Since different people’s understanding of the same events is further, it will be beneficial to see things from different angles in various events of your life. NLP defines these different angles and perspectives as perceptual positions and divides them into four categories.
Four perceptual positions in NLP
Perceptual position number one: You usually use a common position. Seeing events and experiencing life from your point of view (based on your mental structure, beliefs, and needs) happens in this position.
Perceptual position number two: This position considers the perspective of another person with you. To look at things from this position, you have to forget all your own needs and examine events from the other person’s point of view.
Perceptual position number three: To look at everything from position number three, you have to look at events from the eyes of a third person, who is outside you and the person in front of you. For example, if you are discussing with someone, position number three can be the position of a person looking at the discussion between you.
Perceptual position number four: considering all perspectives and events simultaneously, occurs in this position.
What is the use of perceptual positions in NLP?
But what is the use of these perceptual positions? Each person acts based on their needs and feelings; if you see everything only from your point of view, you will see few other realities.
Humans are not all the same. If you don’t like money, someone else might. If you are confident and outgoing, someone else might be quite shy.
Anger and perceptual positions in NLP
One of the most critical applications in controlling emotions (anger, depression, etc.) is using perceptual position number 3. Whether you are going through painful memories or when you are angry, enter the number 3 or 4 position. You are free to be angry but look at things a few times while you are mad from position #3 or #4. In this way, you will detach from your emotions and regain control.
Those who are constantly tormented by a memory in the past, review and experience the memories in their minds from the perceptual position number 1 (that is, they look at the images with their eyes, as if they are experiencing that bitter event at that moment). This is why they are so upset.
Just see all your memories from perceptual position number 3. In this way, you will not attach to those memories emotionally.
Perception varies from person to person.
Different people experience the same events in different ways. Since other people’s minds, beliefs, and attitudes are different, their interpretation of the same event or the same event is entirely different. A person who can consider all perspectives is a person who can better communicate with others and know them better.
Over the years of your life, you’ve gotten used to seeing things from a particular perspective, so it’s not a bad idea to get out of the saddle and examine items from several angles.