How to use NLP to discover and sift through limiting beliefs.

1. Discovering Limiting Beliefs with NLP
By Mike Bundrant

2. What is a belief?
Belief is the state of mind in which a person thinks something
to be true, with or without evidence to prove it.
Beliefs are mindsets that consist of VAK elements.

3. Impact of Beliefs
The mindset of any belief may serve as a self-fulfilling
prophecy. A belief forms a filter or lens through which you
see evidence that confirms the belief.

4. Examples of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
People at the party won’t like me. What will you see evidence for at the party?
I can’t learn new things. How are you likely to approach the learning?
My opinion doesn’t matter. How likely are you to express it and find out?
Moral of the story - beliefs lead to behaviors that support the
beliefs.

5. Quick Ecology Check
Don’t confuse beliefs with facts.
My opinion doesn’t matter.
I cannot play violin well enough.
I am not ready to make a change.
How can we fact check these apparent beliefs?

6. Linking Behaviors and Beliefs Together
Identifying limiting beliefs is simpler when you understand the behaviors.
When a client claims to believe something, ask for supporting behaviors.
When you cannot identify a belief, you can backtrack from behaviors.

7. Questions: Backtracking Behaviors
This intervention requires a high level of trust and rapport.
Given these behaviors, what must you believe to be true?
If these behaviors were driven by a negative belief, what would that be?
If you were to observe a friend doing the same thing, what would you say is true
for him?

8. As a coach, ask yourself:
How does my client act? He’s acting like he
believes…
If he believed something negative or limiting about
himself or others, what would it be?

9. Thank you!
inlpcenter.org