Source: Richard Bandler

Select and clarify a limiting decision.

Develop and anchor a positive decision.

Associate into the limiting decision and anchor it.

Float back to earlier experiences, seeking the first one.

Go forward, returning to your positive decision.

Go earlier to your first limiting decision.

Experience that early decision while fully accessing the new resources.

Quickly zoom to the present, integrate the experience, and future pace.

Exchange limiting decisions for constructive ones in order to improve success and mood. We can view our behavior and feelings as expressions of the many decisions that we have made during our lives. These decisions may be conscious or unconscious. In other words, you might be aware of the need to make these decisions (equivalent to skill level “conscious incompetence”) or unaware of the need (equivalent to skill level “unconscious incompetence”). These decisions may have profound effects on our development and continued functioning because they were made before we could even speak. These decisions can be about the nature of the world, of people, and of ourselves.

Most of us have habits that prevent us from achieving great success and happiness because of how they affect how we relate to the world, others, and even ourselves. Decisions that have such harmful effects tend to arise when we are psychologically overwhelmed. This can happen in adulthood, but it is especially troublesome when we make these mistakes in childhood. This is because of their effect on our development and because of how deeply ingrained they are as “pre-verbal” decisions. When we make decisions before we have the necessary wisdom to make them with, we end up with destructive ways of relating to the world, to people, or even to ourselves. Patterns of dysfunctional relationships, poor self-esteem, and sabotage can often be traced back to these unwise decisions. We can think of the collective nature of our decisions as a “mental map” of our world. We navigate our world and relationships using our mental maps.

Step 1: Select and clarify a limiting decision. #

Think of a negative pattern in your life. Based on the introductory comment to this pattern, verbalize an underlying decision that has guided your behavior in a dysfunctional way. If it sounds irrational, that is okay. Decisions made earlier in life appear especially illogical. Think about the decision to clarify things. For example, when does it seem that you made it? How does it affect your life?

Step 2: Develop and anchor a positive decision. #

Develop a constructive decision that would be an excellent improvement over the limiting decision. Enhance it until it is well formed. For example, it should be specific. Enhance it further by developing the positive feelings you have about it into a positive decision state. Enhance the positive state until it is strong. Anchor the state.

Step 3: Associate into the limiting decision and anchor it. #

Float back above your timeline to the point when you first recall acting upon the limiting decision. Observe it from this dissociated vantage point. Associate with this point in time and recall the moment you made your decision.Anchor the limiting decision state.

Step 4: Float back to earlier experiences, seeking the first one. #

Float to earlier points on your timeline where your behavior has expressed the limiting decision. Go back to the point where you actually made the decision. If you have already gone to the earliest memory in step three, then skip this step.

Step 5: Continue on your path, returning to your positive decision. #

Go back in your timeline to your superior decision, and again look at it in a good way.

Step 6: Go earlier to your first limiting decision. #

Float back past your earlier limiting decision, to a point just fifteen minutes prior to that decision. Bring the positive state with you as you move into that point in time.

Step 7: Experience that early decision while fully accessing the new resources. #

Re-experience the situation and make an early decision while maintaining full access to your positive resource state. Notice how your experience of this situation, and of yourself in the situation, has changed.

Step 8: Zoom in quickly to the present, integrate the experience, and Future Pace. #

Rapidly zoom forward along your timeline to the present moment. Stop here and take some time to absorb what has happened. Future pace, seeing how situations similar to the pattern that was negative might play out with your new perspective and state.