NLP Anchoring – The Basics
By IntellTeacher
Part 2
In Part 1 a hypothetical situation was considered as a way of examining and learning about the NLP Anchor. The Anchor was created by linking a specific olfactory experience with a more generalized state of being. It is important to keep in mind is that although the memory of the desired state experience was highly specific in terms of detail the more generalized “feeling” is what was being utilized in order to create the Anchor.
As previously mentioned, the author contends that NLP is in “doing” rather than a predominantly academic exercise. The article moves forward with the understanding that readers are in fact “doing” NLP as set forth in Part 1 in order to properly follow along and more importantly, develop skill.
The author has encountered many instances of NLP practitioners presenting NLP Anchoring in an instructional setting and that is as far as they go … literally. The technique is taught, perhaps a variety of possible sensory input modalities for creating Anchors are provided by way of example, and that concludes the whole presentation. At a minimum, there two additional considerations which are the subject of this article, namely, setting and testing (verifying, validating) the Anchor.
In context, “setting” an Anchor means to repeatedly activate the Anchor sequence in order to access the desired state and this is not something to be done without structure in the early stages of developing authentic NLP skill. As Dr. Win Wenger of Accelerated Learning and Creative Problem Solving fame is fond of noting “You get more of what you reinforce.” Therefore, in order to facilitate acquiring real skill in creating and using Anchors it is important to frequently experience success in working with same. The author terms this approach “Setting up people for success.”
If you carefully read the paragraph above you will have noticed that I wrote “… repeatedly activate the Anchor sequence …” rather than “… repeatedly activate the Anchor.” Another point of divergence in the instant approach and that typically encountered in NLP is the concept of “gradual shaping” toward a desire goal. Gradual shaping is a step wise process in which a person moves toward a goal in small increments … a series of “min-successes” if you prefer. In the instant case this plays as repeating the Anchor sequence in series of 3s with a new memory being called upon that contains the same or similar feelings being brought into conscious awareness at specific intervals. This is one way of causing the Anchor to generalize with a corresponding level of usefulness to you. The reason for the author emphasizing generalization is yet another point of departure from most NLP learning instruction.
The vast majority of NLP instruction is delivered in a vacuum as the actual learning environment is contextually different from that found in real World. What tends to happen, and the main reason why so many fail to experience success with NLP techniques, is that a disconnect is created. The learning environment and real World do not mesh or do not mesh well enough to facilitate success. Let’s take our present hypothetical meeting as an example. You attend a NLP work shop and learn the Anchoring technique. While in the work shop you experience some measure of success in creating and activating Anchors. You then go back to real World with your new assortment of techniques and despite following a protocol exactly as taught and learned, it fails to deliver the full value you hoped to derive from the technique. What happened? Most NLP adepts will tell you that you simply are not yet skilled enough to “hit the mark” the majority of times and that more practice will increase the incidence of success. Although this is “true” enough, it is also an indirect way to resolve the issue.
For those who have attended a seminar or two the question is asked: How do you generally find the environment? Think about this carefully for a moment. Typically, the environment is low level to non-existent threat based, people are warm and welcoming, and the seminar presenter exerts a great deal of control over the elements of the environment, e.g., lighting, seating configuration, breaks in presentation, pace of material presentation, etc. Juxtapose this with real World and the many disconnects become glaringly obvious. Generalizing the Anchor is a way of bridging from a learning environment to the World at large. By varying the memory being used to summon up the desired state a person avoids the trap of becoming literally anchored to a highly specific context (one memory).
The author suggests taking 3 memories and going through the Anchor sequence 3 times with each memory in succession. The “Rule of 3s” might be a topic for a future article, but for now, simply follow the prescribed routine. After having done the 3 bouts of 3 you are now ready to proceed to the validation – verification part of Anchoring and we will stay with our hypothetical presentation example. For the sake of discussion let us say that the Anchor was created the night before the scheduled presentation and the presentation is to take place at 10:00 a.m. that following morning. On your way to your office you will most likely encounter several people and perhaps exchange the greeting of the day or some other social pleasantries. Before beginning your trip to the office take your satchel out of the baggie and rub one of your fingers against the satchel. You want to get some of the scent on a finger. While speaking with another person, and at random, fire off the Anchor by casually raising the hand with the satchel scent bearing finger and passing your hand under your nose. Think of how a person looks rubbing their chin for a moment as they contemplate … a snap shot of “The Thinker” so to speak. Then, briefly turn inward to focus on the physical sensations you experience. The feelings that you wanted do in fact manifest … do this 2 – 3 times if the situations arise and time permits although once is enough. You have now provided your mind with a form of proof that the Anchor works which will exert a quieting and calming influence on the negative inner-talk we all tend to experience when under stress … and this is really just a form of confidence.
@intellteacher 2009
