"The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. A great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty." - Theodore Parker
Many times during consultations or via email, people ask me questions about vision and communications etc.
What they're really asking me about is how can they change?
And more importantly for them, how can they change quickly?
One of the fastest ways to change the results you're getting in your life is to change your thoughts. By changing what goes on inside, you change what goes on outside.
Those little images, sounds and feelings that dart through your head during the day have a tremendous impact on you. They can alter the direction of your mindset and your results.
Even those that appear harmless can nudge you off course by a mere degree or two or three. That simple miscalculation in your thinking can cause major misfortune down the road.
You only have to be off course by a few degrees to miss your destination by what seems to be a million miles.
You can't go forward looking in the rear view mirror. You can't make a fortune if you're thinking about being broke. You can't create a fit body if you're thoughts are about you have to lose weight because you're fat...
You get the point.
Be aware of the thoughts that go through your head. If they aren't bringing you closer to your goal, then CANCEL those thoughts.
Say this out loud to yourself:
"CANCEL that! What I meant to say/think/picture is..."
This simple technique will dramatically alter your focus and thereby your direction, creating more empowering results.
If you're looking for lasting change in your life, your thoughts are an excellent place to start. Whatever is in your mind consistently and backed up with emotional intensity, will manifest in your life.
Whether you believe to be true or not is irrelevant.
This is a bit of a review and I do that for a reason.
Basics, Basics, Basics. The more you read it, the more you see it, the more you do it - the better you get.
As the saying goes, "Listen to me now, believe me later."
David Martin
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thinking Out Loud
"The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example." - Thomas Morell
Language is a powerful filter on our individual experience. Its part of the culture we're born into and is difficult to change. It channels our thoughts in particular directions, making it easy to think in some ways it difficult to think and others.
Our language makes fine distinctions in some areas and not in others, depending on what's important in the culture. For example, we have dozens of words for a hamburger and a multitude of different names for cars.
The world is as rich and varied as we choose to make it, and the language we inherit plays a crucial part in directing our attention to some parts of it and not others.
Our thoughts are not determined by language. While we can and do think in words, our thoughts are also a mixture of mental pictures, sounds and feelings. Knowing a language is knowing how to translate these into words.
The question we want to explore here is, what happens to our thoughts as we clothe them in language, and how faithfully are they preserved when our listeners undress them?
Language, of course, has its own ambiguities. For example, the newspaper article headed: "Census Gives Facts On Men Broken Down By Age, Sex and Occupation." Leaving these sorts of examples aside, words have different meanings to different people, because no two people have had the same experiences.
Words are anchors for sense experience, but the experience is not the reality, and the word is not the experience. Language is thus two moves from reality. To argue about the real meaning of a word is like arguing that one menu tastes better than the other because you prefer the food that is printed on it.
People who learn another language, nearly all report, a radical change in the way they think about the world.
Remember no matter what you think you are, you are always more than that!
David Martin
PS - for a one on one exploration of what NLP can do for you in your pursuit of excellence, send an email to "info at answerconcepts.com". Include your phone number and the best time to call.
Language is a powerful filter on our individual experience. Its part of the culture we're born into and is difficult to change. It channels our thoughts in particular directions, making it easy to think in some ways it difficult to think and others.
Our language makes fine distinctions in some areas and not in others, depending on what's important in the culture. For example, we have dozens of words for a hamburger and a multitude of different names for cars.
The world is as rich and varied as we choose to make it, and the language we inherit plays a crucial part in directing our attention to some parts of it and not others.
Our thoughts are not determined by language. While we can and do think in words, our thoughts are also a mixture of mental pictures, sounds and feelings. Knowing a language is knowing how to translate these into words.
The question we want to explore here is, what happens to our thoughts as we clothe them in language, and how faithfully are they preserved when our listeners undress them?
Language, of course, has its own ambiguities. For example, the newspaper article headed: "Census Gives Facts On Men Broken Down By Age, Sex and Occupation." Leaving these sorts of examples aside, words have different meanings to different people, because no two people have had the same experiences.
Words are anchors for sense experience, but the experience is not the reality, and the word is not the experience. Language is thus two moves from reality. To argue about the real meaning of a word is like arguing that one menu tastes better than the other because you prefer the food that is printed on it.
People who learn another language, nearly all report, a radical change in the way they think about the world.
Remember no matter what you think you are, you are always more than that!
David Martin
PS - for a one on one exploration of what NLP can do for you in your pursuit of excellence, send an email to "info at answerconcepts.com". Include your phone number and the best time to call.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
In the News - UPDATES
It's been a while since the last post here, a bit over 2 years. There have been other projects etc, however I've made a new commitment to blogging and keeping you up to date on all the latest happenings right here on this very blog.
So, sign up for the newsletter and add us to your RSS feeds and all that good stuff. There will be regular posts combined with video and audio. The basics will be addressed so that you can build a solid foundation and expand from there.
I look forward to creating a variety of compelling experiences with you.
Best of health & Wealth,
David Martin
info at answerconcepts.com
So, sign up for the newsletter and add us to your RSS feeds and all that good stuff. There will be regular posts combined with video and audio. The basics will be addressed so that you can build a solid foundation and expand from there.
I look forward to creating a variety of compelling experiences with you.
Best of health & Wealth,
David Martin
info at answerconcepts.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Thinking Out Loud
"The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example." - Thomas Morell
Language is a powerful filter on our individual experience. Its part of the culture we’re born into and is difficult to change. It channels our thoughts in particular directions, making it easy to think in some ways it difficult to think and others.
Our language makes fine distinctions in some areas and not in others, depending on what’s important in the culture. For example, we have dozens of words for a hamburger and a multitude of different names for cars.
The world is as rich and varied as we choose to make it, and the language we inherit plays a crucial part in directing our attention to some parts of it and not others.
Our thoughts are not determined by language. While we can and do think in words, our thoughts are also a mixture of mental pictures, sounds and feelings. Knowing a language is knowing how to translate these into words.
The question we want to explore here is, what happens to our thoughts as we clothe them in language, and how faithfully are they preserved when our listeners undress them?
Language, of course, has its own ambiguities, for example the newspaper article headed: “Census Gives Facts On Men Broken Down By Age, Sex and Occupation.” Leaving these sorts of examples aside, words have different meanings to different people, because no two people have had the same experiences.
Words are anchors for sense experience, but the experience is not the reality, and the word is not the experience. Language is thus two moves from reality. To argue about the real meaning of a word is like arguing that one menu tastes better than the other because you prefer the food that is printed on it.
People who learn another language, nearly all its report, a radical change in the way they think about the world.
The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts, S.A.
answerconcepts@msn.com
Language is a powerful filter on our individual experience. Its part of the culture we’re born into and is difficult to change. It channels our thoughts in particular directions, making it easy to think in some ways it difficult to think and others.
Our language makes fine distinctions in some areas and not in others, depending on what’s important in the culture. For example, we have dozens of words for a hamburger and a multitude of different names for cars.
The world is as rich and varied as we choose to make it, and the language we inherit plays a crucial part in directing our attention to some parts of it and not others.
Our thoughts are not determined by language. While we can and do think in words, our thoughts are also a mixture of mental pictures, sounds and feelings. Knowing a language is knowing how to translate these into words.
The question we want to explore here is, what happens to our thoughts as we clothe them in language, and how faithfully are they preserved when our listeners undress them?
Language, of course, has its own ambiguities, for example the newspaper article headed: “Census Gives Facts On Men Broken Down By Age, Sex and Occupation.” Leaving these sorts of examples aside, words have different meanings to different people, because no two people have had the same experiences.
Words are anchors for sense experience, but the experience is not the reality, and the word is not the experience. Language is thus two moves from reality. To argue about the real meaning of a word is like arguing that one menu tastes better than the other because you prefer the food that is printed on it.
People who learn another language, nearly all its report, a radical change in the way they think about the world.
The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts, S.A.
answerconcepts@msn.com
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Where Do Your Values Come From?
"When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self." - Confucius
You will have gathered values all your life, starting from the day you were born, and carried some of them into adulthood.
What are they? How did you get them? What influence are they having on you?
Inherited values are possibly the most common.
As a child, you'll have been influenced by what was important to your parents, siblings, extended family, teachers and group leaders. Later on, you will have become a little more selective, adapting the values of your chosen heroes from the world of sport, fashion, film, music, politics and so on.
By the time you reached adulthood your values were already forming a major part of your adult programs. For example, if you are always told to finish your food at meal times, you may now be eating much more than you need. If your parents were very academic you may put a high value on acquiring formal qualifications.
Compensatory values are formed when you go to the other extreme to compensate for something which didn't happen for you. For example, if you had a deprived childhood you may compensate for this by overindulging your own children.
Your own judgments, or the way you perceive your own experiences will have an impact on the value you place on. If you have ever been burgled or robbed you are likely to place a high value on security, which may or may not be appropriate in some circumstances.
On the surface these values may seem innocent enough. However, under closer inspection it is surprising, what a major role they play in determining the way your life pants out.
When you recognize an uncomfortable tone, a feeling that all is not well, examine your values to determine whether what you are doing is violating a deeply held value.
A significant part of one on one coaching involves eliciting and creating a hierarchy of your values. Keeping your values aligned with personal mission is critical for maintaining your motivation.
Send an email to answerconcepts@msn.com to schedule a one on one consultation on determining your most important values. Be sure to include your telephone number.
Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up! The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts,
answerconcepts@msn.com
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Being Congruent
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." - Jim Rohn
Sometimes a change in behavior does not follow a change of thinking.
Have you ever been in a position where you have done something you didn’t want to do? Per haps you did it to please someone and then felt you had done yourself a disservice.
Or maybe you made a decision to lead a healthier lifestyle and take up running, aerobics, martial arts or yoga, but when the time came to attend a class or go to the gym you reverted to your previously conditioned bad habit. It’s at times like these you feel a misalignment.
This state of misalignment is what is known as “incongruence.” The behavior doesn’t match the level of desired or stated change. Deep inside you want to act a certain way, but when the time comes you resist the inner urge and say something like, “not this time” or “maybe next time.”
This is incongruence; it is not something that success thrives on. Success requires congruence and this means alignment on all levels from purpose, right down to behavior.
Only then can affect your environment in the way you really want. This is the process of building self-confidence – knowing that you have executed a change of mind and acted accordingly. Being able to recognize when you are being incongruent is the first step in making your desired change happen.
The feeling of incongruence doesn’t have to stem from a major life realization – it can happen during the course of a business meeting, a sales presentation or in a conversation with a partner. So whatever you’re doing, it pays to be able to be able to recognize feelings of incongruence.
When you take a close look at the times when you are being successful, chances are you are also feeling happy and confident. Of course you can imagine all sorts of bad things happening if you choose to, but when you’re engaged in the act of doing something superbly well is when you’ll be at your happiest.
There is an old saying, “if you have to ask yourself if you are happy then you are probably not.” Happiness is a state of mind, and you arrive at it through being congruent in your actions.
So now you know what comes next. It’s time for you to Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!
The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts, S.A.
answerconcepts@msn.com
Sometimes a change in behavior does not follow a change of thinking.
Have you ever been in a position where you have done something you didn’t want to do? Per haps you did it to please someone and then felt you had done yourself a disservice.
Or maybe you made a decision to lead a healthier lifestyle and take up running, aerobics, martial arts or yoga, but when the time came to attend a class or go to the gym you reverted to your previously conditioned bad habit. It’s at times like these you feel a misalignment.
This state of misalignment is what is known as “incongruence.” The behavior doesn’t match the level of desired or stated change. Deep inside you want to act a certain way, but when the time comes you resist the inner urge and say something like, “not this time” or “maybe next time.”
This is incongruence; it is not something that success thrives on. Success requires congruence and this means alignment on all levels from purpose, right down to behavior.
Only then can affect your environment in the way you really want. This is the process of building self-confidence – knowing that you have executed a change of mind and acted accordingly. Being able to recognize when you are being incongruent is the first step in making your desired change happen.
The feeling of incongruence doesn’t have to stem from a major life realization – it can happen during the course of a business meeting, a sales presentation or in a conversation with a partner. So whatever you’re doing, it pays to be able to be able to recognize feelings of incongruence.
When you take a close look at the times when you are being successful, chances are you are also feeling happy and confident. Of course you can imagine all sorts of bad things happening if you choose to, but when you’re engaged in the act of doing something superbly well is when you’ll be at your happiest.
There is an old saying, “if you have to ask yourself if you are happy then you are probably not.” Happiness is a state of mind, and you arrive at it through being congruent in your actions.
So now you know what comes next. It’s time for you to Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!
The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts, S.A.
answerconcepts@msn.com
Monday, August 27, 2007
NLP & Sales
"No tool is more beneficial than intelligence. No enemy is more harmful than ignorance." – unknown
Much has been written about sales and sales psychology. There are entire libraries of books to refer to when seeking to increase your skills in selling. I'm going to touch lightly on some of the possibilities using NLP to maximize your selling potential.
Selling is often misunderstood, like advertising. The popular definition describes advertising as the art of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.
The whole purpose of sales, as the book "The One Minute Salesperson" puts very eloquently, is to help people get what they want. The more you help people get what they want, the more successful a salesperson you will be.
Many NLP ideas will work towards this purpose. Initial rapport is important. Anchoring resources will enable you to meet challenges in resourceful state. Feeling good about your work lets you do good work.
Future pacing can help to create the situations and feelings that you want, by mentally rehearsing them first. Setting the well formed outcomes is an invaluable skill in selling.
The same process that you applied in forming your own criteria during the development of your outcomes, can be used to help others become clear about what they want. This is a skill that is crucial in selling, because you can only satisfy the buyer if you know exactly what they want.
The idea of chunking up and chunking down can help you find out what people need. What are their criteria? What is important to them about a product?
Do they have an outcome in mind about what they are buying, and can you help them to realize it?
One of my clients is a partner in a top producing Real Estate office in
Several of the keys to her success are her ability to establish rapport with the customer, and her personal integrity and only selling a property that will help you achieve what you want to do with your real estate portfolio. Her company survives very well in the face of strong competition from major players.
In this model, she chunks up to find out the criteria and outcome of her customers, and then chunks down to exactly the specific property that best fits their need. Sometimes this involves a move sideways from what the customer initially asked for.
Sidestepping can be very useful to find out what a person likes about a product. What other good points? What are the points of difference that means one person chooses one product, versus another?
Exploring what a person truly wants, with emphasis in these directions, is a consistent pattern of the top producing salespeople. Congruence is essential. What a salesperson by or used the product he or she is selling? Does he or she you really believe in the advantage is that they promote?
Incongruence can leak out in tonality and posture, and make the buyer an easy.
Professional sales can be fun. Understanding and applying the skills and strategies from NLP to sales can turn an ordinary sales position into a proverbial gold mine.
Mastering NLP means becoming a master of oneself. The Best is yet to come!
David Martin
Answer Concepts,
answerconcepts@msn.com
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