One of my favorite courses of study for self-development is Neuro-Linguistic Programming.   Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States in the 1970s. NLP analyzes the connection between neurological processes (neuro-), language (linguistic) and behavioral patterns learned through experience (programming), and that these can be changed to achieve specific goals in life.  Bandler and Grinder also claim that NLP methodology can "model" the skills of exceptional people, allowing anyone to acquire those skills.

Though it was built for clinical purposes, it's most common uses have been in the field of personal development.   NLP can be credited for putting formal structure to using Rapport in sales.   It also permeates almost everything you read or hear about performance optimization.

And, for better or worse, is synonymous with his most visible expert - Tony Robbins.   Though he has gone into many other areas, most of Tony's early (in my opinion way better) outputs where largely NLP.

I have heard NLP accurately described in many ways that all seem pretty true:

• NLP is about how words and thoughts lead to goals and actions
• The quality of our life experiences are largely driven by the quality of the conversations that we have with ourselves and others.  NLP provides the effective framework
• NLP is the study of what works and how to replicate it.
• If you think if the brain as a cell phone, NLP is how you add and remove aps to make it work better.

Or one of my first thoughts was "Jesus Christ, it's like I'm seeing into the matrix."

Basically, yeah, I like it.

So, I am making a series of shorter (than this) posts on what NLP is about and how it can help you in everyday life.   This is going to follow the path of the "Pre-suppositions" that NLP is built around.   This is a group of 14 premises that are effective enough to be held as truths when building your model of the world.

But first, we are going to look at the NLP model for manifestation.   Like many thing in NLP, it's going to seem pretty common sense.   Which is kind of what NLP is all about.   NLP doesn’t not focus on right or wrong, or should or should.   It revolves around "is this effective" and "does it serve you"??

Which, to me, is waayyy more important and less subjective.

It's also nice because simplicity is important for replication.   Building many models on many parts of life to help make your life serve your more effectively.   So let's look at the Path to Manifestation:

This is the roadmap for how you add anything to you life.   It works on a new car or a new skill.   And as you will learn from this series (every Thursday)  -- The best part is that YOU ALREADY DO IT.   All day, every day.

Being a leader is like being a parent, and you each employee should be treated like a new member of the family.   When a father gives away the bride, it's ceremonially saying "I have taken care of her this far.  And I trust you to take care of her from here."  

It should be the same when they send our children to your company.  When we do that, the employees will take on the name of the company, with pride, like it was their family name.   They will wear the logo with pride.  They will defend the company's name as if it was their own.  

Leaders of great companies do not see their people as a commodity to be managed to grow the money.   These companies don't sacrifice the people to save the numbers.   They use the money as a way to grow the people.   That way the people are the fuel that burns to grow a bigger and more robust organization.  They feed the hearts and souls of the people who work there.   And, in return, they give everything they got to make the organization grow and grow and grow.  

You must see the money as subordinate to the people.    And you must be careful to hire talent sufficient to inspire you to feel this way.   If you cannot hire and train people to be valuable enough to see their value, you must re-evaluate your ability to hire and train.  

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This is a sneak peak of a new series coming on the GREAT book "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek.  You loved him in "Start with Why" and you will keep loving him in "Leaders Eat Last."   Or at least -for the love of God - watch his TED talk.   It's only like the most watched one ever.