Frustrated over Progress

By Lyn Roberts

The first session was devoted to gathering information, developing rapport and stating the outcome in a positive sentence.

    What led you to the decision to contact me?


Sandy, a mother of three kids, working from home to finish and publish her e-book was frustrated over her progress in completing this task. She wants to feel enthusiastic about and dedicated to writing her e-book daily. She is an internally motivated, has a global outlook, independent, contemplative woman. Sandy is slowly moving toward her goal and she has a K-V-A strategy, which leads me to ask the next question.

    What is stopping her right now?


Using my listening and intuitive skills I find that Sandy is procrastinating and prioritizing housework and phone calls over the three hours each weekday morning when she wants to write.

I guide Sandy into a stating a specific outcome that we are excited to achieve. Sandy will publish her e-book on her site and offer the e-book to her list on August 30, 2008. She will feel enthusiastic as the warm creative energy flows through her fingers brightly appearing as words on her computer screen. Sitting comfortably at her desk each weekday morning is the highlight of her day, something she holds onto dearly and enjoys.

Before she leaves I check Sandy’s expectations, understanding of NLP and the basic tenants of the New Behaviour Generator we will do in the next session.

The second session consisted of implementing and testing the new behaviour generator.

The New Behavior Generator

1. I had Sandy recall a specific time where she felt frustrated and angry at herself for not editing her e-book. At the end of the day she is sitting on the couch, the kids were in bed and the house was quiet and she is engaging in negative self talk. Another day had passed without Sandy sitting at her desk writing her e-book.

2. Next I had Sandy remember a time when she was resourceful. She is sitting at her desk, feeling her fingers fly over the keyboard watching the words appear on the computer screen. She noticed her posture, her breathing, and her surroundings as she watched this scene as an observer watching a play.

3. Then she selected a model, Joe Vitale, who is famous churning out electronic and paper published material. She imagined Joe smiling as he sat at his desk three hours each day. He is passionate, dedicated, and enthusiastic as the creative energy flows thru him onto the keyboard. She imagined all the homework and experiences that Joe went thru to get to where he is today.

4. We cut Joe out of the picture and put Sandy in the picture retaining Joe’s skills, dedication, knowledge, creative energy, and enthusiasm.

5. Next I led her through an ecology check. She had all the resources she needed the time and equipment. She knew that she needed to finish writing the e-book, have her friend edit the book, publish the e- book on her site then do the marketing. She felt confident that she had the skills. We determined the feelings of success, pride of accomplishment and joy she would gain by publishing her e- book.

6. Sandy was to go back to the desk, utilizing these new recourses and experience the situation from the inside, hearing, seeing, and feeling herself behave with all of her resources available.

7. Finally we rehearse for the future, by imagining the new resourceful Sandy sitting comfortably at her desk. She is feeling enthusiastic as the warm creative energy flows through her fingers brightly appearing as words on her computer screen. The last time Sandy and I spoke on the phone she had written two more chapters. She bragged that she would send me the book before I returned from vacation.

Return to Home Page           Return to Previous Page