Anchoring

An anchor is a stimulus that creates a response either in you or in another person. When an individual is at the peak of an experience during an intense emotional state, an applied specific stimulus can establish a neurological link between the emotional state and the stimulus. Anchoring can occur naturally or be set up intentionally and can assist in gaining access to past states and linking the past state to the present and future. Anchors can be used by both coaches and players to produce a state of mind or mood needed for a given situation.

ANCHORING

Theory:

Definition: Any time a person is in an associated, intense state, if at the peak of that experience, a specific stimulus is applied, then the two will be linked neurologically.  Anchoring can assist you in gaining access to past states and linking the past state to the present and the future.

Anchoring with NLP

Anchoring is a valuable tool used by NLP Practitioners. It is one of the simplest techniques available and can create massive and powerful changes of state in another person in an instant.

Just imagine having access to your most resourceful state- confidence, motivation, relaxation, power- at the touch of a button.

1. Why use Anchoring?

Anchoring is an NLP technique used to move a client very quickly, into a positive resourceful state (emotion). This could be used to get someone into a confident state when giving a presentation or perhaps a relaxed state when confronting a fear or phobia or to give instant motivation when faced with a challenge i.e. major sports event

2. What is an Anchor?

An Anchor is an internal state which is triggered by an external stimulus. For example, you’ve heard a song that has, literally, in your mind, taken you back momentarily to a time in the past or a specific event?

3. How do you create a Positive Resource Anchor? Recall a time in the past when you have felt the way you want to feel when your Anchor is fired. As you vividly remember that time, remembering everything you saw as if you were seeing it again, back through your own eyes, hear what you heard and feel the feeling you had at that time. When the feeling is at its strongest, “anchor” it by making a gesture, or gently pressing or squeezing an appropriate and accessible part of your body, e.g. making a fist, pushing the palm of your hand etc.Break your state by jiggling your body or moving in some way then repeat the above using a different and equally positive memory from the past, then anchor that. Repeat this several times to make the anchor strong.

Then test how strong your anchor is by breaking your state and then firing it off. Notice how great you feel!

Process:

1.          Preframe:         Get into rapport with the athlete.  Explain the process. Decide on location of kinaesthetic anchor.

2.         Recall – Have the athlete recall a past vivid experience.  The best states to anchor are those that occur naturally and that are vivid and highly associated states.

Can you remember a time when you were totally (state)? Can you remember a specific time?  (Get the client to remember one specific time.)

As you go back to that time now, step into your body and see what you saw, hear what you heard, and really feel the feelings of what you felt, as you remember a time when you were totally (state) .

NB Get into the state yourself!

3.         Associate – Make sure the athlete fully associates into the state.

4.         Anchor – As the athlete goes into state, you can see the state occurring. The moment the state occurs, the athlete steps into the Circle of Excellence, applies the anchor.  He/she releases the anchor and steps out of the circle when the state is waning.

5.         Repeat – Repeat steps 2, 3, & 4 as necessary, to ‘stack’ the anchor.

6.         Change State – Change the current state with a pattern interrupt/break state.   Talk about something completely unrelated. This distracts the conscious and unconscious minds by initiating new and different internal representations. Eg whats your phone number number backwards.  Make sure there is a definite break state before testing.

7.         Test – Test the anchor by asking the athlete to step into the Circle and fire the anchor – watch the response.

8.         Future Pace – athlete visualizes a future event , firing the anchor.  Visualize dissociated a few times in different situations.  Then visualize associated in those same situations.