it’s impossible! I don’t have time. I have too many things to do!”

These imaginary reasons, excuses, fantasies, etc. imply that we have little to no control over our lives, and that outside forces - not us – are responsible for the life we choose to live. This couldn’t be further from the truth; it’s clearly not a useful attitude to support!.... Beliefs of any sort, or any particular point-of-view one adopts, aren’t cast with and set in concrete. Meaning, they can change.

Twenty-four hours make a day; seven days make a week. It’s the reality we have to work within. Since this is the case, then it’s more useful to perceive time differently and ask ourselves “How we can work with what we have in an efficient manner so as to move towards a higher quality of life?”

The following are three such strategies.


Order of Importance
Last month we spoke about values and asking the question, “What’s important to me in X?” We can ask this same question when it comes to ordering your list of things-to-do for a day or week.  When you make your list, (day or week), prioritize your activities from – most important things to get done to least important things to get done. (Think of an inverted pyramid). Organizing your tasks this way has several advantages:

One, you will be able to see that what you thought was important to get done isn’t so after all. You now will have the choice of discarding those less-important activities to free up some time. It’s sort of like deleting non-essential files on your computer’s hard-drive to create additional space.

Two, in many instances, taking care of the most important things has the added advantage of simultaneously completing minor tasks as well. Think of it as collateral benefits – two (or several) for the price of one, so to speak.


Learning to Say “No!”
Think about it. How many times do we say “YES” to activities – without – taking into consideration the full consequences they will have on us and on the quality of time we want for ourselves? The reasons why we say “yes” to tasks are too numerous to mention. But learning to say “NO” to deadweight activities is a useful habit to embrace.


Breathe!...
Take a moment to breathe –focused rhythmic breathing, for at least three minutes. This activates what Dr. Herbert Benson calls The Relaxation Response, a heightened physiological state deep rest that allows the body and mind to take a break and restore itself. Many breathing techniques for accessing this state of focused rest abound. One simple strategy is to: Breathe in for four counts, hold for three counts, and then exhale for eight counts. Repeat for at least three-minutes. That’s it. If you find your mind wandering, that’s fine. Just return back to your task. It’s like physical exercise; the more you practice the better your focus becomes.

From the womb to the tomb, time is already pre-determined for us, so we can say it’s limited. It’s not how much time we have, quantity-wise – it’s what we do with it - quality-wise - that makes life worth living.


©2013 John Johnson All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to:  www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

Anne Marie worked hard to finally secure her coveted, hi-profile dream job, one which had glamour, power, and prestige attached to it. The job gave Anne Marie the ability to influence the direction of politics and policies in the USA and around the world. It also kept her at the office until the wee hours of the morning - and away from home for extended periods as well. This dream job did have its perks though: Trips to exotic countries, attending exclusive engagements and ritzy events, mingling and dining with titans of industries and influential heads of state.

Ann Marie thought she had it all. But in less than two years she called it quits, giving up the position she fought to get, saying it wasn’t what she thought it would be. Why? The demands of the job weren’t fulfilling a personal need, a value important to her – family. She had a husband and two teenage boys who she wanted to spend more time with.

To understand one of the reasons people do the things they do we need to look at “Values.” Values are subjective; they vary from person to person and are contextual.  This means that what’s important you, what you are valuing in a career, for example, will be different from what’s important to you when it comes to owning pair of shoes. In short, a person’s behavior oftentimes is satisfying the values they consider dear to them in a particular context. The good thing is that values aren't set in stone; like human beings, they can change over time. If we work from this premise, then in order to learn what someone’s values are in a given scenario, all we need to do is ask: – What’s important to you in X? And Listen! (x = specific context: For example, family, friends, career, car, clothes, vacation, etc.

Ann Marie’s situation, of achieving a goal and then abandoning it, isn’t rare. As observers we are sometimes stunned by the actions of certain individuals, people who are in the public eye, or within our own private social circles. From our point-of-view we think what they did was bizarre, prompting us to say something like, “Why did they give it all up? They had it all. “I” would have never done what they did. I don’t get it, etc.” To the outsider, upon first glance, Ann Marie’s decision to quit seems strange. But asking the question above, in order to unearth what her values are in the context of a career, would show that by leaving the dream job, no matter how attractive it was, Ann Marie was adhering to her values. Spending time with her family is important to her. The rigors of the job prevented this from happening. So she did the next best thing…

Values give rise to behavior. So before we go condemning someone for an action they took that you clearly wouldn’t have if you were in their shoes, so to speak, dig a little deeper and find out that person’s values are in that given context and were they (values) being satisfied.

There are times that humans do have to endure the gauntlet to discover what’s important to them. But we can save ourselves time and eliminate, if not, reduce disappointment in advance when we:

 1= Ask ourselves the same question posed above (What’s important to you in X?) and - pay attention - to the answers and emotions that arise.

2= Write down the answers you get.

3= Then find out if the desired goal or behavior you seek will fulfill these values.



©2013 John Johnson All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to:  www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

              Become that You…                                                                               by                                                                                  by John G. Johnson

I just finished reading The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle, written by celebrated business-leader and trailblazer the late Jim Rohn. The book is based on what Mr. Rohn believed are the five pillars for success:

• Philosophy – the thoughts you adopt and live by.
  
• Attitude – the energy and intent you give to a situation.
  
• Action - what you do.
  
• Results – metrics- progress and results how you are moving towards your goal. 
  
• Lifestyle - the kind of life you create for yourself by adopting the four principles above.
  

Not only did Mr. Rohn have a unique life perspective, he was clearly skilled in reframing scenarios into useful and empowering points of views. And he was famous for his quotes as well. For example, “Your income is related to your philosophy, not to the economy!” (How relevant is this today). Mr. Rohn’s common sense writing style can easily lead someone to think his book is a quick read. However, any serious reader will realize that The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle is laden with thought-provoking insights that are worth reflecting upon. Take for example – Mr. Rohn’s statement that:…

“…Success is something you attract by the person you become…Success is not something you pursue. (That’s like chasing a butterfly. You just quite can’t catch it)… Success is something you attract by being an attractive person….

What does Mr. Rohn mean by “success” and “attractive”? To most people the words automatically convey ‘money’ and ‘beauty’. But there are so many other definitions – that’s personal to everyone. Regardless of the myriad of associations those words call up, if we take the entire statement as a whole one of things we can conclude is that: Stagnation doesn't work; if what you are doing isn't working, meaning you don’t like the feedback you are receiving, then you need to adjust, grow, change, acquire the necessary tools – whatever those need to be - to help get you to your destination.

I’m reminded of two real-life examples: ONE - Debra Ehrhardt struggled for years in both New York City and Hollywood to become an established stage actress. This was her life-long dream; it’s what she trained for many years to be. She did everything “within the expected box” trying make things happen. You name it Debra did it… Auditions after auditions, sending out resumes and head-shots, responding to casting calls, etc... And still no one gave her any roles. She came close… but, still – nothing.

Debra realized that if wanted to be a working actress then things had to change; she had to become more than just an actress. Fortunately, unrestrained desire and ambition were on Debra’s side. If no one wanted to offer her a role, give her a break, then she would write her own roles. She learned the craft of playwriting and the business production side of the theatre industry and then mounted one-person plays in which - she – was the: producer, promoter as well as its star.

Her first play attracted network TV executives who eventually bought it. That being history, and still hungry to work the stage, Debra wrote a second one-person play, and won numerous prestigious awards for it. Her current play, Jamaica Farewell, in which she’s once again the producer, promoter and star, continues to be performed in sold-out theatres in the USA, Canada, Europe, South America and the Caribbean. It also caught the attention of a serious hi-profile movie mogul and is currently in the process of being turned into a major motion-picture.

TWO- Poverty and  a lower caste family was what Kalpana Saroj was born into in India. Strangers, even family members called her horrible names when she was young. Getting beaten up on her daily eight mile trek to school and forbidden to drink from certain water wells was a common occurrence. Kalpana’s mother even told her to accept her fate, meaning there was no way out. At twelve Kalpana was forced into an abusive marriage. She eventually defied social pressures and left it, but doing so had its negative social consequences. Too much to tolerate, Kalpana tried taking her life - but survived.

This proved to be a turning point. She now had several options:(one), accept her fate as her mother said, (two), do a better job of  taking her life, or (three), change her circumstances for the better – something people within her caste rarely had achieved. Kalpana took option three…to live the life that she wanted, despite what others expected and thought of her because of her social status – an untouchable.

Kalpana left her tiny village, made her way to the big city, Mumbai, and got a job in the garment industry paying her 15-cents a day. She taught herself how to use a variety of commercial sewing equipment which made her marketable, and as a result saw her income rise. At age twenty, she applied and received a government loan and opened her first business. It turned out that she had the gift for running a business. One successful venture led to another to the point that people who had a failing enterprise - regardless of what caste they came from - sought her consultation and offered her highly lucrative business opportunities. All this culminated in her becoming a titan in business. Today, in her early fifties, Kalpana’s worth millions and her combined companies are valued at over 100 million dollars. In addition to that, she met a businessman whom she married – by choice!

We can infer a lot from these examples. One thing is for sure: Debra Ehrhardt and Kalpana Saroj are successful by their standards. Both had to become more than what they were, doing whatever it took, whether it was by acquiring new skills, cultivating the appropriate mental attitude, adopting a new philosophy, etc. so they could change their circumstances and design a lifestyle on their terms. “…Success is something you attract by the person you become…”


©2012 John Johnson All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to:  www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

                Tips to Building a Better Martial-Arts School                                                                                                                                  by John G. Johnson


Tip 1:

Make sure GOALS are clear..
Enrolling a student just because they want to “take classes” seems like common-sense on first glance. Yes, you can do that, and get paid. But you will never the true reason(s) why they joined. And if they enrolled into your school with pre-conceived expectations – and those expectations aren’t met – then the cost is that you’ll lose that student. Period.

Instead, interview each prospective student to make sure that you know specifically what their goal is and that it’s crystal clear – to you - and to the student. It’s fine if someone has more than one goal. You then build your curriculum around each student’s goal, or goals. Doing so keeps your classes interesting and challenging. It’s a Win/Win for everyone. And creating a curriculum this way also significantly reduces one of the many reasons students drop out…class is boring!

Tip 2:

TEST and welcome FEEDBACK…
Even though you have a working curriculum, you still have to check (TEST) to make sure everything is going as planned. Students drop out for a variety of reasons. Some of these you can fix others you can’t. For example, if you realize a student has reduced his/her attendance or wants to quit, inquire into the reasons for their decision. Get feedback (FEEDBACK /FAILURE).  You then use this information to make adjustments to your curriculum. Also, metaphors are powerful. Don’t believe your made-up story as to why “you think” your students aren’t showing up. Go to the source – the student – to get the specific information you need. This is within your control. If someone moves away and distance prevents them from attending, that’s something out of your control.

Tip 3:

Your STATE OF MIND transfers…
QUESTION: Who are you? And WHY do you want to teach? You need to answer these questions for yourself. If teaching is something you want to do, and you are congruent with your intent, then it will show; it will be converted into enthusiasm, passion. Your students will absorb these states and will be inspired. They’ll want to push themselves. This in turn will translate into student retention. If you lack the appropriate states-of-mind, and are teaching from a consciousness that’s bland, wimpy and lacking enthusiasm… your students will also pick this up as well. Some will even make mention of having ho-hum feelings after a class workout and don’t know the source – which is you! Humans are always learning. Your students will model your state of mind and attitude. Everything flows from the instructor.

Adding to this, the best instructors know that teaching isn’t about them, the Instructor. It’s about the students (SELF/OTHER). Having your attention outwards allows you to track what’s going on in real-time, whether during a teaching session or during non-teaching moments. The benefit of possessing this ability is that you can creatively make adjustments to situations occurring in-the-moment that’s to the benefit of the student. Adopting the proper teaching frame of mind makes it easier to enter this uptime mindset.

©2012 John Johnson All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to:  www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

Business Lessons from Usain Bolt
By: Cherryl Hanson Simpson

When Usain Bolt finished the 100 metres final of the 2012 London Olympics in a new meet record of 9.63 seconds, the eyes of millions of people were keenly watching his performance. With his brilliant accomplishment, the Jamaican sprint star demonstrated to his many fans around the world that he is indeed a legend in his own time.

In addition to his athletic prowess, I am inspired by Bolt for reasons outside of the sporting arena. After the 2009 Berlin World Athletics Championships, I reflected on some of the lessons that the sprinter could teach us about money. Discipline, self-belief and persistence were just some of Bolt's habits that could also help us to achieve our personal and financial goals.

Bolt's attitudes, actions and achievements continue to give us examples that are worthy of emulating. After watching him win another gold medal for Jamaica last Sunday, my thoughts turned to areas in his life that could educate and encourage entrepreneurs. Let's look at some of the business lessons that we can learn from Bolt.

Choose a business that you love

It has been said that if you find a job doing what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Watching Bolt run, it is obvious that he enjoys his life's work of competing in athletic events around the world. With a smile on his face and a dance in his step, Bolt makes the arduous mission of winning races look almost easy.

Similarly, running a business can be more fulfilling if you are operating in a field that you really love. An entrepreneur's life can often be filled with challenges; so when the tough times come, it is easier to keep going if you are truly motivated by your daily tasks. You will also find it easier to attract customers when you are passionate about your business.

Be an expert in your field

I am quite sure that Bolt would not enjoy his athletic career as much if he wasn't very good at it. One of the reasons that he is reaping bountiful rewards is that he is an expert sprinter who always delivers exceptional results. While Bolt's ability to perform well is partially due to his innate talent, it is also a product of many hours of gruelling training and strategic coaching.

While it's great to be fond of what you do in business, more is required for your success as an entrepreneur. It is important to be knowledgeable and proficient in your field of endeavour, as you need to provide outstanding offerings to attract and maintain your customers. Whatever your business, ensure that you continually seek advice and development to upgrade your operation.

Keep your customers happy

It is a pleasure to see the tremendous response that Bolt receives from his fans wherever he goes. As a natural showman both on and off the track, he knows how to please his audience and leave them wanting more. Despite the pressures that come with being in the public eye, Bolt always seems to be happy to sign autographs, pose for pictures and make charity appearances.

If you want your business to stand out from the rest, take a page from Bolt's book. Think about how you can 'wow' your customers by meeting their needs, offering incentives, and going above and beyond the call of duty to serve them. What would it take for your customers to leave with a smile on their faces and the resolve to come back for more of your product or service?

Marketing makes the difference

With his engaging personality, photo-ready antics and viral 'To Di Worl' pose, Bolt is a marketer's dream come true. He has been able to attract many sponsors because he delivers a package that goes beyond his ability to run. His promotional income could outperform his on-track earnings, and places him among other sports superstars such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

To increase the earning capacity of your business, make use of innovative marketing tactics. Even if you have the best product or service in the world, you won't get sales if no one knows who you are or where to find you. Like Bolt, go for the international stage by using strategies such as online sales and social media involvement to market your business.

Don't get complacent

As Bolt discovered recently, if you underestimate your competitors it can have devastating results. When 100-metre World Champion Yohan Blake stunned the world by beating him twice at the Jamaica national trials, it was definitely a wake-up call for Bolt to focus more on his preparations to defend his Olympic titles.

While Bolt was able to recover quickly and regain his position as the world's fastest man, it may not be so easy to reclaim a lost business advantage. If you're doing well in your enterprise, be aware that the competition has its sights set on taking your place. Use surveys, focus groups and direct communication to ensure that you stay on top of changing customer demands in your industry.

So as you celebrate Bolt's phenomenal victory, think of other ways in which he could inspire you to be more successful in business!

Cherryl Hanson Simpson is a Jamaican entrepreneur, Money-Coach, Business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. She enjoys talking and listening to people and helping them to achieve their dreams. Her upcoming book, "The 3 Ms of Money" will reveal all the secrets she learned about financial success. Read more about Cherryl at: http://financiallysmartadvice.com and http://entrepreneursinjamaica.com/

Top 6 Meta Patterns Why People Don’t Make More Progress On Their Goals (& What To Do About It)
                                                                                                    By Tom O’Connor

Here are the top 6 meta-patterns frequently found when people fail to reach on their goals. Accompanying these are the corresponding NLP-based solutions.

These aren't the only 6; there are many more. But when you consistently sort for these five, you'll make a quantum-leap forward in your ability to produce important goal-oriented results on time - every time.

1. Lack of clarity, defined in sensory based words of what they want

Getting clear, really clear on what you want and what it will take to get it takes effort. Often people overlook the need for clarity and settle for abstract fuzzy language about what they really want and therefore have a difficult time achieving it.

Solution:
Take twenty minutes to guide yourself through a set of clarifying questions about what you really want. Put yourself into a relaxed determined state.

You can use the NLP-outcome-model and Meta Model to help you get clear on what you want. Make sure you write it down and you pen and paper to clarify your thought process.

Many people try to plan their goals or overcome problems by “thinking it out” in their head. They fail to take the time to write it out. This is a big mistake. Writing it out acts as a dissociative process and allows you to see the BIG PICTURE more easily. It also helps you see how different component and pieces fit together.

Do it. Write it out. You'll find it will greatly help.

2. Ambivalent feelings about doing the task

Ambivalence, feeling indifferent or non-motivated/stuck is a common feeling many folks will describe when telling you why they haven't yet taken action (after they typically first tell you a shaggy dog story about all the superficial things they have done that we each fool ourselves into thinking is progress).

If this applies to you, you'll often find yourself saying "I want to x". But when you examine the pattern of your behaviours, you'll find that you don't actually take any meaningful actions to move forward. And you haven't been for a long time. Everyone has one or more areas of their life where this applies. The idea is not to get trapped inside justifying your situation or why you haven't taken action, but rather quickly shift gears to what you need to do to get the task done.

Solution:
Use pen and paper to Meta Model your thinking about the issue.

Thoughts and feelings of ambivalence or “can't get motivated to…” arise from a specific set of thoughts and repeated actions. The more you practice this (instantiate the pattern) the more your brain allocates that as THE way to act whenever the said topic comes up.

For example, whenever you think about doing X project, your internal dialogue says “Awwww, I don't know what I should be doing there, I'm too tired now and besides I've got that other thing I need to get done”… and quickly your brain switches channels (you distracts yourself) and bingo… the thought train disappears from your consciousness.

After you've unpacked how you are using your mind-body to create this state-response, shift your focus and condition your brain-body with how you want it to act instead.

Re-orient your thinking so that taking action towards the goal results in you feeling better - each time you make some progress towards it.

Make taking action a fun rewarding process so that the more you do - the more eager you are to finish it.

Depending on your character you can find any number of ways to make this naturally work for you. For example, if you are competitive you might make taking action a points-based game where you challenge yourself to “score” better each week than the week before or some variation.

3. Fail To Scope The Task Adequately

Anytime we undertake a goal that has more than one step to it, it's very useful to sufficiently scope out each of the major tasks involved quickly and ensure we can gather and arrange the resources required to fulfill them.

Unfortunately when the path to the goal is unfamiliar or new, many people fail to outline the key tasks involved. And, so, the achievement of the goal almost immediately falls into peril. (Typically the results of this inaction don't show their heads till much later, by which time the consequences have already occurred.)

Solution:
The NLP toolset gives us a powerful array of models that when internalised, and well practiced, would greatly help any manager or leader responsible for producing results.

Using the Meta Model, the NLP TOTE model and the Michael Breen's Framing Tool well will give you everything you are likely to need to quickly scope out any size of project. Of course for projects that go into virgin territory for you, you'll need to engage the input of others but knowing what questions to ask will save you a huge amount of time.

Many people's goals are abstract statements like “I want to be healthier” or “I want to be financially free”. These free floating statements have nothing identifiable in the world that a video camera can zero in on, and so neither does your brain. Without a timeframe your brain doesn't get the benefit of feeling the deadline draw closer, and so often there is no internal signal to act because at a sub-modality level you keep pushing the picture further away.

Avoid this problem by scoping out what needs to get done in sensory specific actions and set deadlines for every important goal. Once you do you'll see a rapid increase in your progress.

4. Fail To Carry Out Frequent Checks

Even when you know what you want clearly, you've considered the scope, resources, set a timeframe and have a good plan, many people forget to build in frequent external checks… and so weeks, months, years go by and still no meaningful progress occurs.

Solution:
Take the time to schedule in frequent reviews each week and month on your most important goals. The more you measure the quicker you can identify when you are “off course” and make a few critical adjustments that can make all the difference on whether your achieve your goal or not.

5. Fail To Act!

Failure to act is another common pattern for not hitting your goals.

Often people don't have more of what they want because they got caught up in talking, thinking and spiraling around a topic… but never acting and following through.

Usually when I dig under the surface reasons as to why they haven't taken any significant action before it arises that one of three things are present:

• They don't believe achieving the goal is possible for them.
• Emotionally they are filled with fear, uncertainty and doubt about the goal.
• They don't really want it, it's really someone else's desire for them or they have some level of cross-motivation occurring.
• They haven't defined the criteria adequately to figure out where/how to act.

 
Solution:
Act more, talk less.

Use the NLP toolset to think differently, think better and transform any negative self-talk so you take action each and every day toward achieving what you want. Measure your performance and very quickly you'll realise if you are generating elaborate stories about why you aren't taking action. If you are - become curious to discover how you are thinking to produce this result… then change it (where appropriate).

6. We Let Ourselves Get Stopped

Hard coded into the DNA of NLP is the attitude of having a tenuous resolve when in pursuit of an outcome.  It's fair to say that the field is unlikely to have gotten as far as it has without the commitment and willingness of Dr. Bandler and John Grinder to move beyond the opposing opinions and obstacles of the early days.

Whenever we fail to achieve what we want what is usually missing from the narrative is “I let myself become stopped” or “I choose to stop because…” Typically what is expressed is how several legitimate and sometime not so legitimate external obstacles (money, time, knowledge etc) stopped them. They ran into resistance (or what they perceived as problems/issues/challenges) and they stopped.

Solution:
In yourself – condition a resourceful “never give up” attitude. Temper it with intelligence and wisdom so you can be identify those few occasions where it makes sense not to ride a bad idea into the ground.

How can you condition in a resourceful attitude?

There are many ways but one of the quickest is to act “as if”… you have the resolve to see your goals through whenever obstacles arise. When you act as if, you shift your focus to doing the behaviour you want… until it becomes your new habituated way of being.

You can also build an internally driven propulsion system to keep you moving when times get tough. You can do this by using well-targeted questions on yourself to identify what are all of the positive things that will happen for you and what are all the consequences if you don't. Amplify and anchor your states. Use sub-modality exercises to stir up your resolve and use anchoring so that when obstacles arise rather than getting side tracked and off focus, your brain instantly goes “this problem is gone… it just doesn't know it yet!”

Then act.

OK, that's all for now. Review your own goal performance this year and for any goals you didn't make “enough” progress on so far. Identify which pattern or patterns are affecting you. Then resolve to change them today. Act with a sense of urgency and put into practice the solutions I've outlined above and you can make a huge leap forward in the results you achieve in the months ahead.

The process isn't difficult, but it does require some quiet time, focus and tenacity.


NLP Times – one of the web's leading resource for learning NLP online. Discover free articles, videos, techniques and more at www.nlptimes.com

 
There is an adage that says, "Show me an excuse, and I will show you a failure!" Emmy-award winning actress Kathryn Joosten certainly wasn't someone wallowing in excuses!

Some of us can learn quite a few things from this woman of action!

                                                                       Go For Your Goal(d)-tip number 02
                                                                               “Mobilize Your Resources!”

USE THE RESOURCES you are in control of.

You know what it is you want; you know what it is you feel the desire to achieve.The next thing to do is ask yourself, “What resources do I have that will assist me in getting it?” If your current resources are insufficient, then ask yourself this: what resources am I in control of that I can use to get the additional ones I need to achieve my goal?” In short, you - already possess the tools you need to make your objective a reality. Use them!

You will be amazed, once you realize, how easy it is to access your resources. One of the issues is this simple: In order to access those resources, it's necessary to be able to "be in a position" to access them. Taking this literally, "being in a position means just that . . . and "the" position is one where you can dissociate from your timeline so that you can access the past, which is where resources "come from." When we are "in time", meaning associated, we may not be able to access the past as easily or as quickly, or we may not even consider that as an option at all, simply because we are "in time", and the idea of "remembering to access the past, is a resource in and of itself. It is, however, both a resource and an option.

So, manipulating your timeline(s) in ways that enable you to access your resources easily and quickly, is important to creating success . . . for yourself first!

Go For Your Goal(d)!

© Copyright – John G. Johnson 2012 - All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to: www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

                                                                          Go For Your Goal(d)-tip number 01
                                         "5 Ways People Sabotage Themselves...And How To Avoid Them!"
                                                                                           By Bob Hatem

PEOPLE SABOTAGE attaining their goals in many ways. The following five examples are just random possibilities. None of these is more important than another, although many of you reading them will “feel” that one is more important... why? Because that one may be the way in which you sabotage yourself!

First, having a time limit in which to have the goal accomplished. Allow yourself the time necessary to get everything done.

Second, having a goal so large that it can become overwhelming. If your goal is too large, - divide it into smaller, easier to handle pieces.

Third, depending upon others to “do it for you”. Own your goal; take the initiative to get it done.

Fourth, procrastination. Adjust your goal if necessary and crank up your motivation.

Fifth, goals that have components contrary to your beliefs or values. Work with someone who knows the process for setting achievable goals. Working with a “consultant”, you will have guidance to make sure you have all the necessary “components” and have an observer who will check if you are giving unconscious
hints that something is not quite right.


© Copyright – John G. Johnson 2012 - All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to: www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com

                                                                             Go For Your Goal(d)


HAVE YOU EVER focused your mind to achieve an outcome, only to fall short, or a long way from it?Around this time most people attempt to fixate their mind and attitude towards the goal or goals they wish to achieve for the year – and probably beyond. Some engage in this behaviour even earlier. Either way you look at it, orienting your mind to achieving your desired outcome is something that can be done – anytime – not just at the beginning of a calendar year.

WHAT IS interesting is that a significant amount of these “goal setters” fail to get what they want, allowing their dream or dreams to fall by the wayside, blaming environment and circumstance(s) for their failure(s). I've heard it often said, “show me an excuse, I'll show you a failure.”

ONE OF the ways you can look at this thing called “failure” is that it is actually “feedback.” Looking at your unintended result from this vantage point allows you to ask yourself one of many well-defined questions, allowing you to find the “missing link(s)” that will assist you to get your goal(d).

WHAT COULD this critical persuasive factor, or factors, be that's causing one, possibly you, to fall - just arms length of your life's ambition? Attaining your successful goal requires various persuasive ingredients. But, for our purposes here I am going to let you in on three often overlooked secrets to success.

GOALS MUST BE stated in the positive and be specific. This makes perfect sense because our minds are direction-oriented. For example, let‟s say your goal is simply to buy a car. Constantly saying, “I don't want a truck, I don't want a van, etc.” is counter-productive, a waste of your personal persuasive abilities. Instead, it would be easier and more persuasively productive to state your intent in the positive. “I want to buy a car,” OR something that is positively directionally oriented to what you –specifically - want. The clearer you make your language match the image you have of what you want, the better off you will be. To continue with the car example, saying you want a car is not specific enough.

WHAT type of car do you want? “I want a Jaguar XJS!” And even more specific, “I want an ebony black Jaguar XJS, etc! Get the point, yes? Have you ever heard the axiom, “watch your words?”

MAKE SURE your goal is sensory based. You and I know that human beings have five senses. (Yes, an argument can be made that there are more. But that is for another discussion). Your goal must be represented in at least three of the five senses, (Seeing, Hearing, Feeling, Tasting and Smelling) Again, seeing that our minds are forward seeking, imbuing your senses and your "other than conscious mind" with what you want - engages all your inner resources to seamlessly drive you in the appropriate direction.

Let's take the car example again, or should I now say “the ebony black Jaguar XJS.” What will you see, hear and feel? What does the ebony black Jaguar XJS look like? How do the sun‟s rays glint off its chrome features? Can you see yourself in an open top or a closed roof of the ebony black Jaguar XJS? How does your dream car‟s engine purr as you ignite and tease its engine alive? How do you react to the smell of
the interior, the fragrance of a new car? How does the Italian leather bucket driver seat the feel as you float down securely and comfortably into it? How do your hands feel as you wrap your fingers around the steering wheel? How does this ebony black Jaguar XJS handle corners as you take it for a drive? ENGAGE YOUR SENSES. Wash your mind, your senses in your dream!

YOU MUST INITIATE the goal and maintain it yourself. Far too often people depend on some external factor, or factors, to make their dream come alive. (“oh, so and so "might" do this for me;” “I  hope that these things fall into place soon;” “I'll wait  for inspiration;” blah blah blah…)Yes, there could be circumstances that calls for such things, but those are not of what I am speaking of. Ask yourself this; “To get my goal what resources are under my control?” Let‟s take the car scenario we have been using  so far.

The person wanting this ebony black Jaguar XJS can get a job, allowing him/her to save money towards purchasing this car. This person has the ability to seek out dealerships that will offer the best price, etc. If this person wanting this ebony black Jaguar XJS said, “I'll sit and just hope to‟ win the lottery,” or “I'll wait until my rich relative passes on," or what have you, then the probability that he/she will get this car goes way, way and way down.

SIMPLY PUT – Take action; yourself - take charge! There is no need to wait on hopeful factors that are not under your control! Be the Master and Commander of your dreams so they can come blazingly alive; let your healthy ambitions resonate through every fibre of your being! Coagulate your resources!

THESE ARE SOME of the distinctions, the ingredients that make the difference between getting your bronze, silver or gold!


© Copyright – John G. Johnson 2012 - All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to: www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com