Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 5,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies summary
Romilla Ready and Kate Burton
A beginner's guide to one of psychology's hottest topics
13 mins
Table of Contents
Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies
summarized in 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
Neuro-linguistic programming recognizes that everyone is different and aims to improve our modes of communication.
So what exactly is neuro-linguistic programming?
NLP, as it’s commonly referred to, is the study of how we understand and experience the world around us.
Let’s start by looking at what everyone has in common – the five senses that we use to experience the world around us. That world includes our own body, the objects and people around us, as well as everything else that can be touched, heard, seen, tasted and smelled.
This sensory information travels through our neurological system to the brain. Our perspective is unique to us because what we experience gets filtered by a number of things, including our personal values, social and cultural backgrounds, memories of past experiences and so on.
A person's unique set of filters constitutes what's known as that person's internal representation, or IR.
Perhaps you've had this experience, or something similar to it: You and a friend go to a party, at which you talk to the same people, listen to the same music and eat the same food. Afterward, this friend starts talking about how unenjoyable the party was, though you had a fantastic time.
Well, this is a classic example of a difference in IR. Your past experiences and personal proclivities primed you to find the evening enjoyable; your friend's, on the other hand, primed her to dislike the food and be bored by the conversation.
An awareness that everyone lives according to their own set of filters is central to NLP. And with this understanding comes the belief that communication and understanding can be improved.
So the aim of NLP is to help us become better prepared to communicate with, as well as more flexible in our understanding of, others.
Sounds good, right? In the blinks ahead, we’ll be looking at some of the specific ways in which NLP attempts to improve communication, starting with how to establish good rapport.
Want to see all full key ideas from Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies?
Key ideas in Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies about?
Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies (2015) is an introduction to the basic principles behind NLP. If you’ve ever struggled to say what’s on your mind, NLP may be of use to you. Discover the human traits that can keep us from understanding each other and the helpful methods that can lead to clear and effective communication.
Best quote from Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies
Rapport is like money: you realise that you have a problem only when you dont have enough of it.
—Romilla Ready and Kate Burton
Who should read Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies?
- Readers who strive to communicate clearly
- Students of neuroscience and linguistics
- Anyone open to new ideas and techniques for improvement
Categories with Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies
Books like Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked
Start growing with Blinkist now
26 Million
Downloads on all platforms
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
91%
Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
*Based on survey data from Blinkist customers