Using NLP Perceptual Positions to Help People Who Feel Stuck

Before I tell you about my friend’s transformation, I will explain what NLP Perceptual Positions is.

NLP Perceptual Positions is a technique that has a person experience a situation from multiple positions – first, second and third. This can be a helpful exercise when a someone needs a new perspective on relationships or any difficult circumstance.The following story will illustrate this concept.

I had not seen my friend for very long time. I didn’t recognize him at first. His smile was not the same and his energy level was lower. I never thought I would see him like this. I decided to take him to Starbuck’s and have a talk over a cup of amazing creamy cappuccino.

From the moment I met him, he was saying that “everything has gone, time is too late”. I recognized that the dominant thought in his mind is “it’s too late”. He was living under the impression that he would not be able to accomplish anything in his life because like was too short now.

With tears in his eyes, he was telling me that his job was about to be over because his company is going out of business and he will be on the street very soon. And he may not find a job later because he was not working with his talents and is not young anymore. He thought that what he had to do was sell his car, start thinking about his bills, and somehow deal with his wife. His VAK movie was terrible. It was not going to help him move forward, so I got my favorite pen and on a piece of paper, started writing down every limiting believe he was saying.

Limiting Beliefs

Before moving forward with him, I wanted to know who or what may change his limiting beliefs. I asked him about his childhood hero. He told me it was Bill Gates. I knew he was into programming but didn’t know he liked it so much from childhood. I decided to use NLP Perceptual Positions with him.

To do this I had him read all the sentences I wrote down earlier. I asked him to read them once more loudly, and imagine that Bill Gates was in front of him listening to what he was saying. I asked him to imagine that Bill Gates is responding to these sentences. What could he tell you about what you are saying? Will he agree with you or not? Then I asked him to imagine his kids listening to these sentences and how would they feel? How would his wife feel?

Later he recognized that the circumstance was not the problem and it may be his awareness. He said his company will be there for the next three months with little work to do and would have free time to prepare for the upcoming period. He decided to invest more in learning and education and get rid of all the useless activities he did on a daily basis.

NLP Perceptual Positions Sets In

Weeks later I met with him and he told me that he felt very happy. He was very close to his wife as never before, as he felt her support for him. He was also trying to move forward with an opportunity that appeared to him that would let him live the life of his dreams.

“Thanks to the life crisis, it holds in the very deep of it the very best for us, but the road to this best occurs in the change of mindset and awareness”, he said.

He was able to achieve this change of mindset by seeing his situation and limiting beliefs from an outside perspective, other than his own. When we are inside out situation it is very hard to see the solutions or have the awareness to problem solve.This is when NLP perceptual positions can give you a new perspective.

You can do this activity on your own. The next time you are faced with a problem that seems hopeless, simply write down all your limiting beliefs. Then, step outside yourself and see them from someone you look up to. Imagine what they would tell you or the solutions they might come up with.

If this is difficult for you to do on your own, feel free to contact me. Email me at nabil_el_hady@yahoo.com to set up a time to talk.