The intriguing thing about neurosciences and psychology is its existence even before its discovery. Common knowledge tells us that Neuro Linguistic Programming is a  recent concept coined in the 1970s. Yet, when we look back at mythology, we begin to realise that NLP is indeed the study of what worked (and what continues to work).

Today on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, let’s examine how NLP happens to be in alignment with the wisdom of the scriptures.

Let’s begin by having a look at five concepts from the field of NLP as demonstrated in Lord Hanuman’s life.

1. State management:
   State management is emotion management. Lord Hanuman was known for managing his emotions really well. Be it at the time of getting Sanjeevani, or while saving Devi Sita, his emotional states helped him to achieve his outcomes.

2. Anchoring:
   Lord Hanumana’s “Jai Shree Ram” became a war-cry or slogan of strength and is even used today in day-to-day life.

3. Goal-setting:
   Hanumanji’s mission to find and rescue Devi Sita, Lord Rama’s wife, is an example of achieving the goals with outcome orientation. NLP, provides the tools to set clear, specific goals and develop strategies for achieving them. Lord Hanuman had set his goals with such immense clarity about the outcome (i.e. to save Devi Sita), that he even went to the extent of burning the Lanka to attain this outcome.

4. Identity level:
   One of the famous lines rendered by Lord Hanuman is: राम का हूँ भक्त मैं, रूद्र का अवतार हूँ, अंजनी का लाल हूँ मैं, दर्जनों का काल हूँ, साधुजन के साथ हूँ मैं, निर्बलों की आस हूँ, सद्गुणों का मान हूँ मैं, हां मैं हनुमान हूँ।

(Translation: I am Devotee of Ram, I am Incarnation of Rudra, I am Son of Anjali, I am End of Evil, I am Company of Saints, I am Hope of the Weak, I am Respect of the Virtues, Yes I am Hanuman)

From an perspective of the 6 Logical Levels in NLP, these are all powerful identities that Lord Hanuman identified himself with. When you associate yourself by creating stronger identities (“I am” level statements), you empower yourself to attain higher levels of success in life.

5. The Presuppositions of NLP:

The NLP Presuppositions (also known as the Beliefs of Excellence) can easily be found to have similarities with the learnings from various mythological scriptures. Let’s see here how some of these NLP presuppositions can be connected with the beliefs of Lord Hanuman:

a. People have all the resources they need to achieve their goals:

Lord Hanuman’s ability to cross the ocean, find Devi Sita, and defeat the demon king Ravana are all examples of his resourcefulness and determination. He never relied on finding help and rather became the help by discovering strength in himself by taking challenges head on. This tells us that we all have our answers/solutions and resources within.

b. There is no failure, only feedback:

Lord Hanuman’s various setbacks and challenges throughout his mission to find Sita could be seen as feedback, which he used to adjust his approach and try again. For example, when he was captured by Ravana’s soldiers, he used the opportunity to gather information and learn more about his enemy.

c. People are not their behaviours:

Lord Hanuman’s ability to see the good in others, even when they were acting in harmful ways, demonstrates his understanding that people are not defined by their behaviors. For example, he was able to see past Ravana’s violent actions and recognize his intelligence and cunning, which helped him in his mission to find Devi Sita.

History repeats itself – that’s an age-old adage. While looking back at Lord Hanuman’s life, we can not only find traces of NLP, but hopefully, after reading this, we all can find a little glimpse of Lord Hanuman in us.

Happy Hanuman Janmotsava.

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Once upon a time, a sparrow, who had laid three eggs in her nest, went out to get food. When it returned, it saw that one egg was missing. That egg was picked up by a monkey, who took it to a farm and placed it amongst the eggs of a hen. At the expected time, the chickens came out and so did a little sparrow. The sparrow followed the lifestyle of chickens and never learnt to fly.

“You don’t know what you don’t know.”

The sparrow never knew that it was not a hen. Why? Because every creature on this planet has a limited knowledge. Yes! Every creature including the big thinking hats amongst humankind too. Be it Steve Jobs or Satya Nadela, nobody knows it all. 

Believe it or not, many of us have been that sparrow who was designed to fly, but remained unaware of its own capability. What makes us different from animals is NOT the learning, but the conscious awareness about the power of learning. Knowing that we don’t know is the first step towards knowing ourselves and our egos deeply.

“You don’t know what you don’t know” – this phrase highlights the importance of understanding the limitations of our own knowledge. It reminds us that we may not be aware of important information or insights that are crucial to making informed decisions. This applies to all areas of life, from personal relationships to business and management.

The repercussions of discarding this mindset may result in lack of ideas, rigid mindset, high-level stereotyping, cognitive biases etc.

At its core, the phrase “You don’t know what you don’t know” is about humility and self-awareness. It encourages us to acknowledge that there may be gaps in our understanding and that we should always be open to learning new things. It also reminds us to be cautious and humble in our interactions with others, recognizing that they too may have valuable insights that we are not aware of.

One of the most common examples of “You don’t know what you don’t know” is in the realm of technology. Many people assume that they are knowledgeable about technology simply because they use it every day. However, the reality is that technology is constantly evolving, and there are always new developments and innovations that we may not be aware of. For example, most of the daily users of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are not experts in the complex algorithms that power these platforms, and we may not fully understand the impact that they have on our lives.

In business and management, the concept of “You don’t know what you don’t know” can be particularly important. Business leaders must be constantly vigilant, seeking out new information and insights to stay ahead of the competition. They must also be willing to admit when they don’t know something, and seek out the expertise of others who may have a different perspective. 

The advent of Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT is also the result of a similar mindset, where we as humans accept that we don’t know what we don’t know.

Finally, “You don’t know what you don’t know” is also applicable to personal relationships – whether romantic, platonic, or professional. It is important to recognize that we don’t know everything about the other person. We may make assumptions or judgments based on incomplete information or our own biases, without fully understanding their experiences or perspectives. By recognizing the limitations of our own knowledge and being open to learning more about others, we can build stronger, more meaningful relationships based on trust and mutual understanding.

While embracing the principle that “You don’t know what you don’t know” is what can make us humble, empathetic and curious individuals, it can also be uncomfortable and challenging at the same time. Discomfort and challenge are often signs of growth and learning, that makes us more resilient and adaptable individuals.

Few months ago, I decided to enrol into a course, and even recommended the same to two of my friends from coaching community. One of them declined saying that this course is nothing but NLP wine in a different bottle, and that he is already an expert in NLP. This made my other friend wonder and she asked me why I am still interested in this course when I am already a Certified Master Trainer of NLP.  I shared my reasoning with her – “NLP is everywhere without it being called NLP. There are some NLP “experts” who see NLP everywhere and say ‘oh I know all this already’. And there are other NLP “learners” like me who see NLP everywhere and say ‘wow there is so much more to learn in NLP’. That’s the difference that makes the difference. By exploring what I don’t know, I will learn what I don’t know.”

Learning and growth are ongoing processes. We will never know everything there is to know, and there will always be new challenges and experiences to navigate. By embracing a growth mindset and committing to lifelong learning, we can continue to evolve and improve as individuals.

“If you are not willing to meet uncertainty, you will kill possibility.”

– Keren Eldad, Founder of With Enthusiasm 

To sum it up, in order to be ready to know more, we have to accept that we don’t know what we don’t know.

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“Imagine that you buy a bag of tomatoes and you are not allowed to keep it in fridge and you have to carry it everywhere you go. What will happen? Tomatoes will rot, right? Well the same happens with our emotional baggage. But with NLP in life, I remember and remind others also to remove the rotten tomatoes from life.” These were the words of K P Mamatha Rao, who shared the nuggets of her self-growth journey in the Women’s Day Special Session in W3 Success Academy.

In my journey of growth with NLP, I realised few things. Firstly the progress or growth that NLP provides is holistic, as it is a perfect combination of mind and body healing. Secondly, NLP has helped me more personally and then as I became a better person each day, I excelled automatically in my profession. Finally, the most amazing part about being a NLP coach is getting to witness the transformation of my mentees. While we had a special session for the female mentees as a token of salute to the womanhood, we came across constellation of powerful stories and equally powerfully emerging women from all walks of life. This women’s day, after such power-packed session I could not resist to write about NLP as a revolutionary tool for women. So here we are today, on International Women’s Day, dedicating a post for women and how NLP became their genie who fulfilled not just one but many wishes, dreams and goals.

“Everything begins from subconscious and subconscious is built up by everything.” A thought, a belief, a pattern and even the habit; everything stems from subconscious. So does success and failure. If our subconscious mind is the pencil, then the sharpener is NLP. The thoughts and patterns, which handcuff us unknowingly, are no less than the dust we need to remove in order to shine.

What is NLP?

NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) is a psychological approach that focuses on the connection between neurological processes (neuro), language (linguistic), and behavioural patterns (programming). The core belief of NLP is that by understanding and changing the way we think, communicate, and behave, we can improve our lives and achieve our goals.

NLP was developed in the 1970s by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, who studied successful therapists and communicators and identified patterns in their language, behaviour, and mindset. They then created a set of techniques and tools that could be used to replicate those patterns and help others achieve similar success. Thus NLP is rightly also known as the study of the difference that makes the difference.

How can NLP benefit women?

Most women face a unique set of challenges in their personal and professional lives. They may struggle with issues such as self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and work-life balance. NLP can be a powerful tool to help women overcome these challenges and achieve their goals.

Here are some ways that NLP can benefit women:

1. Improved Communication Skills

At its very basic level, NLP teaches effective communication skills, including active listening, rapport building, and persuasive language. Regardless of any gender, sharpening these skills can make you more effective in your personal and professional relationships, which can help you achieve your goals.

2. Better Inner Chatter (evolved communication with self)

While NLP uses language patterns to change the state and perceptions of mind which lead towards better and impactful communication, there is something more to it than just this. And that is your inner self-talk, which is often the root cause of many issues. This is where NLP hits the nail. Women often face the negative inner chatter due to several reasons such as self-doubt, doing justice to family as well as self-growth, imposter syndrome, etc. By using right words that can change an “away from” orientation to a “towards” orientation, NLP has reframed many inner chatters in women while putting a positive shade in their lives. Once the inner self-talk is improvised, the road to growth becomes smoother.

3. Breaking the Shackles

“Whether you can or whether you can’t, both are true.” While there are circumstantial hiccups everywhere, the human mind, which is more conditioned to remain threatened rather than happy, has a tendency to think and notice negative first. Thanks to the societal stereotyping, many women often face limiting beliefs that hold them back from achieving their full potential. These beliefs may include thoughts such as “I’m not good enough” or “I don’t deserve success.” NLP can help in identifying and overcoming these limiting beliefs, allowing them to achieve their goals with confidence.

4. Improved self-esteem and Quality of Life

Be it reframing, language patterns or anchoring, NLP techniques are just the much needed spell for women to not just change, but to revive their self-esteem. Once the negative patterns, inner chatter and self-esteem are taken care of, the quality of life and overall relationships also thrive. By changing negative self-talk and focusing on empowering beliefs, women can build a stronger sense of self-worth and overcome feelings of self-doubt.

5. Better work-life balance

NLP can help women manage their time and priorities, allowing them to achieve a better work-life balance. By setting clear goals and using time management techniques, women can focus on what is important and make the most of their time.

6. A Better Society

The core fabric of a good society begins from womanhood. If women are empowered, the nation is empowered. Although there have been enough initiatives out there to take stand for women, NLP works as a personalised inner pocket tool in mind, which women can use as a shield to stay protected in day to day life and bloom to their fullest, while building a better society. When a woman is healthy and happy, the family and social scene gets a higher happiness curve.

In conclusion, NLP is a powerful tool that can help women overcome challenges, improve their communication skills, and achieve their goals. By identifying limiting beliefs, using empowering language, practicing visualization, and cultivating gratitude, women can use NLP to empower themselves and create the life they desire. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us recognize the strength and resilience of women, and support them in their journey towards personal and professional success. Wish you the NEXT LEVEL PROGRESS through NLP.

Witness the moment where 12 empowered ladies (all NLP Master Practitioners) share their success stories of how NLP has been an enabler, empowering women to reach new heights in their personal and professional lives, exclusively on the YouTube channel of W3 Coach.

https://youtu.be/O0EAxOfOdMc

Continue Your W3 Journey

The conversation doesn’t have to end here. Explore, reflect and continue your journey across Wealth, Wisdom and Wellness.

What’s Your W3 Quotient?

How balanced is your success across Wealth, Wisdom and Wellness?

Take a few minutes to discover your W3 Quotient. You may find that the results reveal something worth thinking about.

→ Discover Your W3 Quotient

Never Miss a New Thought

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Discover the Magic in the Mundane

NLP is all around us, in our conversations, choices, behaviours and everyday experiences.

NLP Around You is my weekly exploration of these fascinating, often unnoticed patterns. Subscribe and receive each new edition directly in your inbox.

→ Subscribe to NLP Around You

Outwardly Successful. Inwardly Stuck?

Sometimes, knowing what to do isn’t enough.

If you find yourself overthinking, procrastinating, reacting in ways you later regret, or repeating patterns you already know aren’t helping, join me for a free 90-minute live webinar:

OUTWARDLY SUCCESSFUL. INWARDLY STUCK?
The NLP Approach to Real Change

Discover what may really be happening beneath the patterns you want to change.

→ Reserve Your Free Seat