8/13/2019 10 NLP Lesson 07

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Lesson 7

Neurological levels:

A lot of NLP work concerns personal change. And change usually involves

not just outward behaviour, but soe other level !below the surface!. "t

involves our beliefs and values and !parts! of us that we don!t always

recogni#e. $ur behaviour results fro all these inner representations % at

any different levels. &nless change takes place within a person!s ind,

change 'or at least lasting change( will probably not occur. A

!eaningful life! tends to have congruence between these different levels

of thinking. )e also ter this !alignent!. *his eans that each part of

the total person goes in the sae direction. "nner isalignent can cause

inner conflict between different levels of the ind. Lasting personal

change re+uires an understanding of these different levels of the ind.

Neurological levels odel:

pirituality-Purpose

"dentity eliefs and values

/apabilities

ehaviour

0nvironent

0ach level organi#es the inforation for the level below it. *he rules for

changing soething at one level differ fro those for changing a lower

level. /hanging soething at a lower level can, but does not necessarily,

affect the upper levels. /hanging soething at the upper levels, however,

will always ake a difference at the lower levels % rather like a

cascading waterfall in which the upper levels always flow down to the

lower levels. "n the neurological levels odel, if you change what you

believe, you will tend to change what you do. /onversely, a change in

behaviour will probably not last unless soe belief or value 'a higher

level( supports the new behaviour. Not surprisingly, research has shown

that confusing these neurological levels tends to create probles. y

understanding and identifying the levels and the way they affect us,

however, we can bring about change. *o understand how these levels apply

in your own life, start at the lowest level % environent, and work your

way up to the higher levels.

0nvironent % *hink for a oent of the world you live in % where you

operate, the things and people around you 'at hoe, socially, when doing

sports and hobbies or at work(.

ehaviour % *hink of a specific behaviour that you e1cel at % for

e1aple, listening, aking lists or drawing up schedules.

/apability % )hat overall capability does this behaviour for a part of

2or e1aple, relating to people, organi#ing or planning.

elief % )hat does it say about you3 )hat ust hold true for you to

have this capability3 )hat do you believe about yourself. 2or e1aple,

do you believe in the iportance of people, the iportance of health, or

the iportance of personal developent3

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"dentity % )hat stateent ight indicate your identity 'who you !are!( %

for e1aple, !"! a people person!, or !"! a natural organi#er!.

pirituality % )hat sybol or etaphor represents your spiritual

connection or soe higher ideal you espouse3 Perhaps a dove, a deep

ocean or a secluded garden3

Applying the Neurological Levels 4odel

2ollowing these e1aples, apply the odel to a behaviour you e1cel at. *o

further test the odel, do the e1ercise again, choosing a different

behaviour. Note how each level feeds down into the ne1t in a logical

hierarchy. 2or e1aple, your belief about the iportance of people feeds

down into your capability in relating to people. *his capability in turn

feeds down into your listening skills. /onversely, your listening skills

support your !people! capability and your beliefs about people. "agine

what would happen in the case of a change at a high level 'say belief or

identity( and also one at a lower level. )hich would have the greater

effect on your life3 )hich change would last longest3 )hich change would

you find hardest to ipleent3 5ou can use this odel when addressing

probles or iportant issues needing decisions. tart by identifying thelevel of the !presented! proble % the one that first occurs to you. *hen

think about its root or cause, also in ters of the levels. ee if you

can trace the issue to each level and think about what it eans in ters

of personal change.

*o use a coon e1aple:

0nvironent: 4y desk is untidy.

ehaviour: " don!t put things away.

/apability: " don!t understand the filing syste.

elief: )e need creativity rather than too uch order.

"dentity: "! a disorgani#ed person.

*he !proble! ight present itself at any of these levels. 2or e1aple,

you ight identify an environental issue, a skill weakness or a liiting

self%belief. "n this case the lower%level, related probles appear as the

effects or results of your proble. "n any event, the solution usually

lies at a higher level. 5ou can change ost inor behavioural issues one

or two levels up. "n this case, we have oitted the spiritual category. A

ajor personal issue, on the other hand, would probably have its root at a

higher or !super self! 'spiritual( level. 5ou can apply the odel to all

fors of self%developent, as well as to solving probles. "t also helps

in understanding and counicating with others. *hink about these probles

in ters of different levels. 2or instance, how ight your behaviour

affect your environent3 And how ight your identity or self%iage

affect your capabilities3 *his will help you get to the root of the

proble, and suggest at what level you need to ake changes. egin tonotice the use of levels6