This is a very good take on the swish pattern. One of the biggest challenges I found with the swish pattern and other strategies is working with predominantly verbal modality. The majority of NLP techniques seem to cater to visually oriented individuals.
Thank you Damon for this. Your Slingshot story reminds me of the first time I learned this pattern with Janis Ericson who use Slingshot to teach Swish Pattern. Very effective.
There are many styles of this technique. I used two or three of them about 20 times, repeatedly. That was October, 2 years ago. I also couldn't drink coffee for a while and I didn't even ask for that. I used the swish technique to get over the panick attacks I developed during a COVID bout but only 90 percent went away but I am still counting my blessings
Be careful of different styles of the Swish Pattern. It's more often taught incorrectly than correctly. For years I thought the pattern didn't work for me and for my clients until my mentor showed me that I was doing it wrong.
Fantastic swish pattern review, yes, with all my past training and reading....I've done it wrong, focusing on different behavior instead of a generalized ideal self!
Hey Damon. I really liked this and started using this version of the Swish. Clients are enjoying it and seeing benefit from it. I did some additional research and I thought I would share this here. Let the client know that as you repeat the Swish multiple times, it may be harder and harder to form the "before" image until it's possible that you can't form it at all. When that happens, just let me know. This way you know you've done it enough.
Hi Dan. The objective of the Swish is not to make the trigger image harder and harder to make. It's to make the trigger move you toward becoming your ideal self and away from the destructive habit. Your clients may find it harder and harder to make the trigger image, but that's not the goal of the Swish. The goal is to interrupt the compulsive pattern and direct the compulsion to a behavior that aligns with your values.
It usually takes 7 to 10 reps, but it may take more, which is why you want to test it. After you do it 7 to 10 times, think of the trigger image and if your ideal image immediately replaces it, you're done. You do not want to continue practicing it anymore for the same problem. The true power of the Swish Pattern is when the change becomes unconscious. If you keep practicing it, you will be overly conscious of it (self-conscious) and then you're more likely to negotiate with yourself and end up doing the unwanted behavior. For example, you don't practice thinking about brushing your teeth. You just do it, but if you thought too much about it every morning and every night, you would be less consistent about doing it.
It's the ideal you, whoever the ideal you is to you, who has solved your problems. It's the you who doesn't smoke and instead spends your money and your time on something else that is healthier. You don't need to see all of these details. Just make an image of you that somehow let's you know this is the ideal you who is living a fulfilled life.
Great content! Consistent explanations! Question: What if the desired state is very "setting/situation dependent" and it seems that a more contextualized image would be useful? For example, say a person is consistently grumpy in a specific setting, a setting which they can't avoid, say a workplace. Would you discourage a more specific swish image of them simply being happy in that setting? Are there times when more specific target images are good to use?
If you do it that way, you're chaining, not swishing. The Swish Pattern uses identity, which is what makes it so powerful. If you take that element out of it, it's not the same. What you're describing is more like future pacing, which is necessary as part of a NLP process, but it won't generalize outside of that specific context. It also needs to be the last step of a process that overcomes whatever was stopping you from being happy in that context.
I tried it and my heart rate actually increased on the thoughts of the ideal me, thank you so much i hope abundance, opportunity and prosperity follow you and thanks to the academy of ideas channel for leading me here
Really helpful video, Damon, thank you. Do you have any videos of you doing the swish with a client? Think it would be really helpful to see it. Cheers, Robert
Some people do Swish Pattern uncounsciously when they buy a new smartphone, a new prescription glasses, a new car, a new notebook. They shift their perspective, it get broader, higher, 120hz, bigger, 20/15, etc. Or, about technology, when they hard reset their smartphones/notebook. We tend to use technology to help us build our mental images. It's also an analogy, we can use this story to induce a conversational hypnosis changing or use this analogy as an exercise.
I don't see how that's like a Swish Pattern. The Swish Pattern is used to interrupt a habit or compulsive pattern and redirect your behavior to behavior more aligned with who you ideally want to become.
Hi again...preventing the yo yo is confusing to me....please, in your words, could you say it?...after the state has been broken?.....do you ask the client to let you know when you have swished the better over the negative?....ideamotor or nod or? can you ask them to open eyes and then close to break state? Again, what do you say so as not to creat a yo yo effect...thank you for helping me understand.
You should be able to see it in their posture and other physical signs when the swish happens. Make sure you're looking for it. You can ask them to nod when it happens if you're not sure. The yo-yo effect is when they reset the pictures by moving them back from where they swished them. In other words just after swishing the images, you don't want them swishing the images back in place when they reset them. You want them to make them suddenly appear in front of them as they did right before they swished.
Great video, but question, am I disassociating myself in the picture that I ideally want? Because I thought I was supposed to associate myself into the ideal picture..
There are specific reasons why you're supposed to be disassociated. However, I'm curious, why did you think you were supposed to associate into the ideal image of yourself?
Humans are blessed with the capability of creativity, but unfortunately we tend not to leverage it's full potential. Your ideal self is the ideal you who has solved all of your problems and who is living your highest values. Imagine what that you would look like. Just because he doesn't exist doesn't mean you can't imagine him. It's the image of you that when you look at him, you just know he's your ideal you. It might take you some time to create but it's absolutely worth it.
Why don't you comprehend how frustrating that response is. It's not only you that does it. What don't you guys comprehend that me and others like me and probably this person have no damn clue what our ideal self would look like. We have not experienced that. We don't even know how to fathom it. I'm not comprehending what you and others who give these types of responses are not comprehending. So therefore these types of techniques are not going to work for people like us because we are expected to know and already have laid out or to try to fathom up some version of us so we've never even experienced in our human experience before@@DamonCart
Actually exploding the unwanted behaviour picture, may well prevent what you were saying at the end, from happening. Because you have to reset the unwanted behaviour picture each time - if you get what I mean.
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Many thanks for your video!!! I am a Forex trader and always sell too early ( fear of giving up profits) and this limits my success. I think the swish pattern could help me. Should the swishing picture be something general ie a successful me: wealthy, healthy, sharply dressed etc? Ie contextual free. And how many times and sessions should I do? Many thanks
Thank you for your question. Yes, this should be the ideal you that has solved not only the problem of selling too early but also the wealthy and healthy you. You can be sharply dressed in the image as a way to represent the ideal you but don't get too detailed or specific with this content. The less detailed the more likely it will generalize to all areas of your life. I would do it 7 to 10 times and then test it. Associate into the situation that used to trigger you or compel you to engage in the behavior you don't want to engage in and see if the image of the ideal you automatically comes up and blocks out the other image without trying to make it happen. If you get that response, you're done. Don't practice it anymore. Let it go unconscious. It will be more powerful that way. If you don't get that response, practice it until you do.
NLP Gym Many thanks for taking the time to reply. I was wondering do you recommend any other of your NLP techniques that can also help in this area by supplementing the Swish pattern?
You're welcome. You can use this for anxiety but the Fast Phobia Process is better. Steve Andreas has a great demonstration on this that can be found on RUclips. It's an old video but very relevant. He even did a follow up with the woman he did the demonstration with 20 or so years later.
@@DamonCart just listened to the movie theater method. It would work for specific issues, should I use this for overall anxiety from work? Should I project what’s causing the work anxiety then apply the method?
Very good sir thank you for sharing! You've got a lot of skill/knowledge under the belt. I am inspired to push the envelope also. How do you get the cool nlp graphics on your other vids?
Good question. If you want to associate to get a feel for how it will be like when you become the ideal you go ahead. However, make sure you disassociate before complete the work. The reason for this is if you stay associated you will be less compelled to move toward your ideal self because you will feel like you're already there. It's like wanting to shed 20 pounds and giving yourself the feeling that you've already done it so there's no need to implement new behaviors like exercise and a better diet. Many NLPers make this mistake. They create the feeling of already having solved a problem when they actually haven't in order to make themselves feel better, but feeling better (though not a bad thing) in this case will prevent you from taking action. When you future pace, which is what the last part of the swish pattern is (seeing an image of your ideal self) you wan to disassociate and make the image compelling so you move toward it even unconsciously.
I'm a bit confused on how you said not yo- yo but at around 8:10 min you say., put your negative picture on top and your negative on the bottom and then do it again. So do I put the negative on top and re-do or no? And if not when I put the positive picture on top when I re-do it do I just imagine that or do i need to break the negative one again like the first time I do it.
Yes, when you reset the pictures with the negative one at the top don't move them back into place. Instead just make them appear again so that you don't get the yo-yo effect. If you swish them and then bring them back that's how it will actually happen when the habit is triggered; first you'll see the ideal you and then it will automatically swish back to the compulsion image making you carry out the bad habit.
Thank you so much for this video! I appreciate you clarifying the right way to perform the swish pattern. I was wondering if you can use the swish pattern to change a limiting belief? If so, how would I elicit the picture of myself, for the belief I want to change?
Because the Swish Pattern is a piece of identity work, it will often affect limiting beliefs. However, if you want to go directly at changing a limiting belief, the Swish Pattern lacks precision. The Self-Concept Model is a more expanded and more precise way of transforming beliefs.
Am I right in thinking this is more suitable for tangible issues like losing weight, being fitter? Does it work for reducing anxiety, changing career, improving income?
It never hurts to try it on any of these things, tangible or intangible. The results tend to vary from person to person. You won't know if it works until you try and it only takes about ten minutes. Some things will click. Some won't. For the ones that don't there's a bigger process and model for changing at the identity level called the Self-Concept Model, created by my mentor Steve Andreas. It's the basis of all of my coaching and teaching. The Swish Pattern was the process that inspired Steve to model how we create identity so that we can transform ourselves.
One question - is it worth discussing with the client why they want to break the habit, what is motivating them to change? Will that help or hinder the change?
@@veenasampathkumar6809 I wouldn't necessarily ask why because asking why can make people defensive. However, you can ask them what would replacing this habit with better choice do for you? This will help them connect with the value that's driving them to change the habit, which will. make them more motivated. It certainly doesn't hurt.
@@DamonCart that is what I thought but wanted clarification. In the picture with current habit, should they picture the trigger or them indulging in the habit. Different practitioners seem to say differently, wondered what you thought. I am very grateful for your replies and it is amazing that you care to genuinely reply to each comment. I pray for your good health!
Huge work, nice. Quick question If i have no behavior or emotions that i don't want, and only somthing i want, how can i do swich without swich , understand ?? If yes how?
My first question for you would then be what stops you from having it? If nothing is in your way, then get it. If you're not completely clear about what you want, you can use the second part of the swish and just see the ideal image of you out in front of you, the you who knows what you want and has it. This will motivate you to become the person you envision.
@@DamonCart wow tnx for the quick answer, it's starr to be clear.. and tell me please when i do the swich p. It's have to be a steal picture without any sound (im auditory) or can be done with movie and sounds? Can you clear that for me?
No the picture doesn't have to be still and adding auditory would likely enhance the image making it more compelling which is good. Just remember that in the ideal image you don't want to be doing anything in particular and you don't want to be in any particular context. You can do auditory swishing and kinesthetic swishing, but visual tends to be the most powerful because you can see a lot more all at once than you can feel or hear.
This was amazingly insightful, especially as someone - like you - who was taught wrongly!! Especially loved the actual example at the end to understand how to use it. It would be even more powerful if you could do a demo on someone else too.
I've done more videos on the Swish Pattern since this one. The most recent one I published is a full training with a demonstration. This is it: ruclips.net/video/R1CB5zh_5l0/видео.html
Life Mastery Gym So right now I have to work on allowing myself to get a more vivid picture in my mines eye. That’s what I’m struggling with right now.
What do you recommend for people that have difficulty visualizing? You seem to have a wonderful imagination, do you have any techniques you can share? Thank you!! Stay blessed!
Good question. The truth is you don't have to visualize vividly to get powerful results. I don't. I only see what's important. You probably visualize better than you think. It's just that it's unconscious. Instead of trying to work your brain to construct images. First start by finding what you already do. For example, how would you recognize your best friend? You must have an image in your mind of him or her that you refer to. Find it. Imagine you're in a crowd of people and your looking for your friend. How do you know which person is him or her?
@@DamonCart thank you so much! That helps a lot. I am taking an NLP class right now and I love it! I am hoping to take your next! Stay blessed! I love your channel!
Would it work if I made a video of what I wanted to look like and what I wanted to change and had them move or explode the one , or whatever ? Since I’m not very visual In my mind.
If I created a video of myself to watch instead of trying to visualize images in my mind (since I can’t visualize very well), would that work? I could use an image of myself from before I gained weight and started smoking, and then one from now. I could make a video with a swoosh pattern effect, as you described, where one image gets larger while the other gets smaller. Do you think this approach could work? Thank you for responding! I hope this makes more sen
Ive come across STEVEN ROEHM and then Igor doing language bending hypnosis. I’m hoping that you can direct me to a book or NLP source to teach me the Principles involved .
Hi! If the ideal version of myself is calm and centered, like how I feel during meditation, then would seeing myself sitting in a meditative state be too much context? Or, would sitting in a meditative posture with my eyes open, alert yet calm, be better? The behavior I'm working on changing is getting frustrated, then lashing out during arguments.
I would say that seeing yourself meditating would be too much context but seeing yourself with the same qualities as what you experience while meditating would be very good. Btw, I recognize you from Facebook. You have interesting videos. Thank you for commenting.
No, only the image of the ideal you should be disassociated. The compulsion image is associated which is one of the reasons you feel compelled to do the unwanted behavior.
You can't go at confidence directly. You feel true confidence when you're certain about something. You don't want to be certain about flying a plane after only one lesson. People want confidence first before they try something. This is backwards. What you can do is have confidence in being where you are right now, which starts with acceptance. I'm learning Romanian. I'm not confident about speaking it because I can only speak a little. But I'm confident that I'm a beginner and I'm confident that I will learn it because I"ve learned many things in my life.
What if you don't want your ideal image, in the corner of the image of the unwanted behavior? Or to the left of it, or right, above or below? Let me explain. I was doing the swish pattern on road rage. LOL! However, I tend to like to sling shot the unwanted behavior image out into the far distance into space, shrinking and disappearing it as it leaves the foreground and descends into background into nothingness. And I like the ideal image to come sling shot forward, having come from that far distance (space) and emerging into my foreground very large and in color. Now, I was told by Steve Andreas (who obviously knows his stuff) that this is not a proper swish since the images are 'sequential' and the images are not connected to one another and the ideal image isn't overtaking the other. I'm hoping this is making sense! So, my question is, there are very different schools of thought in NLP about proper procedure. What is your take? Is it OK to bend procedure if you are getting the same results? Maybe I'll just call this is a sequential swish! HA! Others I have worked with prefer to turn the knob on the TV to change from unwanted behavior to ideal image. Again, their images are also sequential. Sometimes I get tripped up on doing things the proper way, when innately I get more creative than procedural, though I know the proper way to do things fundamentally. Sorry- long-winded!
Steve is very procedural and it's one of the reasons he's so damn good at NLP. However, he's acknowledged to me that sometimes processes will work just as well if you don't follow every step precisely. As a teacher he would suggest (and so would I) to learn it properly and precisely first and then if you want to color outside the lines go ahead. Know the rules before you break them. In this case the Swish is the Swish because the two images are touching and they slide one from the other. For most people the two images touching each other is necessary for the process to work. If you're getting the same or better result a different way, then do it your way. NLP is outcome and results oriented. there is a lot of sloppiness in how NLP is taught today. Steve has pointed out to me a lot of my gaps in understanding and it was always due to the way NLP was taught to me. To many NLPers these small details seem trivial but that's because they lack understanding. The deeper you go the more you realize how important these details are.
I agree with learning the fundamentals or building blocks first, for sure, before you attempt any form of creativity. And I think it's very important to find proper trainers and do exhaustive research to find them. I also think there's a total lack of conversation among NLPers regarding the small details and why they are so important, or not to others. I'd like to hear that discussion myself.
@@DamonCart It was a good confirmation to hear that smashing the negative image works best for you. My intention is always to break the negative picture so that it completely disappears. It gives a sense of relief. It's also helpful to know that I can actually see how position my beliefs in the picture of my mind. I'm still struggling with that part however. It's very subtle and I can't always recognize the small details, for example, how I know that I'll go to bed at 9. I just know that I always go to be at 9.
Personally I find it ideal to define what a better version of me is. Create as many references as I can think of, for the values, beliefs, decisions, behaviors, etc, that the person I invision is. Then when it comes to swish I do what you say, as simply: Have a better version of you swish into frame, rather than 1 particular circumstance. I don't know about anyone else but since I can't imagine stuff in 2 seconds perfectly. I just imagine a green square, the thing I want behind a red square and break through to obliterate the red square and see the green sqare, then feel the better emotions and feelings, that the person I invision has.
I agree. It's good to elicit your values and criteria for what you want. When you know what you want, it will give you a sense of the ideal version of yourself. The truth is found in your own experience. I've never heard of using green and red squares, but if it gets the job done, I can't argue with that.
Hi...can I use it to replace a scary, negative image of someone I love to a newer, better and more real image? The recurring image keeps popping up in the mind....but its not real....could this content be used for that?....how would one word it instead of 'the ideal you that has already solved this problem'? to maybe " the ideal image you now want to see'? I hope I am making sense. thank you
I would first get clear about why you're seeing this person negatively. What is the positive intent of seeing them negatively? There may be a part of you that is trying to protect you and sees something in this person that could harm you. Regardless if it's correct or not, you will need to sort it out in order to change the way you feel about them. You can use the Swish pattern for anything. Test it and see if it works, but again I would get clear about why you're seeing this person negatively and I would get clear about why you want to see this person in an ideal way. Be careful with idealizing others.
I have a question. The picture of the idea you is small and in the background. It is the ideal you who has conquered the unwanted behavior and is in NO particular context, doing NO particular behavior. It is also DISASSOCIATED (as mentioned in the video). When you swish and this picture breaks through and destroys the unwanted behavior picture, at that moment, do we attach positive feelings to the "ideal you disassociated picture"? Do we feel nothing about this "ideal you disassociated picture" as it breaks through and leave it DISASSOCIATED? How should we feel to have the swish pattern work effectively?
Thank you for your question. Yes, absolutely, the ideal image of you should invoke a strong feeling. The ideal you should be a compelling image so much so that you feel drawn into the image like you want to immediately be that ideal you. This is what will make you drawn toward becoming that you. The point of practicing the Swish several times is so that it becomes unconscious. Any time you find yourself tempted by the compulsory behavior your mind will immediately swish automatically and refocus on the ideal you image that will compel you to move away from the compulsory behavior you don't want to do and move toward becoming the ideal you.
Hi im scared of driving and for years i have not been able to cope with this fear. Should i imagine myself as a well versed driver and then proceed to drive?
Very help. One more question - how dose i know that it works? In the past i did it and i felt that, but after 2 days it's gone, you now? And now i did it, i know somthing happened , however don't know how to check . What you say and how?
@@DamonCart yes. It's pop up, however i didn't choose a behavior , i change my body image and in one day i loose 2 kg without any diet , and all my internal dialogue have change, i try submodalities so much time in different ways, and the problem always come back after 2 days, sometimes i thought NLP doesn't work, maybe only for me, you know what I'm talking about? now i believe it's for good, tnx i respect that.
Sounds like it's working. Check in to see if you have any resistance to becoming the image of the you you want to be. If so, you might have to work on that. If not, it will probably stick.
The entire exercise or how many times to repeat it the first time you do this process? Do it 7 to 10 times the first time you do the process and then let it go unconscious. In other words, forget about it. It will be more powerful that way. Unless it doesn't work. If you find yourself still doing the behavior you don't want to do, something didn't work right. You may need to revisit the process or you might need to do deeper change work. The Swish doesn't work for everything.
So basically it is like a bad habit and then there's an image of good me doing nothing? Can I give myself or the person I am helping several choices like ok so you want to quit smoking and instead you want to do exercise, read a book, take deep breaths etc ?? I hope my question is clear.
I address this in the video. The reason you want to see an ideal image of yourself not doing any particular behavior and not in any particular context is because you want this image to generalize throughout your life as widely as possible. If you attach a specific behavior (which is called chaining by the way) you run the risk that the person won't be able to perform the activity that you're chaining which would then cause the person to smoke instead. For example, what if your client wakes up in the middle of the night and wants a cigarette and you chained exercising to it. He's not going to exercise in the middle of the nigh. He's going to grab a cigarette. Rewatch the video and see if it clears it up for you. I've also done another, more recent video on Swish. Check that one out too.
That's a great question. You can swish sounds and you can swish feelings. It will take getting creative though. For voices or sounds you want to elicit where she puts sounds or voices in her personal space that are meaningless or have no effect on her to swish down to. And you will need to know where the sounds are that are the equivalent of the big bright picture right in front that you would swish up to for the visual person. For feelings you need to make the distinction between the evaluative, emotional feelings and the tactile, proprioceptive feelings. Evaluative and emotional feelings are always the result of seeing or hearing something externally or internally. Those are not the feelings you want to use for swishing if the person is truly kinesthetic.
"Heart of the Mind", Chapter 17 - Connirae Andreas describes her doing the swish with "Kate", a woman who is having a problem visualizing the "New Self-Image" version of herself. Paraphrasing: "When switching out the cue image for the new self image JUST PRETEND you are doing it. Many people don't see these images consciously, they just do it "as if" its real. As long as you pretend well that you can see the images, it works fine.
I'm confused as to what the "ideal you" picture is supposed to be. For instance, if I'm eating too much candy, I think I'm supposed to see my hand coming up to my face with the candy but I'm not certain what my "ideal picture with no behavior" is supposed to be. Me with my ideal body?
You could do that, but take a moment to create an image of your ideal self not doing any particular behavior and not in any particular context. See this ideal you, the you who has already solved this problem. Allow this to happen. You don't have to know exactly what it is about the image of you, but something about the image lets you know that this is the ideal you who has solved all of your problems. You'll know it when you feel extremely compelled to move toward that image and jump into being her. But don't jump into the image. You want the feeling of being compelled to be your ideal self rather than being compelled to eat candy.
@@DamonCart Ok thanks for the clarification and the comment about not jumping into the image because i've heard that in other videos on swishing and to put a small idealized image of yourself somewhere in the image you want to erase, which didn't make much sense to me.
How effective would it be to visualize the behavior, then visualize the second picture with the same behavior with a big black X on the picture and then visually "throw" the picture out of site? Is there a part of this that would not work because of something I do not know...just asking...no criticism intended...
The main part of the Swish Pattern is that you're replacing the unwanted behavior with an image of the ideal you who you want to move into becoming. If the big black X works well for you, I would see the unwanted behavior and then draw a big black X over it and throw it away just as soon as you replace it with the image of the ideal you who has already solved this issue. If you just throw away the visual of the unwanted behavior and you don't replace it, another unwanted behavior or unwanted image could take it's place.
Hi i am really looking for a solution for my life problem is about computer programming(i am sorry about my English because i am Arabic man) i will write it below and if you can help me i will say you just saved my life and i am ready to email you my problem is : when i was 18 i had ocd in computer programming(Thoughts like programming is hard !! you will not be a programmer etc... ) and then i took many drugs like vavarin it helped a lot and the Thoughts is finished but now and after four years when i see or hear any thing related to programming i fell Tension and anxiety Fast heartbeat can nlp help me or can i email you to get help
NLP can definitely help with that. I've made many videos demonstrating various techniques that you can try in this issue. If you're looking for coaching you can email me at damon@nlp-gym.com
NLP Gym i have a problem where i pull my hair i have been doing this for 20 years i do that while i read, think, before go to sleep or talking on the phone and while i prepare to sleep i'm very poor in visualization how can i bring the old picture and what i need to elicitate in the new one. Also, how this will work for motivation or cravings? i think the main issue here that you can actually visualize.
Interesting that your channel name is the visionary and you say you can't visualize. Tap into how you chose that name. It's a visual term. Everyone can visualize. Even though your visualizations are unconscious doesn't mean you're not responding to them. Pulling out your hair sounds to me to be very kinesthetic. You can use the Swish Pattern in the kinesthetic channel if you're having trouble visualizing. However, visuals are the best to work with because you can take in many details and simultaneous information at once. With auditory and kinesthetic channels it's hard to do that. To Swish kinesthetically, use the same instructions I give in this video with tactile and proprioceptive feelings. What do you feel right before you feel compelled to pull your hair? What is the body sensation feeling of the ideal you? Swish the feelings in your body.
The Swish is a pattern. You only need to practice 7 to 10 times only once per change you're wanting to make. Always test it after you've done it 7 to 10 times. When you think about the thing you used to feel compelled to do that you don't want to do, what happens? If an ideal image of yourself swishes up and takes the place of the previous image, you're done. Let it go. Let it slip into unconsciousness. It actually works against you if you try to practice it more because it keeps it too conscious. We don't want to be self-conscious.
Hi Damon. A great story but actually it's missing 2 elements that make it very ineffective for many people. Want to know how? I've not had a headache develop EVER in 33 years after really learning to do the swish with additional elements to what you suggest. PM me and I'll share it with you. and you'll get it straight away.
This sounds like a sales pitch. What I explain in this video is the Swish Pattern with no missing "elements". Whatever you're doing, it's probably a different pattern or process than the Swish Pattern, which is fine. The Swish Pattern isn't the only game in town.
@@DamonCart I have nothing to sell but when you hang around with Ernest Rossi, Will Macdonald, Eric Robbie, Richard and John, you pick up other stuff. I enjoyed your video discussing the visual swish. I was going to share with you, the auditory and kinesthetic additions that make it killer. I don't teach the NLP programmes any more, as many of my friends do great jobs, but when I did, I taught this, as I found many people who'd tried the visual swish didn't get the results I did. C'est la vie.
@@DamonCart Cool, so part of my proposition was that (because you say you can swish in other modalities and why would you need to?) an effective swish pattern is one that utilizes the client's most available sensory perceptors, so if they are not very visual, it won't work properly at all. It's a nice video. I thought I'd be today's gift horse and cup overfloweth, and if yours does too, we're all good. :)
@@steveconsalvez4320 Even though the visual modality might not be someone's preferred modality, it's still often very effective to do it in the visual modality because you can access more simultaneous information in visual than you can the other modalities. It's a myth that you have to use a preferred modality to make these techniques work. The only reason I would not do it in the visual modality is if the person struggled so much to visualize the Swish that it interfered with the process.
Sure it's just thinking about something completely different. If you were really focused on a movie you were watching and I suddenly asked you what you had for breakfast, in that moment your focus of attention on the movie would vanish as you recall what you had for breakfast. Your state of focus has now been broken. After you answer the question you can return to your state of focus on the movie.
Good information but so hard to listen to. I would have preferred if you could have spoken up and been a bit more articulate. Had to try really hard to separate the words.
Thank you. That was one of my first videos. 300 videos later I've gotten better equipment and have gotten better at speaking to a camera. Here's a more recent one: ruclips.net/video/ETXir5AYsmQ/видео.html
Yes. I don't have a video on it but you're looking for the Fast Phobia Process. This video is old but it's Steve Andreas demonstrating it masterfully: ruclips.net/video/mss8dndyakQ/видео.html
What do you mean by energy source? Everyone is suggestible to an extent. People who are not suggestible or who have little suggestibility usually have issues like autism or some sort of disorder that makes it difficult for them to pick social cues.
@@DamonCart Guilty as charged. Maybe I'm a psychopath. I've been through this swish pattern on multiple occasions, and I just can't convince myself to buy into it. I just can't fool myself into imaging a box or an energy source like that.
Please make your videos LOUDER. I have full volume on and its not as loud as every other video I've watched. I should not have to have it full force to still struggle to hear it. LOUDER PLEASE. Thanks!
@@DamonCart No its not the same as even YOUR OWN other videos. I almost commented on another one of yours saying, "See, this one is loud enough." Again, its on your end. Brand new computer here and other videos from you and other people are not this low volume. But since you don't care... neither do I. I just won't listen/watch/subscribe/or share them. Solved!
@@AnaA-ku2yt I don't know what to tell you. There's nothing I can do to raise the volume after it's uploaded. Your original comment was "please make your videos louder". Since in your last comment you said my other videos are louder, it sounds like the problem is already solved. Btw, this video sounds fine on my computer and my phone. It was uploaded almost 7 years ago and no one else has complained that it was too low to hear.
@@DamonCart Because they don't care enough to take the time to TELL you. Anyhow, the problem is NOT fixed. SOME of your videos are loud enough and some are not. Guess you got better in recording from your earlier years. Good to know you can't do anything to increase volume so I wont make this mistake with my new channel.
For Free NLP Training check out my website: nlpgym.mykajabi.com/ and my private NLP Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/445150475957230/
Most useful video about NLP swish pattern on RUclips so far. Many thanks for the explanation!
You're very welcome!
Love the Star 🌟 Wars 🔥 reference. Going to try it - just new to applying NLP.
This is a very good take on the swish pattern. One of the biggest challenges I found with the swish pattern and other strategies is working with predominantly verbal modality. The majority of NLP techniques seem to cater to visually oriented individuals.
Do you mean digital?
Helped me with my smoking. Thank you
You're welcome. That's great!
Thank you so much for subscribing bro, really appreciate being able to see this. Best of luck in the growth of your channel, you've got my support!
Same to you. You've got good content. Keep it up.
Thank you Damon for this. Your Slingshot story reminds me of the first time I learned this pattern with Janis Ericson who use Slingshot to teach Swish Pattern. Very effective.
You're very welcome.
this is a powerful technique I used it to quit smoking 2 years ago I learned this from tony robbins book
God bless you dude and the dude in another video who pointed me to this one. You were very clear..your brother in humanity.
Thank you. Really appreciate the compliment. Who is the dude in another video who pointed you to my video?
There are many styles of this technique. I used two or three of them about 20 times, repeatedly. That was October, 2 years ago. I also couldn't drink coffee for a while and I didn't even ask for that. I used the swish technique to get over the panick attacks I developed during a COVID bout but only 90 percent went away but I am still counting my blessings
Be careful of different styles of the Swish Pattern. It's more often taught incorrectly than correctly. For years I thought the pattern didn't work for me and for my clients until my mentor showed me that I was doing it wrong.
Fantastic swish pattern review, yes, with all my past training and reading....I've done it wrong, focusing on different behavior instead of a generalized ideal self!
Let me know how the correct way works for you.
Hey Damon. I really liked this and started using this version of the Swish. Clients are enjoying it and seeing benefit from it. I did some additional research and I thought I would share this here. Let the client know that as you repeat the Swish multiple times, it may be harder and harder to form the "before" image until it's possible that you can't form it at all. When that happens, just let me know.
This way you know you've done it enough.
Hi Dan. The objective of the Swish is not to make the trigger image harder and harder to make. It's to make the trigger move you toward becoming your ideal self and away from the destructive habit. Your clients may find it harder and harder to make the trigger image, but that's not the goal of the Swish. The goal is to interrupt the compulsive pattern and direct the compulsion to a behavior that aligns with your values.
Nice video , do we have to open our eyes during state breaks after single swish
It would probably help but it's not necessary.
I like the way you explained this I understand now. Thanks
Glad it was helpful.
Thank you. I love the boomerang idea smashing the thing you don't want. I will definitely be using this version with my clients.
You're welcome.
Damon, please: how many times do I have to repeat the swish pattern for the same problem?
And how many in general, like a daily practice?
Many thanks😊
It usually takes 7 to 10 reps, but it may take more, which is why you want to test it. After you do it 7 to 10 times, think of the trigger image and if your ideal image immediately replaces it, you're done.
You do not want to continue practicing it anymore for the same problem. The true power of the Swish Pattern is when the change becomes unconscious. If you keep practicing it, you will be overly conscious of it (self-conscious) and then you're more likely to negotiate with yourself and end up doing the unwanted behavior. For example, you don't practice thinking about brushing your teeth. You just do it, but if you thought too much about it every morning and every night, you would be less consistent about doing it.
@@DamonCart 🙏🙏🙏
I can't thank you enough!!! Now I know what I was doing wrong and wasn't getting the results I wanted.
Excellent! Thank you for your comment.
This is a HUGE help and adjustment to my process. Thanks!!
You're welcome. Thank you for commenting.
Greetings Damon, can you give me an example of of the “ideal you” for someone that smokes? Thanks for all the free content you provide.
It's the ideal you, whoever the ideal you is to you, who has solved your problems. It's the you who doesn't smoke and instead spends your money and your time on something else that is healthier. You don't need to see all of these details. Just make an image of you that somehow let's you know this is the ideal you who is living a fulfilled life.
1:52 ideal you already has...
Great content! Consistent explanations! Question:
What if the desired state is very "setting/situation dependent" and it seems that a more contextualized image would be useful? For example, say a person is consistently grumpy in a specific setting, a setting which they can't avoid, say a workplace. Would you discourage a more specific swish image of them simply being happy in that setting? Are there times when more specific target images are good to use?
If you do it that way, you're chaining, not swishing. The Swish Pattern uses identity, which is what makes it so powerful. If you take that element out of it, it's not the same. What you're describing is more like future pacing, which is necessary as part of a NLP process, but it won't generalize outside of that specific context. It also needs to be the last step of a process that overcomes whatever was stopping you from being happy in that context.
@@DamonCart Very helpful and clarifying explanation!
thank you ! for the different ways of swishing ! swish break state !
Thank you.
loved your explanation making it so clear as the correct way of doing Swiss pattern
Thank you.
Thanks Damon, your detailed logical explanations are much appreciated!
Thank you for the kind comment Diana. Appreciate it.
Fantastic video, thanks for the clarity!
You're welcome. Thank you for watching.
I tried it and my heart rate actually increased on the thoughts of the ideal me, thank you so much i hope abundance, opportunity and prosperity follow you and thanks to the academy of ideas channel for leading me here
Glad it worked for you.
Really helpful video, Damon, thank you. Do you have any videos of you doing the swish with a client? Think it would be really helpful to see it. Cheers, Robert
Thank you. In my online Practitioner training I demonstrate it with a student.
@@DamonCart Thanks Damon
You're welcome
Some people do Swish Pattern uncounsciously when they buy a new smartphone, a new prescription glasses, a new car, a new notebook. They shift their perspective, it get broader, higher, 120hz, bigger, 20/15, etc.
Or, about technology, when they hard reset their smartphones/notebook.
We tend to use technology to help us build our mental images.
It's also an analogy, we can use this story to induce a conversational hypnosis changing or use this analogy as an exercise.
I don't see how that's like a Swish Pattern. The Swish Pattern is used to interrupt a habit or compulsive pattern and redirect your behavior to behavior more aligned with who you ideally want to become.
I am so grateful for the star wars reference, It makes me have an image to convey how dramatic this swish must be to my clients, haha!
Hello Damon when you say take a picture do you mean visualize these images or an actual physical picture?
Visualize
Hi again...preventing the yo yo is confusing to me....please, in your words, could you say it?...after the state has been broken?.....do you ask the client to let you know when you have swished the better over the negative?....ideamotor or nod or? can you ask them to open eyes and then close to break state? Again, what do you say so as not to creat a yo yo effect...thank you for helping me understand.
You should be able to see it in their posture and other physical signs when the swish happens. Make sure you're looking for it. You can ask them to nod when it happens if you're not sure. The yo-yo effect is when they reset the pictures by moving them back from where they swished them. In other words just after swishing the images, you don't want them swishing the images back in place when they reset them. You want them to make them suddenly appear in front of them as they did right before they swished.
Great video, but question, am I disassociating myself in the picture that I ideally want? Because I thought I was supposed to associate myself into the ideal picture..
There are specific reasons why you're supposed to be disassociated. However, I'm curious, why did you think you were supposed to associate into the ideal image of yourself?
How do you create the ideal you? What makes up the ideal self? How do I visualize an ideal self when I presently do not have this ideal self?
Humans are blessed with the capability of creativity, but unfortunately we tend not to leverage it's full potential. Your ideal self is the ideal you who has solved all of your problems and who is living your highest values. Imagine what that you would look like. Just because he doesn't exist doesn't mean you can't imagine him. It's the image of you that when you look at him, you just know he's your ideal you. It might take you some time to create but it's absolutely worth it.
Why don't you comprehend how frustrating that response is. It's not only you that does it. What don't you guys comprehend that me and others like me and probably this person have no damn clue what our ideal self would look like. We have not experienced that. We don't even know how to fathom it. I'm not comprehending what you and others who give these types of responses are not comprehending. So therefore these types of techniques are not going to work for people like us because we are expected to know and already have laid out or to try to fathom up some version of us so we've never even experienced in our human experience before@@DamonCart
@@IAMtheoneyoulovetolove perhaps this is not the right technique for you then.
Actually exploding the unwanted behaviour picture, may well prevent what you were saying at the end, from happening. Because you have to reset the unwanted behaviour picture each time - if you get what I mean.
Yes it helps prevent the yo yo effect. Good insight. Thank you for your comment.
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Good clarity. Very well done.
Thank you.
Many thanks for your video!!!
I am a Forex trader and always sell too early ( fear of giving up profits) and this limits my success.
I think the swish pattern could help me.
Should the swishing picture be something general ie a successful me: wealthy, healthy, sharply dressed etc? Ie contextual free.
And how many times and sessions should I do?
Many thanks
Thank you for your question. Yes, this should be the ideal you that has solved not only the problem of selling too early but also the wealthy and healthy you. You can be sharply dressed in the image as a way to represent the ideal you but don't get too detailed or specific with this content. The less detailed the more likely it will generalize to all areas of your life.
I would do it 7 to 10 times and then test it. Associate into the situation that used to trigger you or compel you to engage in the behavior you don't want to engage in and see if the image of the ideal you automatically comes up and blocks out the other image without trying to make it happen. If you get that response, you're done. Don't practice it anymore. Let it go unconscious. It will be more powerful that way.
If you don't get that response, practice it until you do.
NLP Gym Many thanks for taking the time to reply. I was wondering do you recommend any other of your NLP techniques that can also help in this area by supplementing the Swish pattern?
Circle of Excellence is a good one. Anything to do with state management. Also NLP language patterns are great for sales.
I just found your videos and thank you. Can thus be used for anxiety? I am trying to start using this when I get anxiety attacks.
You're welcome.
You can use this for anxiety but the Fast Phobia Process is better. Steve Andreas has a great demonstration on this that can be found on RUclips. It's an old video but very relevant. He even did a follow up with the woman he did the demonstration with 20 or so years later.
@@DamonCart just listened to the movie theater method. It would work for specific issues, should I use this for overall anxiety from work? Should I project what’s causing the work anxiety then apply the method?
@@marieelenajoyce1147 the only way to find out is to give it a try. There are no harmful side effects.
Super helpful video! Thank you for everything you share with us!!
You are so welcome!
Very good sir thank you for sharing! You've got a lot of skill/knowledge under the belt. I am inspired to push the envelope also. How do you get the cool nlp graphics on your other vids?
Thank you. For the graphics I used a company called Splasheo.
Hey Damon, why shouldn't you be associated when making the wanted behavior image? wouldn't it be less immursive being disassociated?
Good question.
If you want to associate to get a feel for how it will be like when you become the ideal you go ahead. However, make sure you disassociate before complete the work. The reason for this is if you stay associated you will be less compelled to move toward your ideal self because you will feel like you're already there. It's like wanting to shed 20 pounds and giving yourself the feeling that you've already done it so there's no need to implement new behaviors like exercise and a better diet.
Many NLPers make this mistake. They create the feeling of already having solved a problem when they actually haven't in order to make themselves feel better, but feeling better (though not a bad thing) in this case will prevent you from taking action.
When you future pace, which is what the last part of the swish pattern is (seeing an image of your ideal self) you wan to disassociate and make the image compelling so you move toward it even unconsciously.
Very good presentation. Like your more professional hair cut and closer beard maintenance. It inspires confidence in you.
NLP seems interesting..
Never heard about it..
Thanks ...
You're welcome.
NLP Gym holy shit!!!!
This works like hell ..
I've completed 3 chapters in maths ...
Thank you very much again 🙇🙇
You're welcome. NLP works. That's why I do it.
I'm a bit confused on how you said not yo- yo but at around 8:10 min you say., put your negative picture on top and your negative on the bottom and then do it again. So do I put the negative on top and re-do or no? And if not when I put the positive picture on top when I re-do it do I just imagine that or do i need to break the negative one again like the first time I do it.
Yes, when you reset the pictures with the negative one at the top don't move them back into place. Instead just make them appear again so that you don't get the yo-yo effect. If you swish them and then bring them back that's how it will actually happen when the habit is triggered; first you'll see the ideal you and then it will automatically swish back to the compulsion image making you carry out the bad habit.
Thank you so much for this video! I appreciate you clarifying the right way to perform the swish pattern. I was wondering if you can use the swish pattern to change a limiting belief? If so, how would I elicit the picture of myself, for the belief I want to change?
Because the Swish Pattern is a piece of identity work, it will often affect limiting beliefs. However, if you want to go directly at changing a limiting belief, the Swish Pattern lacks precision. The Self-Concept Model is a more expanded and more precise way of transforming beliefs.
@@DamonCart Awesome! Thank you so much for your quick reply. :)
Am I right in thinking this is more suitable for tangible issues like losing weight, being fitter? Does it work for reducing anxiety, changing career, improving income?
It never hurts to try it on any of these things, tangible or intangible. The results tend to vary from person to person. You won't know if it works until you try and it only takes about ten minutes. Some things will click. Some won't. For the ones that don't there's a bigger process and model for changing at the identity level called the Self-Concept Model, created by my mentor Steve Andreas. It's the basis of all of my coaching and teaching. The Swish Pattern was the process that inspired Steve to model how we create identity so that we can transform ourselves.
Am just about to use swish pattern as part of my case study in my diploma. Your tips make lot of sense, thank you.
Glad it was helpful. You might also find these helpful:
ruclips.net/video/lhV0IDoP66c/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/9g3Fd9C8I0Q/видео.html
One question - is it worth discussing with the client why they want to break the habit, what is motivating them to change? Will that help or hinder the change?
@@veenasampathkumar6809 I wouldn't necessarily ask why because asking why can make people defensive. However, you can ask them what would replacing this habit with better choice do for you? This will help them connect with the value that's driving them to change the habit, which will. make them more motivated. It certainly doesn't hurt.
@@DamonCart that is what I thought but wanted clarification. In the picture with current habit, should they picture the trigger or them indulging in the habit. Different practitioners seem to say differently, wondered what you thought.
I am very grateful for your replies and it is amazing that you care to genuinely reply to each comment. I pray for your good health!
@@yourcoachveena The image should be what you see just before you indulge in the habit.
Huge work, nice. Quick question
If i have no behavior or emotions that i don't want, and only somthing i want, how can i do swich without swich , understand ?? If yes how?
My first question for you would then be what stops you from having it? If nothing is in your way, then get it.
If you're not completely clear about what you want, you can use the second part of the swish and just see the ideal image of you out in front of you, the you who knows what you want and has it. This will motivate you to become the person you envision.
@@DamonCart wow tnx for the quick answer, it's starr to be clear.. and tell me please when i do the swich p. It's have to be a steal picture without any sound (im auditory) or can be done with movie and sounds? Can you clear that for me?
No the picture doesn't have to be still and adding auditory would likely enhance the image making it more compelling which is good. Just remember that in the ideal image you don't want to be doing anything in particular and you don't want to be in any particular context.
You can do auditory swishing and kinesthetic swishing, but visual tends to be the most powerful because you can see a lot more all at once than you can feel or hear.
@@DamonCart OK BOSS. thnx its clear now. And thnx for the quick answers.
Can I have the images but erase mentally with an eraser the bad image? Or press a delete button of the negative one?
You can give it a try and test it, but I think the swishing most likely will work better. The truth is in your experience though. Experiment.
This was amazingly insightful, especially as someone - like you - who was taught wrongly!! Especially loved the actual example at the end to understand how to use it. It would be even more powerful if you could do a demo on someone else too.
I've done more videos on the Swish Pattern since this one. The most recent one I published is a full training with a demonstration. This is it: ruclips.net/video/R1CB5zh_5l0/видео.html
I have a question! How many times would you suggest one should practice the swish technique in order for it to be effective and show results?
For any given issue you're working with approximately 7 to 10 times and usually that's it and you don't have to do it again.
Thank you so much! Your video is great!
You're welcome and thank you. Let me know how it goes.
Excellent distinctions which are not generally taught.
Thank you.
Are we supposed to take picture of desired state every time we do this exercise?
Your ideal self, not your desired state. No matter what you're swishing, you always use and ideal image of yourself.
Will definitely try this tonight. Great video
Did it work?
Life Mastery Gym So right now I have to work on allowing myself to get a more vivid picture in my mines eye. That’s what I’m struggling with right now.
Be curious about this instead of trying. What does the ideal you look like? Make it fun and compelling. This is not about getting it "right". Explore.
@@DamonCart Will try this
What do you recommend for people that have difficulty visualizing? You seem to have a wonderful imagination, do you have any techniques you can share? Thank you!! Stay blessed!
Good question. The truth is you don't have to visualize vividly to get powerful results. I don't. I only see what's important. You probably visualize better than you think. It's just that it's unconscious. Instead of trying to work your brain to construct images. First start by finding what you already do. For example, how would you recognize your best friend? You must have an image in your mind of him or her that you refer to. Find it. Imagine you're in a crowd of people and your looking for your friend. How do you know which person is him or her?
@@DamonCart thank you so much! That helps a lot. I am taking an NLP class right now and I love it! I am hoping to take your next! Stay blessed! I love your channel!
@@daniellepost7634 Thank you!
Can we use it to come over OCD
Definitely. This process is about re-patterning a compulsion.
Very Helpful and Clear. Thank you very much. :)
You're very welcome. Thank you for watching.
Would it work if I made a video of what I wanted to look like and what I wanted to change and had them move or explode the one , or whatever ? Since I’m not very visual In my mind.
What you're describing is very similar to what I'm explaining in the video. What exactly are you asking?
If I created a video of myself to watch instead of trying to visualize images in my mind (since I can’t visualize very well), would that work? I could use an image of myself from before I gained weight and started smoking, and then one from now. I could make a video with a swoosh pattern effect, as you described, where one image gets larger while the other gets smaller. Do you think this approach could work?
Thank you for responding! I hope this makes more sen
Great stuff! Thank you Damon.
Thank you and you're welcome!
Ive come across STEVEN ROEHM and then Igor doing language bending hypnosis. I’m hoping that you can direct me to a book or NLP source to teach me the Principles involved .
I'm not familiar with language bending hypnosis. If you can be more specific about what you're looking for, perhaps I can make a recommendation.
Hi! If the ideal version of myself is calm and centered, like how I feel during meditation, then would seeing myself sitting in a meditative state be too much context? Or, would sitting in a meditative posture with my eyes open, alert yet calm, be better? The behavior I'm working on changing is getting frustrated, then lashing out during arguments.
I would say that seeing yourself meditating would be too much context but seeing yourself with the same qualities as what you experience while meditating would be very good.
Btw, I recognize you from Facebook. You have interesting videos.
Thank you for commenting.
@@DamonCart Thank you, very helpful! And, yes...I'm in your FB group.
Are BOTH images disassociated (viewed as if from outside one's self, i.e. in the mirror)?
No, only the image of the ideal you should be disassociated. The compulsion image is associated which is one of the reasons you feel compelled to do the unwanted behavior.
Thanks so much for this!
Can the Swish pattern be used for building confidence? I'm wondering how you would create an image for that as it's more of feeling
You can't go at confidence directly. You feel true confidence when you're certain about something. You don't want to be certain about flying a plane after only one lesson. People want confidence first before they try something. This is backwards. What you can do is have confidence in being where you are right now, which starts with acceptance. I'm learning Romanian. I'm not confident about speaking it because I can only speak a little. But I'm confident that I'm a beginner and I'm confident that I will learn it because I"ve learned many things in my life.
I put the negative picture on the side and the positive picture dissolves the negative. Hope that is correct
That could work. The only way to know if it's correct is if it works.
Great video. Could you make a video about how to get better at visualizing these images?
Interesting request. Let me see what I can do.
@@DamonCart Awesome! Creating mental images is such a recurring pattern in NLP, it really seems crucial to mastering NLP.
@@DamonCart Here's one cue from Ross Jeffries. If you can't imagine something, then imagine that you're imagining it.
Sir any books u would recommend as a beginner practitioner
Anything written by Steve and Connirae Andreas. We offer an online version of Steve's Transforming Your Self here: selfconcept.com/
What if you don't want your ideal image, in the corner of the image of the unwanted behavior? Or to the left of it, or right, above or below? Let me explain. I was doing the swish pattern on road rage. LOL! However, I tend to like to sling shot the unwanted behavior image out into the far distance into space, shrinking and disappearing it as it leaves the foreground and descends into background into nothingness. And I like the ideal image to come sling shot forward, having come from that far distance (space) and emerging into my foreground very large and in color. Now, I was told by Steve Andreas (who obviously knows his stuff) that this is not a proper swish since the images are 'sequential' and the images are not connected to one another and the ideal image isn't overtaking the other. I'm hoping this is making sense! So, my question is, there are very different schools of thought in NLP about proper procedure. What is your take? Is it OK to bend procedure if you are getting the same results? Maybe I'll just call this is a sequential swish! HA! Others I have worked with prefer to turn the knob on the TV to change from unwanted behavior to ideal image. Again, their images are also sequential. Sometimes I get tripped up on doing things the proper way, when innately I get more creative than procedural, though I know the proper way to do things fundamentally. Sorry- long-winded!
Steve is very procedural and it's one of the reasons he's so damn good at NLP. However, he's acknowledged to me that sometimes processes will work just as well if you don't follow every step precisely. As a teacher he would suggest (and so would I) to learn it properly and precisely first and then if you want to color outside the lines go ahead. Know the rules before you break them. In this case the Swish is the Swish because the two images are touching and they slide one from the other. For most people the two images touching each other is necessary for the process to work. If you're getting the same or better result a different way, then do it your way. NLP is outcome and results oriented. there is a lot of sloppiness in how NLP is taught today. Steve has pointed out to me a lot of my gaps in understanding and it was always due to the way NLP was taught to me. To many NLPers these small details seem trivial but that's because they lack understanding. The deeper you go the more you realize how important these details are.
I agree with learning the fundamentals or building blocks first, for sure, before you attempt any form of creativity. And I think it's very important to find proper trainers and do exhaustive research to find them. I also think there's a total lack of conversation among NLPers regarding the small details and why they are so important, or not to others. I'd like to hear that discussion myself.
Bring that up when we do the live coaching calls for the online training.
I needed to know about this stuff, but I didn't know.. lol thanx
You're welcome. Same way I felt when I first stumbled upon NLP.
Thank you so much!
You're welcome.
Thank you. This is helpful.
What do you find helpful about it?
@@DamonCart It was a good confirmation to hear that smashing the negative image works best for you. My intention is always to break the negative picture so that it completely disappears. It gives a sense of relief. It's also helpful to know that I can actually see how position my beliefs in the picture of my mind. I'm still struggling with that part however. It's very subtle and I can't always recognize the small details, for example, how I know that I'll go to bed at 9. I just know that I always go to be at 9.
Bravo! excellent presentation
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
How often do you repeat this exercise for each behavior you are working on?
Usually 7 to 10 times and then test it. If the ideal you image pops up automatically when you think of the compulsion image, you're done.
Personally I find it ideal to define what a better version of me is. Create as many references as I can think of, for the values, beliefs, decisions, behaviors, etc, that the person I invision is.
Then when it comes to swish I do what you say, as simply:
Have a better version of you swish into frame, rather than 1 particular circumstance.
I don't know about anyone else but since I can't imagine stuff in 2 seconds perfectly. I just imagine a green square, the thing I want behind a red square and break through to obliterate the red square and see the green sqare, then feel the better emotions and feelings, that the person I invision has.
Also one of the most informative videos of the swish I've seen.
I agree. It's good to elicit your values and criteria for what you want. When you know what you want, it will give you a sense of the ideal version of yourself.
The truth is found in your own experience. I've never heard of using green and red squares, but if it gets the job done, I can't argue with that.
Hi...can I use it to replace a scary, negative image of someone I love to a newer, better and more real image? The recurring image keeps popping up in the mind....but its not real....could this content be used for that?....how would one word it instead of 'the ideal you that has already solved this problem'? to maybe " the ideal image you now want to see'? I hope I am making sense. thank you
I would first get clear about why you're seeing this person negatively. What is the positive intent of seeing them negatively? There may be a part of you that is trying to protect you and sees something in this person that could harm you. Regardless if it's correct or not, you will need to sort it out in order to change the way you feel about them. You can use the Swish pattern for anything. Test it and see if it works, but again I would get clear about why you're seeing this person negatively and I would get clear about why you want to see this person in an ideal way. Be careful with idealizing others.
I have a question. The picture of the idea you is small and in the background. It is the ideal you who has conquered the unwanted behavior and is in NO particular context, doing NO particular behavior. It is also DISASSOCIATED (as mentioned in the video).
When you swish and this picture breaks through and destroys the unwanted behavior picture, at that moment, do we attach positive feelings to the "ideal you disassociated picture"?
Do we feel nothing about this "ideal you disassociated picture" as it breaks through and leave it DISASSOCIATED?
How should we feel to have the swish pattern work effectively?
Thank you for your question. Yes, absolutely, the ideal image of you should invoke a strong feeling. The ideal you should be a compelling image so much so that you feel drawn into the image like you want to immediately be that ideal you. This is what will make you drawn toward becoming that you. The point of practicing the Swish several times is so that it becomes unconscious. Any time you find yourself tempted by the compulsory behavior your mind will immediately swish automatically and refocus on the ideal you image that will compel you to move away from the compulsory behavior you don't want to do and move toward becoming the ideal you.
Thank you
How about if it is not a habit I want to change? If it is an emotion I want to stop feeling when I see something or hear something?
Give it a try. There are no harmful side effects if it doesn't work.
Hi im scared of driving and for years i have not been able to cope with this fear. Should i imagine myself as a well versed driver and then proceed to drive?
That's probably not going to help you. Search the term 'fear' on my channel and you should find some videos that will help you.
Thank you
You're welcome
Very help. One more question - how dose i know that it works? In the past i did it and i felt that, but after 2 days it's gone, you now? And now i did it, i know somthing happened , however don't know how to check . What you say and how?
Test it. What happens when you think about indulging in the old habit? Does an ideal version automatically pop up? If so, it worked.
@@DamonCart yes. It's pop up, however i didn't choose a behavior , i change my body image and in one day i loose 2 kg without any diet , and all my internal dialogue have change, i try submodalities so much time in different ways, and the problem always come back after 2 days, sometimes i thought NLP doesn't work, maybe only for me, you know what I'm talking about? now i believe it's for good, tnx i respect that.
Sounds like it's working. Check in to see if you have any resistance to becoming the image of the you you want to be. If so, you might have to work on that. If not, it will probably stick.
How often do you need to repeat this?
The entire exercise or how many times to repeat it the first time you do this process? Do it 7 to 10 times the first time you do the process and then let it go unconscious. In other words, forget about it. It will be more powerful that way. Unless it doesn't work. If you find yourself still doing the behavior you don't want to do, something didn't work right. You may need to revisit the process or you might need to do deeper change work. The Swish doesn't work for everything.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thanks
Welcome
So basically it is like a bad habit and then there's an image of good me doing nothing? Can I give myself or the person I am helping several choices like ok so you want to quit smoking and instead you want to do exercise, read a book, take deep breaths etc ?? I hope my question is clear.
I address this in the video. The reason you want to see an ideal image of yourself not doing any particular behavior and not in any particular context is because you want this image to generalize throughout your life as widely as possible. If you attach a specific behavior (which is called chaining by the way) you run the risk that the person won't be able to perform the activity that you're chaining which would then cause the person to smoke instead. For example, what if your client wakes up in the middle of the night and wants a cigarette and you chained exercising to it. He's not going to exercise in the middle of the nigh. He's going to grab a cigarette. Rewatch the video and see if it clears it up for you. I've also done another, more recent video on Swish. Check that one out too.
What if your client is not visual and struggles to bring up images?
That's a great question. You can swish sounds and you can swish feelings. It will take getting creative though. For voices or sounds you want to elicit where she puts sounds or voices in her personal space that are meaningless or have no effect on her to swish down to. And you will need to know where the sounds are that are the equivalent of the big bright picture right in front that you would swish up to for the visual person.
For feelings you need to make the distinction between the evaluative, emotional feelings and the tactile, proprioceptive feelings. Evaluative and emotional feelings are always the result of seeing or hearing something externally or internally. Those are not the feelings you want to use for swishing if the person is truly kinesthetic.
You can use any of the 5 senses to do a swish.
"Heart of the Mind", Chapter 17 - Connirae Andreas describes her doing the swish with "Kate", a woman who is having a problem visualizing the "New Self-Image" version of herself.
Paraphrasing: "When switching out the cue image for the new self image JUST PRETEND you are doing it. Many people don't see these images consciously, they just do it "as if" its real. As long as you pretend well that you can see the images, it works fine.
I'm confused as to what the "ideal you" picture is supposed to be. For instance, if I'm eating too much candy, I think I'm supposed to see my hand coming up to my face with the candy but I'm not certain what my "ideal picture with no behavior" is supposed to be. Me with my ideal body?
You could do that, but take a moment to create an image of your ideal self not doing any particular behavior and not in any particular context. See this ideal you, the you who has already solved this problem. Allow this to happen. You don't have to know exactly what it is about the image of you, but something about the image lets you know that this is the ideal you who has solved all of your problems. You'll know it when you feel extremely compelled to move toward that image and jump into being her. But don't jump into the image. You want the feeling of being compelled to be your ideal self rather than being compelled to eat candy.
@@DamonCart Ok thanks for the clarification and the comment about not jumping into the image because i've heard that in other videos on swishing and to put a small idealized image of yourself somewhere in the image you want to erase, which didn't make much sense to me.
Yes and make sure the idealized image expands so that it overtakes the image of the compulsive behavior you don't want.
How effective would it be to visualize the behavior, then visualize the second picture with the same behavior with a big black X on the picture and then visually "throw" the picture out of site? Is there a part of this that would not work because of something I do not know...just asking...no criticism intended...
The main part of the Swish Pattern is that you're replacing the unwanted behavior with an image of the ideal you who you want to move into becoming. If the big black X works well for you, I would see the unwanted behavior and then draw a big black X over it and throw it away just as soon as you replace it with the image of the ideal you who has already solved this issue. If you just throw away the visual of the unwanted behavior and you don't replace it, another unwanted behavior or unwanted image could take it's place.
OK. I understand.. thanks!
You're welcome!
Hi i am really looking for a solution for my life problem is about computer programming(i am sorry about my English because i am Arabic man) i will write it below and if you can help me i will say you just saved my life and i am ready to email you my problem is : when i was 18 i had ocd in computer programming(Thoughts like programming is hard !! you will not be a programmer etc... ) and then i took many drugs like vavarin it helped a lot and the Thoughts is finished but now and after four years when i see or hear any thing related to programming i fell Tension and anxiety Fast heartbeat can nlp help me or can i email you to get help
NLP can definitely help with that. I've made many videos demonstrating various techniques that you can try in this issue.
If you're looking for coaching you can email me at damon@nlp-gym.com
NLP Gym i have a problem where i pull my hair i have been doing this for 20 years i do that while i read, think, before go to sleep or talking on the phone and while i prepare to sleep i'm very poor in visualization how can i bring the old picture and what i need to elicitate in the new one. Also, how this will work for motivation or cravings? i think the main issue here that you can actually visualize.
Interesting that your channel name is the visionary and you say you can't visualize. Tap into how you chose that name. It's a visual term. Everyone can visualize. Even though your visualizations are unconscious doesn't mean you're not responding to them.
Pulling out your hair sounds to me to be very kinesthetic. You can use the Swish Pattern in the kinesthetic channel if you're having trouble visualizing. However, visuals are the best to work with because you can take in many details and simultaneous information at once. With auditory and kinesthetic channels it's hard to do that.
To Swish kinesthetically, use the same instructions I give in this video with tactile and proprioceptive feelings. What do you feel right before you feel compelled to pull your hair? What is the body sensation feeling of the ideal you? Swish the feelings in your body.
Hello Damon, how many times do we need to practice this model until we get results daily? Is there some pattern to follow?
The Swish is a pattern. You only need to practice 7 to 10 times only once per change you're wanting to make. Always test it after you've done it 7 to 10 times. When you think about the thing you used to feel compelled to do that you don't want to do, what happens? If an ideal image of yourself swishes up and takes the place of the previous image, you're done. Let it go. Let it slip into unconsciousness. It actually works against you if you try to practice it more because it keeps it too conscious. We don't want to be self-conscious.
@@DamonCart Thank you very much Damon, got it
Hi Damon. A great story but actually it's missing 2 elements that make it very ineffective for many people. Want to know how? I've not had a headache develop EVER in 33 years after really learning to do the swish with additional elements to what you suggest. PM me and I'll share it with you. and you'll get it straight away.
This sounds like a sales pitch.
What I explain in this video is the Swish Pattern with no missing "elements". Whatever you're doing, it's probably a different pattern or process than the Swish Pattern, which is fine. The Swish Pattern isn't the only game in town.
@@DamonCart I have nothing to sell but when you hang around with Ernest Rossi, Will Macdonald, Eric Robbie, Richard and John, you pick up other stuff. I enjoyed your video discussing the visual swish. I was going to share with you, the auditory and kinesthetic additions that make it killer. I don't teach the NLP programmes any more, as many of my friends do great jobs, but when I did, I taught this, as I found many people who'd tried the visual swish didn't get the results I did. C'est la vie.
@@steveconsalvez4320 I'm aware that you can do Swishing in other modalities.
@@DamonCart Cool, so part of my proposition was that (because you say you can swish in other modalities and why would you need to?) an effective swish pattern is one that utilizes the client's most available sensory perceptors, so if they are not very visual, it won't work properly at all. It's a nice video. I thought I'd be today's gift horse and cup overfloweth, and if yours does too, we're all good. :)
@@steveconsalvez4320 Even though the visual modality might not be someone's preferred modality, it's still often very effective to do it in the visual modality because you can access more simultaneous information in visual than you can the other modalities. It's a myth that you have to use a preferred modality to make these techniques work. The only reason I would not do it in the visual modality is if the person struggled so much to visualize the Swish that it interfered with the process.
Can you explain breaking state a little more?
Sure it's just thinking about something completely different. If you were really focused on a movie you were watching and I suddenly asked you what you had for breakfast, in that moment your focus of attention on the movie would vanish as you recall what you had for breakfast. Your state of focus has now been broken. After you answer the question you can return to your state of focus on the movie.
1:50 focus on generalized ideal you...
Good information but so hard to listen to. I would have preferred if you could have spoken up and been a bit more articulate. Had to try really hard to separate the words.
Thank you. That was one of my first videos. 300 videos later I've gotten better equipment and have gotten better at speaking to a camera. Here's a more recent one: ruclips.net/video/ETXir5AYsmQ/видео.html
can we overcome phobias, how?
Yes. I don't have a video on it but you're looking for the Fast Phobia Process. This video is old but it's Steve Andreas demonstrating it masterfully: ruclips.net/video/mss8dndyakQ/видео.html
Unfortunately the volume is so low on this. I cant hear you at all.
It's got to be on your end. No one else is having that problem. I've made more recent videos on the Swish Pattern. You can try watching those.
Can I use it to overcome porn/masturbation addiction? (Desperate here)
Definitely.
I can't do this swish pattern, as I don't visualize any energy source, or any of these other imaginings. I'm just simply not suggestible.
What do you mean by energy source? Everyone is suggestible to an extent. People who are not suggestible or who have little suggestibility usually have issues like autism or some sort of disorder that makes it difficult for them to pick social cues.
@@DamonCart Guilty as charged. Maybe I'm a psychopath. I've been through this swish pattern on multiple occasions, and I just can't convince myself to buy into it. I just can't fool myself into imaging a box or an energy source like that.
Please make your videos LOUDER. I have full volume on and its not as loud as every other video I've watched. I should not have to have it full force to still struggle to hear it. LOUDER PLEASE. Thanks!
The video is loud enough. Either your computer is not turned up high enough or you haven't adjusted the volume on the screen of the video itself.
@@DamonCart No its not the same as even YOUR OWN other videos. I almost commented on another one of yours saying, "See, this one is loud enough." Again, its on your end. Brand new computer here and other videos from you and other people are not this low volume. But since you don't care... neither do I. I just won't listen/watch/subscribe/or share them. Solved!
@@AnaA-ku2yt I don't know what to tell you. There's nothing I can do to raise the volume after it's uploaded. Your original comment was "please make your videos louder". Since in your last comment you said my other videos are louder, it sounds like the problem is already solved.
Btw, this video sounds fine on my computer and my phone. It was uploaded almost 7 years ago and no one else has complained that it was too low to hear.
@@DamonCart Because they don't care enough to take the time to TELL you. Anyhow, the problem is NOT fixed. SOME of your videos are loud enough and some are not. Guess you got better in recording from your earlier years. Good to know you can't do anything to increase volume so I wont make this mistake with my new channel.
Shucks, I thought this would be a vid on how to make swish drink that Julian drank on Trailer Park Boys!
Huh?
Iol does this really works seems bizarre
Give it a try.
OMG there is a UFO over your left shoulder👽
Interesting. I don't see it.