Practise makes perfect doesn't it?

[rest]

Here's a problem I've been having recently, that I would very much appreciate one of the more experienced members or anyone who has advice on the subject to enlighten on. I have an avid passion for nlp and hypnosis, and feel confident in my ability to understand all the concepts. I have am well versed in ericksonian hypnosis (theory and the milton model) and feel I am ready to go out and emoloy my skills to enhance communication, and generally improve the quality of day to day experience. There is one problem. This may seem trivial but I worry that in the process of practising the concepts and ideas I will lose out on individual situations, and perhaps come across as weird, stilted or contreived. There may be no real way to avoid this situation, but then progress will be limited. How did the more experienced of you start off your "practical lives" as hypnotists, master communicators and salesmen etc. Responses will be kind and helpfull.
Thanks in advance,
Rest

[Tomo]

Here's a problem I've been having recently, that I would very much appreciate one of the more experienced members or anyone who has advice on the subject to enlighten on. I have an avid passion for nlp and hypnosis, and feel confident in my ability to understand all the concepts. I have am well versed in ericksonian hypnosis (theory and the milton model) and feel I am ready to go out and emoloy my skills to enhance communication, and generally improve the quality of day to day experience. There is one problem. This may seem trivial but I worry that in the process of practising the concepts and ideas I will lose out on individual situations, and perhaps come across as weird, stilted or contreived. There may be no real way to avoid this situation, but then progress will be limited. How did the more experienced of you start off your "practical lives" as hypnotists, master communicators and salesmen etc. Responses will be kind and helpfull.
Thanks in advance,
Rest Slowly. Very slowly. Just a little at a time.

[Don]

Contrary to popular belief, practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

[rest]

Thanks for the repsonse. good points. thought as much.
will get back to the grindstone.
Cheers

[Terry]

Here's a problem I've been having recently, that I would very much appreciate one of the more experienced members or anyone who has advice on the subject to enlighten on. I have an avid passion for nlp and hypnosis, and feel confident in my ability to understand all the concepts. I have am well versed in ericksonian hypnosis (theory and the milton model) and feel I am ready to go out and emoloy my skills to enhance communication, and generally improve the quality of day to day experience. There is one problem. This may seem trivial but I worry that in the process of practising the concepts and ideas I will lose out on individual situations, and perhaps come across as weird, stilted or contreived. There may be no real way to avoid this situation, but then progress will be limited. How did the more experienced of you start off your "practical lives" as hypnotists, master communicators and salesmen etc. Responses will be kind and helpfull.
Thanks in advance,
Rest

I have a habit which could be considered both good or bad, according to the person doing the judging....I read a post several times, and absorb the contents before replying. At times this gives me the title "Crusty old bugger" which I have no objection to, since it is indeed earned. If you want both the good and the bad, ask me. If you want long time experience, I have been connected to hypnosis for thirty five years, and have never lost interest, nor stopped learning....
Now for your post, and remember, I only have what you wrote to pass judgement on. First of all, you do indeed have a good communctions skill which will come in handy so long as you don't speak over the client's head..
Secondly, you claim a passion for hypnosis, though you don't say "why" the passion. If it is the desire to be of help to others, that's good. If it is the desire for power over others, not so good, you decide...
When beginning, remember that most people are ignorant of hypnosis, and will feel uncomfortable about it and about you possibly. Low key is always the best aproach, and never offer to help, let them come to you.......
You say you have confidence that you throughly understand what you have learned, (my words, not your) but I trust that is not intended to suggest that you have total knowledge of hypnosis, because if that were the case, you wouldn't be posting your questions here, you would have no questions. Remember I said I am still learning after thirty five years of practise and research, and I hope I never stop....
If you fear coming across as stilted and contrived, you may well worry about that it indicates a problem with perception. Let me suggest that in working with a client, you first of all make sure you consider their needs above your own, and thus will come across as a caring person, not stilted and awkward.
Never push hypnosis up someone elses nose, you have the skill to help, but if they have no desire, your skill is useless, and it is well to understand that, otherwise you are on a power trip.....
Practise working with someone in imagination, and encourage the feeling of pleasure within that you get from being able to help them, then when the opportunity arrives for you to really be of help, you will not come across as stilted and awkward. If that feeling doesn't go away, you are in the wrong business or for the wrong reason, and should desist....Terry

[Calvin Iwema]

You said "confident in your ability to understand the concepts".

This raises an excellent point. Ability to "do" is different in ability to "know". When you try things out, and find out what works and what doesn't, then you have empirical knowledge, which is (IMO) what's really important. IT's what Bandler means by saying "walk the walk, instead of talk the talk".

From my experience you can get away with quite a lot, as most people are in a terminal trance to begin with. You might start out with little things, embedded commands, communicating in different rep systems, covert anchoring, and multi-level communication. Speaking in quotes is one of my favorites.

Also think about the consequences of getting "caught". Doing a handshake interrupt in a pub would work, but may be counter-productive of other goals, like maintaining friendships.

I don't know what your intentions are, and many people are interested in the morality of "is it really wrong to influence somebody?"

All communication influences everyone. That is it's purpose and function. So.....Live by the sword, Die by the sword.

[Tomo]

Contrary to popular belief, practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. How do you know the practice is perfect? The practice can only become perfect in relation to a recognised standard, either internal or external. Internal is subjective and unreliable. My question, therefore, is who sets the standard and by what measure does the practice attain the standard?

[Don]

Don:
Contrary to popular belief, practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

Tomo:
How do you know the practice is perfect? The practice can only become perfect in relation to a recognised standard, either internal or external. Internal is subjective and unreliable. My question, therefore, is who sets the standard and by what measure does the practice attain the standard?


That's a good question, Tomo. And as long as you keep it generalized, it is difficult, if not impossible, to really answer.

But if we get specific, the answer becomes far more obvious. If you practice an induction that doesn't do a good job so many times that it's memorized, you will have perfected an imperfect induction. If you find an induction technique that works well and practice it so that you are doing it perfectly, you will have something pretty close to perfection.

Or let's look at shooting basketball hoops from the free throw line. If you practice a technique where you always fail, you'll continue to fail. If you practice a technique where you make the shot, you'll continue to succeed. When a good basketball player starts having a problem with a particular shot, the first thing he or she will do is look to make corrections and then practice those corrections.

In short, instead of looking for outside measures or standards, the key is actually simple: does it work consistently?

[rest]

Thanks for all the replies. It is quite refreshing to be part of a forum where the members are attentive and take the time out to respond to anybodies questions, familiar or unfamiliar. This can only reflect well on all involved and I am gratefull to those that have taken time to respond. Look forward to more communicatins.
Thanks once again,
rest

[Terry]

If we are going to use quote around here, I suggest we take great care that they are valid.....Take "practise makes perfect" for example. I have yet to find anyone performing in a perfect manner at all times, so perhaps it should be changed to "practise makes better"?
As for the other one, "he that lives by the sword, dies by the sword" that might have been fine in its day, but if anyone decides to come at me with a sword, I have every intention of letting the bugger die by the gun. Now come on guys, don't be have better things to do than swap quotes? Terry

[skip]

Practice is the road to perfection, whether or not anyone ever arrives is another story.

But practice isnt worth a diddly, no matter how much you do it, UNLESS;

1.You know the results you are expecting from practice, AND;

2. You have an objective, difinitive, way of measuring whether or not you are achieving those results, AND;

3. You adjust your practice such that you begin to achieve the results instead of just perfecting how not to do it.

Practice isnt a spectator sport, it is not a passive thing, it is fully active and requires your entire talent and attention applied to your learned skills.

And if you dont make it fun, you wont do it.

Thats why hypnosis/nlp is so much fun to practice, it requires a partner, always a plus, and not only do you get better at hypnosis, you can improve your life while learning how to help others.

Way kwel.

skip