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Raise You game: What is Neuro Linguistic Programming?

Scott White: It is the observation of successful people and learning their thought patterns. We then teach these models to others so they can achieve the same success levels.

• Neuro - how your brain is wired up through nerves.
• Linguistics - the language we use to communicate.
• Programming - our beliefs and values from birth to who we are today.

RYG: How can we learn this approach?

SW: We all learn in different ways. So firstly we need to find out what your personal learning style is.

We don't all use these styles equally, but by recognising your learning style you can learn more quickly and others around you will be aware how they can communicate more effectively to you.

This was a massive breakthrough for Nicola Minichiello and her coach as he realised that he had been communicating incorrectly to the team and that's why they were having problems learning new things.

RYG: How can these techniques enhance performance?

SW: The mind communicates to the body what it should do. You get what you focus on. Here's an example.

An athlete was preparing mentally and physically at the side of the track. He had a problem in that he couldn't beat these two individuals that he kept competing against. His NLP trainer asked the athlete "What pictures do you get in your mind of the other athletes that you're about to compete against?"

When he described the pictures the athlete realised that he saw these two competitors as bigger than him and always in front of him on the track. Quite simply, what he was focusing on was what he got.

By using NLP techniques the athlete was able to picture his competitors as smaller than him and he was out in front. That guy went out and won the race.

Nicola Minichiello retained her British championship title in November 2008 by the biggest winning margin ever by a British athlete which shows how these techniques can enhance your performance.

RYG: How can NLP improve our mental preparation techniques?

SW: Things like our beliefs can limit and prevent us from achieving things. Growing up we are programmed by our parents, school teachers and people around us. So the more successful people you've been around, the better programmed you are.