When NLP was conceived as a theme in the 1970s the founders decided to give the topic the name Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

NLP in the form of neuro linguistic programming describes the natural learning process (also NLP). And the name probably doesn’t do justice to the full breadth of the subject but it served the original purpose – to intrigue people and produce excitement to learn more about themselves.

Learning more about NLP originally meant taking an NLP Training course. These courses were delivered by the founders and provided people with incites into their thinking and behaviour. Meaning that they could assess what they are doing and change for the better.

The Title ‘NLP Training’

As the subject developed and NLP produced a model for therapy, business and performance excellence so the name remained and the subject matter within NLP expanded to produce a holistic personal development program.  This program became known as NLP Training.

NLP & NLP Training became two of the most searched for terms in the context of psychology when the internet came about and became part of modern life.

So, we now have Neuro-Linguistic Programming as a methodology for personal development and NLP Training as a career for trainers, coaches, therapists, teachers et al.

I remember in the early 1990s going into a bookshop to search for a book on personal or professional development. I searched and searched and eventually found a shelf with the appropriate label on it. Upon the shelf I found one book. One book!

The book was based on NLP but it didn’t mention the name. Maybe the author was afraid of being associated with a body of knowledge which had such a strange name?

Interestingly, 50 years after its creation the name still causes some confusion. Most people who describe What is NLP? will describe what it means to them after their training rather than what it actually is!

NLP as a career

The founders gave their students some excellent material for their training courses, they provided what they called a “Methodology and a trail of techniques.” Methodologies from elite performers in business, art and sport were broken down and installed, conditioned or ‘programmed” into participants.

Evidence showed (and still shows) that people learning NLP professionally could to a greater or lesser extent replicate and produce the excellence that they observed and studied.

This allowed trainers to replicate methodologies and pass on the methodology so that it could be widely used by professionals and wannabe NLP professionals alike. People can make money from learning NLP – this lead to it becoming a viable career and a viable subject to study.

NLP in the present day

In the present day NLP Trainers, NLP Master Practitioners and Practitioners are licensed by various associations and their trainers.

Interestingly the subject with the strange name became a thing in the world and some reports assess that more people take NLP and NLP related courses than any other personal development courses.

Because, of course do we really understand who we are, what we do and think unconsciously? Who wouldn’t want to investigate their thoughts and actions to improve and get more of what they want from life?