NLP Neuro-Linguistic Programming by Ali Campbell Review

How to use Neuro-Linguistic Programming to Change your Life.

When publishers Hay House sent me the NLP book by Ali Campbell I was excited. This is a subject that is very close to my heart (but unfortunately often slips out of my mind). NLP is something I have been practicing for a while now, when I remember, and something that I know has the ability to revolutionize the lives of many people stuck in a rut.

The first few lines of the book read:

“Dedicated to everyone who has sought and hoped for change in themselves and others. Everything comes from nothing more than the thought of what might be possible. It’s a simple spark of magic that starts from within, but it can change the world.”

And with that I was sold…

For those of you that have never heard of NLP, and ‘Neuro Linguistic Programming’ does sound very scientific and scary, it’s a pretty simple concept. Basically it’s all about controlling your body and mind to influence your emotions and manage the expectations of those around you. In simple words, you can’t change others but you can change the way you are around others, and that will in turn change their reaction to you… giving you the power to make things go your way. It’s about being mindful of your actions. It also helps us control our own emotions, which also have an affect on our life, mind, body and soul.

Life changing indeed. So did the book live up to its promise?

Campbell’s NLP book is in two sections – an introduction to the foundations of the practice, and advice on practical NLP techniques that we can all use in our everyday lives. You may be asking if you need to read such a book, or indeed if the way you interact with others will make a difference. In which case the answer is yes and yes, you do need to read it. We all do.

Campbell’s book isn’t only useful for those who need a practical way of overcoming fears, anxieties or confidence issues. It’s a manual that makes us all aware of how we act, talk, present ourselves and communicate.

So how can it change your life?

If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always got
This Hay House Basics book will help you listen to yourself. We all need to talk, but few of us are aware of the words we choose, the tone in which we speak them and what our words imply. What many of us don’t realise is that what you communicate is not your intended message (only you know what that is), but is in fact what is received… and this book really opened my eyes as to how best to get across what I mean. A skill that is just as useful to a FTSE100 CEO giving a stirring speech to the board of directors, as it is to a mother of unruly children who is not being listened to. NLP guides you on the art of effective communication in a simple no nonsense fashion.

It’s all in the state of mind
Mind over matter is no new concept, but with NLP you are given the tools with which you can eradicate learned behaviours – be it fears and phobias, or associations that spark feelings of inadequacy and negative thinking. More than just the cognitive therapeutic practice of reading and believing, Campbell’s book outlines how to recognise triggers and overcome them in a practical way.

A person’s actions are a reaction to the actions of another 
How much do we observe the world around us? How often do we put ourselves in the shoes of another? More and more in life we shoot from the hip, react to our own insecurities and assumptions, or stride through life with one goal… battling our way through obstacles without paying them much heed. But with NLP you can be cleverer than that. You can create subconscious connections with others, you can then get them on your wavelength and have them understand you and your intentions better. Campbell’s book reminded me of my own body language, and that of those around me, and my consequent reactions to them. It’s a revelation how much quicker you can reach your goals by working with others as opposed to barging your way through them.

To change another, first we must change our self
If I had to choose the most important lesson from Campbell’s NLP book it is that situations and people will not change, until I change first. It made me question myself, dig deep and become mindful of everything from the tone of my voice, to the way I stand; from the words I choose, to the way I handle my emotions.

NLP is a great technique for success and progress – and has been proven to be effective with sports people, in business and in careers where people are faced with difficult situations with the public (from teachers and the police, to therapists and politicians). But it’s also a fundamental tool for everyday life, from the basics of having a meaningful and productive discussion with your husband to relating better to your children.

Ali Campbell’s book may be simplistic (anything more scientific than this would have been a struggle for me) but it’s a great beginner’s guide to what is ultimately a life changing journey.

Since I left behind the angst and uncertainties of my early twenties I have not bought into the concept of Self Help books, which is why Campbell’s was so refreshing. I found that through the process of NLP I wasn’t having my ego stroked (I can turn to my mother for that) or being fed a bunch of ‘you can do it’ saccharine sweet quotes (that’s what Pinterest is for) – I learnt the fundamental truth about myself and in turn how to communicate better with those around me. Which just goes to show how a little enlightenment goes a long way.

Or as Campbell himself puts it – “It’s a simple spark of magic that starts from within, but it can change the world.”

NLP Neuro-Linguistic Programming is published by by Hay House.
ISBN: 978-1-78180-353-0