Anchoring - follow on from the 2 day seminar for ALSS (Accelerated Learning Sports Systems) members.

Decide on the feeling that you would like to have in a particular situation. (In the seminar we discussed Pre-shot feelings, or “states”)
Example, you might want to feel confident, relaxed mind, deeply focussed (zone), Playing in the present (no outcome thinking).

Take some time and decide on what the perfect “cocktail” of feelings (states) would be. Remember that very few emotional states are pure. More often they are a mixture of various emotions anyway so it is perfectly natural to mix feelings into a state for best achievement of a particular goal.
Think about a time when you were experiencing the state that you wish to have prior to each shot and make sure you choose a strong example.
If you don't have one in your past, imagine what it would be like to feel this way, remember we discussed re-vivication and it’s infinite possibilities due to the unconscious not differentiating between your reality and a vividly imagined experience.

Try to find a quiet place where you can relax and will not be disturbed. If you associate particular music to the desired state then you can play it while anchoring.
Close your eyes and remember that feeling in vivid detail by putting yourself back there now and relive it in all its intensity. Really try to boost the feelings in your body. It is not good to just think it, you must “FEEL” it with as much intensity as possible. The rule is: The more the better.
To enhance the experience you can do the following with your internal imaging.

· Make the images sharper focus
· Enhance the colours of your image, brighter, more vivid
· Zoom into the image. Bring it closer so you are right there
· Don’t just “see” yourself internally, step into yourself and relive it again
· Turn up the volume and make the sounds clearer

If you have a word that enhances the feeling, use it. “Yes!” or “focussed”.

When your feeling is at its most intense and you believe it is peaking, fire your chosen anchor. Create a physical anchor or association by making a unique (and subtle preferably) physical association. Thumb and finger or Blink anything works virtually. Fred Couples always hikes his shirt sleeves in a very particular way. The anchor can be internal, a word or sound.

Fire your chosen anchor at the peak and then as soon as the feeling begins to fade, release your 'anchor', relax, open your eyes and think of something neutral.

Choose another example of having that same feeling and repeat the procedure but make sure you always fire the same anchor.

Choose a third example of a time you experienced the desired state and anchor the feeling to the same gesture.

Now take a break for at least 5 minutes and go and do something completely unconnected. Make tea and take out the trash.

After you have had at least a five minute break (up to 10 minutes is ok) fire off your anchor and see if the feelings you want come back.

Do not worry if the feelings are mild, for some people the anchoring will have to be repeated over a period of time of perhaps even weeks in order to achieve the intensity of state change you desire at the “touch of a button”.

Repeat the procedure daily until you are happy and remember that something this valuable is worth working on and perfecting. It is not just in your golf that these techniques are useful. They can also be used to destroy any negative anchors you may have. (This is called “collapsing anchors” and is explained later although you may want to question me about destroying negative anchors before you attempt it if they are strong negative emotional anchors)

Usefulness of NLP Anchoring
Use this anchor as part of your routine. Never make a swing without first accessing the optimum state you have been anchoring. The desired effects will grow with time as will the benefits to your game.

Also useful
If a situation is coming up that requires this kind of feeling, mentally rehearse dealing with that situation while firing off your anchor. Repeat it until you feel confident about the upcoming event. Visualisation/pre-programming or rehearsal is very powerful. Pre-programming the mind allows you to work in the “flow state” which is where you are performing without thinking. This “flow” state in general life/work is the same state as referred to by athletes as the “Zone”.

When you link more than one feeling to a particular anchor, it is called “stacking”. You are stacking two or more “states” onto one trigger.

Collapsing Anchors
Often there are particular situations or people in your life that automatically have a negative effect on your frame of mind.

Here's how to neutralize (or collapse) these negative anchors:

Identify the situation that elicits the unwanted feeling.

Select a feeling you'd prefer to experience in this particular situation and create a positive anchor for it (per the instructions above).

When you have a strong positive anchor programmed, think of the negative situation, then set off the positive anchor. Keep doing this until you feel neutral about the formerly negative situation.
Do this for all areas of your life. Remember that if the negative emotional anchor is very strong, talk to me before attempting this. Experiment with mild negative things first.

People Anchors
People can make you feel good or bad. Allowing yourself to be controlled by people who make you feel good is ok but not being in control of people who have a negative effect on you isn’t so great. You should not be prepared to hand over your emotional control to someone else.

Lets look at some scenarios
You have a friend whose company you always enjoy. They listen to you when you need to discuss a problem and compliment you on your handling of difficult situations. They think of you as a worthwhile, talented and a wonderful human being. You feel good whenever you are around them. Why? Because the good feelings they elicits in you are anchored to the sight of their face, sound of their voice and mannerisms.

Conversely, you know another person who is always negative, belittles your efforts, sees you as a loser or somehow inferior and you find yourself feeling that way whenever they are around. Your self-esteem and confidence plummet the minute you see them. In some cases even just the “thought” or mental image of them has become an anchor for negative, inferior anchors.

I have some great techniques to deal with troublesome people but try applying the collapsing anchors to them first. Build a strong positive anchor. Then think of the person and as the negative emotions begin to surface, fire the positive anchor. Keep working until you have completely neutralised “them”.

There you go then, a little about NLP Anchoring, hope it’s been useful and you enjoyed learning at the seminar.

Any questions don’t hesitate to get hold of me.

Warm Regards,

Mark

This article was a follow up piece written specifically for the golfers who attended my 2 day seminar on "Getting into the Zone at WILL".

Readers familiar with NLP will have no trouble relating to the article but for those who are not YET familiar with the powerful techniques that NLP has to offer, please get hold of me and I can point you in the right direction to get started.

Don't forget to vist my website and get your copy of the FREE golf ebook featured below. I also have a new ebook out which is one of the most comprehensive descriptions of the Golf Grip you will probably ever read. You can find a link to get this book free by reading the article called "Fundamental Importance" on the Articles page of my website.

FIR's, GIR's and Blue Skies.

Mark