Recently, on social media, an NLP Practitioner asked a question about a client who reported having a phobia, and with whom he used the NLP Fast Phobia Cure, which may have partly worked, but it came back a few days later?
Accelerating adult learning of languages (and other topics!)
I was recently asked by someone older how they could learn languages as an adult as quickly as children do. They also asked if leaving the television or radio on in the background with a foreign language would be useful...?
Good news! There are all kinds of ways to speed up learning, even with new languages.
While television may not provide the optimal way to learn another language, it does give people visual contexts in which to place various words. That does have an impact.
Ergo tv is better than radio for learning foreign languages, because you have potentially a LOT more information from which to learn how to understand/speak another language.
But it's probably far better to get a great CD audio program or podcasts on a foreign language than it would be to listen to the radio. Then play those audios over & over again in the background, both when you have time to speak along with them as well as when you don't.
And a good learning program for TV/video/dvd is still much better than a good learning program from a book or audio-only. The more forms of media, the more sensory systems involved, the better.
Bottom line, you can always learn. Yes, since you're older than a child, it may take some work; it'll certainly take a bit more work than kids have to put in, but so what!
- Use as many sensory systems involved as you can (i.e. TV/DVD/Video is better than audio only)
- Take hourly breaks from more intense study sessions for at least 5-10 minutes to get movement into your body so as to integrate the skills into your neurology more effectively
- Play 60 beat-per-minute music behind that in an ipod or CD player if you can (this keeps you in an optimal learning state)
- Make sure the speakers are interesting, with active tonal shifts, and not boring. Then reproduce those same shifts in your own voice.
- Play these when you're awake, and play them when you're asleep.
- Attach pleasure to confusion. Push past basic understanding towards confusion. Confusion is a GREAT indication that you've acquired a lot and are busy integrating it. Confusion should tell you to keep doing whatever drills you were doing when you started getting confused -- NOT walk away!
If you utilize most of the above accelerated learning strategies, you will notice far more rapid results than lots of people would expect from "an old dog trying to learn new tricks."
Lastly, stay with it -- set up the above, keep it going, and trust that results will be forthcoming -- sometimes in steady ways, sometimes not for a while then all of a sudden, whoosh!
Inbox Insights
- Knowledge Engineering (& Belief Craft) have evolved, into GeniusMapping™
- As of September 2020, we're in the process of moving from Tampa, Florida, to the Youngstown Ohio area. Currently, during the Coronavirus era, we're mostly focusing on Zoom-based Coaching, and aligning resources to run online courses.
- How "Civil Engineering" totally reframes the word "Stress," redefines the phrase "Stress Management," and leads us to embrace Stress!
- Many NLP Practitioners are more sloppy with their thinking patterns, than they'd like to admit, or... would even notice.
- Watch NLP Co-Founder Richard Bandler use NLP to eliminate Michael Strahan's phobic response to snakes -- in minutes (with Kelly Ripa bringing over a BIG snake at the end to test Michael's response). Spoiler alert: It worked ridiculously well.
- No matter what skill you want to learn, no matter what fears or concerns or hesitation you may have, there are and will always be a wide range of approaches, to learning that skill. It's important to keep that in mind when making learning choices.
- Many more famous people have been trained in Ericksonian (indirect) Hypnosis and NLP than you might guess. There are certainly far more who have strong interests here than have publically admitted so.
- On January 1, 2015, Jonathan Altfeld and 20 other co-authors released a digital book entitled "Creating Business Growth."
- What are the Four Stages of Learning?
- Cesar GutierrezNew York, NYBought Audio : Finding Your Irresistible Voice
People are now initiating conversations with me about trivial things just to hear my voice. For example, 'what kind of headset do I use with my cellphone?' Really, who asks people what kind of headset do they use?! A co-worker who ordinarily only talks to me only when she has to, asked me 'what time did I get off work and where do I live?' I won't say what happened after that! Results include: (1) My requests are happily granted and sometimes a little extra is thrown in for no reason. (2) I'm instantly diffusing tense and escalated situations. (3) I have increased acuity in my other senses. (4) A co-worker admitted to daydreaming while I was talking to her. One co-worker expressed a bit of jealousy because another co-worker now wants to talk to me more than they want to talk to them. If that's not irresistible, I don't know what is!! I'm usually reserved and speak only when spoken to, however, with these new techniques I find myself looking for opportunities to speak so I can practice and refine my skills. People join conversations I'm in, More people are expressing interest in my website when I use the Embedded Command technique, etc. This is just a small example, Jonathan. Keep up the good work!
2005 - Mark WilsonBismarck, NDAttended Course : Flirtopia DVD-set
When I grew up we moved many times. I hadn't developed any social skills, so as I grew up I would always be shy around strangers. I begin to feel anxious in meeting not only women but also any new people. What would I say? What happens when the conversation dies? I would hang on to anyone who showed any interest in me. Needless to say, I dated many "Ms. Right Now's" rather than "Ms. Right's" because they accepted me. After I attended the Flirtopia seminar, now I feel comfortable in any social situation. In having a new perspective in reading their comfort level, interest and willingness to follow me, I can lead them into many other activities that I enjoy. As I look back in my life, without attending Flirtopia, I know I would either be alone or with people who not only would tolerate my shyness but eventually become bored with it and take advantage of me. Now I find there is so much more to life. More doors have opened through becoming more social and I have been able to choose a woman who enjoys my company and we enjoy a much richer relationship. I know there have been events that have changed who I am today. Flirtopia is one of the most important in becoming who I am today. Thank you Jonathan.
2000 - Howard WolfMiami, FLAttended Course : Persuasion Summit
PTPS was absolutely the best training in persuasion I've ever experienced. Chris' skills in NLP and persuasion are a compilation of the best of Richard Bandler, Kenrick Cleveland, & Michael Hall, all combined. Chris has evolved these techniques, enhanced them, and repackaged persuasion for the new millenium. Chris has tested his techniques thousands of times through the thousands of telemarketers he's managed over the years. This seminar will go down in the annuls of NLP history.
2001 - Michael ChristonNLP Trainer & Entrepreneur, Edinburgh, ScotlandAttended Course : Linguistic Wizardry
Linguistic Wizardry is a 3-day course which can be attended by non-NLP, Practitioners, Master Practitioners and Trainers... and all will enjoy and learn from the experience. Not only does Jonathan demonstrate an incredible understanding and proficiency in linguistics but presents/trains in a very entertaining and effective manner. As a trainer of NLP I still enjoy attending training (there is always something to be learnt) - on such occasions I have a professional interest in what outcomes are achieved by the trainer. It is on this point that Jonathan stands out a mile in comparison to many trainers in the field of NLP... EVERYONE in the room dramatically improved their skill level. In my experience I have never come across such success... and I have trained with many 'great' names. As for the content - This course is not an indepth exploration of the Meta Model or Milton Model, though there are a few references through the three days. Instead this programme quite rightly concentrates on the basis and delivery of communication with specific emphasis on state and sensory acuity. Hence - If you were wondering why your 'theoretical' or academic understanding of language has not achieved the desired practical results - THIS IS THE COURSE FOR YOU. Jonathan is amazing and definitely deserves to be considered as one of the best NLP trainers in the world. And interestingly - he is without ego or arrogance and is (for me) one of the easiest trainers to chat with I have ever met. If you have not already done so - TRAIN WITH JONATHAN and discover just how much further you can take your NLP skills.
2007 - Andrew HolloDirector, Workwell Consulting, Melbourne, AustraliaAttended Course : Speaking Ingeniously
I run training that involves doctors, medical practice managers and nurses - all in the same room. They have vastly different backgrounds, training and models of the world. Getting them to work together - and understand each other - can be a challenge. In 2005 I did Jonathan's Speaking Ingeniously program with the expectation that my key messages would be more concise and, therefore, more easily integrated by participants in my courses. In the six months since Speaking Ingeniously, I've experimented with headlines and with spatial anchors specifically, noticing that it's now much easier to get everyone's attention in the first 5 minutes and, then, easily keep their attention throughout a lengthy training session. Since doing Speaking Ingeniously, I'm better at tracking shifts in participants and, therefore, responding fluidly as we go. I get great feedback from all the groups and I feel I expend less effort and energy. Even people who do my courses twice can't believe that they're experiencing the same material, as they get so involved each time, it's like new learning for them. Thanks Jonathan!
http://www.workwell.com.au/2006 
Andy SmithTrainer of NLP & Appreciative Inquiry, Coaching Leaders, Manchester UK & FranceAttended Course : Belief Craft Seminar"I have attended separate KE & [SoM] trainings in the past, Belief Craft is definitely more than the sum of its parts. Doug's way of training [SoM] is the best I have found; for the first time I now feel I 'get' the "why" as well as the "how" of [SoM]. On my NLP Trainer's Training, [SoM] was one of the areas people had the least recall of - both the 'how' and also when and why you would ever use it. Previous trainings of [SoM] I have attended by other trainers have not sufficiently demonstrated... etc. Jonathan gets better every time he trains KE - awesomely powerful and complex concepts are rendered easy to learn and apply in the real world. I can't wait to start trying out this new material (Belief Craft and/or KE on its own) to benefit myself and my clients."
http://www.coachingleaders.co.uk/2005
Marc CarlinHypnotist, The NYC Hypnotist, New York, NYAttended Course : NLP Sales WizardryI just finished up a seminar with Jonathan Altfeld on NLP and Sales. As always I had a great weekend and experiential learning experience. Jonathan is a master at connecting NLP with real world skills and I learned plenty! [...] If you have a chance to train with Jonathan I enthusiastically support his work.
http://www.hypnoticstate.com2010- John SchertzerVice President, Securities, & NLP Master Practitioner, New York, NYAttended Course : Linguistic Wizardry
"Right after coming back from his training in Boston, I was cooking! A few weeks after the training I did what many people said was my best poetry performance ever -- actually had people calling be up, asking me to email poems to them, and to put them on my mailing list (but I don't have a mailing list) -- and since then I've been a very useful to my friends, family and clients, helping them deal with emotional and mental obstacles, and make creative breakthroughs and achieve their goals. Jonathan sets a great example, and blasts through beliefs that are holding you back from being your best. But I'll let YOU find out how."
2005 - Zach PoitraEntrepreneur, Portland, ORAttended Course : “Irresistible Voice”seminar
Jonathan Altfeld is filling a much needed niche in the NLP community - training and developing the use of voice control. It is very well recognized and documented that voice control is a key element when inducing trance, persuasion, and building rapport yet Jonathan is the only trainer that offers workshops on the subject. If your voice has been a source of frustration for you, then I definitely recommend that you purchase his Irresistable Voice CDs and/or attend one of his workshops. All of Jonathan's seminars are well structured, individualized, and pragmatic. It is extremely easy and fun to learn from Jonathan.
2008 - Jorge A. ColonAttorney, Miami, FLAttended Course : NLP Practitioner Training
Jonathan Altfeld is truly dedicated to each of his students' growth and effectiveness. His integrity, patience, and kindness are a good model for trainers, managers, and parents.
1998