One of the core features of NLP is the way it empowers its practitioners.

In this article, I have listed some of my favourite NLP Presuppositions and I will leave it to the readers to draw meaning and reflect on how they affect them (do some reflective thinking). You are always welcome to ask or comment if you have questions, yet the best method will be to attend the program and feel the power of these presuppositions in person.

We discuss a total of 34 presuppositions in our core NLP programs, I have not listed some of more technical presuppositions here:

On our perceptions

• Everyone has a unique model of the world, also called their map of the world.
• People’s maps are made of pictures, sounds, feelings, smells, and tastes (symbolized V, A, K, O, G).
• People are map makers.
• The map is not the territory.
• People respond to their maps of reality, not to reality.
• If you change your map you’ll change your emotional state.

On Importance of quality communication

• The meaning of communication is the response you get.
• The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our communications.
• The mind and body are parts of the same system and affect each other.

On Behaviour

• The most important thing about a person is that person’s behaviour.
• People are not their behaviours.
• Behind every behaviour is a positive intention.
• The meaning of the behaviour is dependent on the context it is exhibited in.

On People’s capability

• There are no un-resourceful people only un-resourceful states.
• People always make the best choices available to them.
• Everyone is doing the best they can with the resources they have available.
• Positive change always comes from adding resources.
• People already have all the resources they need to achieve their desired outcomes.
• If one person can do something, anyone can learn to do it.
  Generating results
• There is no such thing as failure, only feedback.
• The person with the most flexibility in their behaviours will have greater influence over others.
• People work perfectly to produce the results they are getting.
• If what you are doing isn’t working, do something else.
• A choice is better than no choice.
• Everyone is in charge of their mind and therefore their results.

NLP Presuppositions can prove to be really powerful for personal empowerment. They help in moving from, “a state of being a victim” to “a state of being in control” and that changes the complete perception of life.