NLP Outcome Frame
- A well formed outcome is:
- Stated in the positive.
Example, “I want to be able to speak in front of others with confidence”
rather than, “I don’t want to be nervous.” To turn a negative
statement into a positive statement, ask, “if you were not nervous,
what would you be, or how would you feel, instead...?”
- Something that can be initiated and controlled by you.
Example, “I want to be a calm and confident passenger in an airplane.”
rather than “I want the airlines to provide safe enough airplanes
for me to fly in.”
- Manageable chunk size.
Example: “I want to be a calm and confident passenger in an airplane.”
rather than, “I want to conquer my fear of flying and get my commercial
pilots license before Christmas.” (Too big a chunk)
- Gather sensory specific evidence for the outcome:
- When you are traveling in an airplane calmly and confidently,
what will you see, hear feel? “I see the seat in front of me, the
smiling air hostess, the magazine I am reading, my companions’ happy
expression that I am accompanying them.” I hear the sounds of the
airplane, the voices of people, and my own voice is level and steady
when I speak. I feel relaxed, calm, and pleased with myself
- Note the meta-outcome.
- The meta-outcome is the motivation or more important aspect of
what is wanted and gives you a lot of useful information regarding
what motivates you toward this particular outcome. You elicit the
meta outcome by asking, “What will having your outcome do for you?”
- For example, “when I am able to fly as a passenger, I can accept
a promotion at work that requires that I travel a lot.” Flying means
success.
- The question. “What will happen if you don’t achieve this?” can
also elicit this information.
- Ecology check
- “When you achieve this, will anything be at risk?” This is an
important question.
- Being aware of the ecology of the change will save you a lot
of time and trouble. For example, if you are working to lose weight,
then realize that losing weight and becoming too attractive might
threaten your marriage, or compromise you in some other way, you
will likely not lose weight. Remove the ecology block before proceeding.
- Future pace.
- “Imagine yourself already having achieved your outcome, you
are sitting in the seat on the flight, (seeing the hostess, etc,
hearing your own voice speaking calmly, etc... feeling relaxed
and happy about the trip, etc) What would you say to yourself
now about this?... example “Let’s do it!” And, more importantly,
“How do you feel, now that you have achieved your goal?”
Download
NLP Outcome Frame Worksheet
Download NLP
Outcome Frame Handout
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