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NLP presuppositions

We were either too tired or too stupid to react. Rather than sticking out like a nail, I wrote down my oppositions to the presuppositions that our NLP teacher was trying to teach us.

1. The mind and body are one system.

How do you explain the common phenomenon that the head wants one thing, but the heart another? That logic or rationality of the head doesn't always agree with the feelings or the emotions of the heart?

2. There is no failure, only feedback and renewed opportunities for learning.

But surely acknowledgement and acceptance of failure is a sign of maturity!

3. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. So do something different!

That is, if you want to get different results, of course. I pointed out that most people do what they're trained to do. And they surround themselves with people who do the same kinds of things. To break out of this re-enforcing loop means to go against the tide. It takes a lot of courage to do so.

4. In interactions, the person with the greatest flexibility will control the outcome.

I tend to agree with this.

5. A person cannot NOT respond.

This is saying that we are constantly communicating or reacting, whether verbally or nonverbally. Exception: if you don't see or hear it and the other person is expecting you to respond.

6. The meaning of your communication is the response you get.

Again, if you don't get a response, it could be that the previous presupposition doesn't work.

7. The map is not the territory.

Do not judge a book by its cover. All that glitters is not gold. This could also be reworded to "Just because you have the map, doesn't mean you own the territory."

8. Every person lives in their own unique model of the world.

But some people have absolutely no clue.

9. Every person has all the resources they need to solve all their problems.

If that's the case, why does everyone I know have problems?

10. If one person can do it, anybody else can.

Why not? provided he has all the resources (presupposition 9) and the correct model of the world (presupposition 8).

11. Every behaviour has a positive intention.

Even murderers, rapists, and other bad people? Yes, according to my teacher. In their own unique model of the world, that was the behaviour to get what they want.

30 September 2002 Monday

17 September 2002
NLP

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7 March 2003

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