Welcome back, younglings and wizened gurus alike, to the exploration of NLP, Hypnosis, and self-improvement in general !
Today's post is about models. Just a general overview. Eventually, I'll be posting more about specific models of the mind, in contexts of NLP, Hypnosis, and other behavioural or state change tools, but for now I need to lay some groundwork about models.
So- What is a model ? And what can it do for me ?
Well, a model is a tool, a representation of something that you cannot touch or see or experience with your senses, yet can be used to answer questions about "things". Think of a square drawn on a whiteboard - the lines that make up the square are not the square, but they define it. Likewise, a model is defined by certain pre-supposed beliefs and assumptions, they give the edges of the model, but are not the model.
With a "Model", you can represent something, use it to ask better questions, and find answers - for anything that falls within that particular model ! That's the important part that we'll get back to in a bit... "that particular model".
So using the model for Newtonian physics, we can create all sorts of wonderful mechanical devices, like cars for instance. The model for quantum physics wouldn't help terribly much for that - way too complex, but can answer questions that fall outside the Newtonian physics model.
Models are a very good way to teach material as well - they define the limits of the material, and contain it to a comprehensible amount till the student is ready to move beyond the model, into a new one.
NLP is a model. Hypnosis has several models. Holistic medicine is a model. Scientific medicine is also a model. Some of these models contradict each other- but all of them are valid. Confused ? Good - confusion is good, it means you are open to learning (that's a different model, that little quote).
So now that we've got a few basics on "models in general" down, let's move onto some more specific examples.... well, just one this time. And really just a surface view of it.
I'm going to focus on the NLP model for a bit. Then I'm going into the limits of models, and why it's important to realize that models are a useful untruth.
Here are some of the presuppositions, of the NLP model:
1. People respond to their experience, not to reality itself.
(in my early days, the phrase "The map is not the territory." was used).
2. People make the best choice they can at the time.
This is based on their "map of reality". What we see as "bad, bizzare, or evil" choices is simply from them not having a rich enough map of reality to make better choices.
3. People work perfectly.
The behaviour may not be the best - but it works. A phobia works just fine. It may not be desired, but it does work.
4. Every behaviour has a positive intention.
This relates to point #3 above.
This is a partial list. There will be future articles on the NLP model that will be more complete, as well as hypnosis, transactional analysis ("Scripts we live"), and a few others that are very useful for any sort of change or self-improvement work, but this is good enough for today's session.
It's very reassuring to know, though, that "you work perfectly". And that somewhere deep inside of you, the habits you may have and find annoying or counterproductive actually have a positive intention. Wouldn't it be nice to simply change them into good habits instead ? And that's one of the beauties of the NLP model. It works. It can do that. That makes it very useful, and if someone is operating congruently within the model, there is a LOT than can be done.
The NLP is a great model, one everyone can benifit from having, but it is not the only model. Never limit yourself to a single model, get out there and explore.
Because models are simply "not real". They are extremely useful untruths, or incomplete truth. A given model may, if it`s an excellent one like the NLP model, give access to a great many truths - but there are others that are simply beyond it`s framework, that to reach you need to use a different model, one that may miss some of the truths the NLP model contains.
There are questions that it can't answer, problems that it can't solve. For example, the NLP model does not answer questions such as "how does free will work". That's automatically assumed by the model - so both the question and answer lie outside the model. All models have their "holes" in them.
Think of a model as an Act within a Play. It contains part of the story, but the rest of the Acts are needed to see the whole Play unfold.
Does that mean that models are useless, or that the NLP model is fundamentally flawed ? Not at all ! Models are great for teaching, and having a model for any sort of change work is necessary.
The point I'm making is that you need more than one model. It's ok to be an expert in one and just ok in the others - but never limit yourself to just one set of tools, or rules to work with. Have several.
Over the course of the next year, I'll get back to the subject of models, and give some models that will be particular use for anyone that works with NLP, Hypnosis, or any sort of self-improvement or change tools.
Meanwhile, consider what models you work with now.... and give some thought to finding other models you can use to enrich your life, and lead to greater personal growth for yourself or those around you in the future !
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