How to Change a Behavior Using the NLP “Swish”

Ever feel stuck in a behavior you wish you could change? What if the key to change wasn’t willpower, but a shift in identity.

This post walks you through the amazing “Swish Pattern,” a fast way to retrain your brain and update who you believe yourself to be.

Bonus Support :

• 6-minute video overview

• Audio guide to the Swish

• Steve Andreas’ classic demo (nail-biting case)

This is a 6-minute video overview on how this very effective procedure works to change not only a behavior -but also your identity:

Most of us fail to change unwanted behaviors because they run automatically—below conscious thought.

Many of us tell ourself what we don’t want as a behavior – rather than what we want the new behavior to be.https://clintmatheny.com/do-not-think-of-a-pink-elephant-with-white-spots/

And often, the behavior you want to change once served a purpose—protection, comfort, or control.

Not sure what you might want to change? After seeing and hearing about this pattern you just might explore this: Behavior_Triggers_List

The Swish Pattern Breakdown:

1. Ask yourself:

• What behavior do I want to change?

• What’s the positive intention behind it?

(e.g., comfort, safety, control)

2: Invite Change

Ask:

“If I could keep that positive intention, would it be okay to have a different behavior?”

This opens the door to change without resistance.

3. If there is a hesitation or a negative response, ask if it would be OK just to test this new behavior for a week and if is satisfactory then, to make it permanent? Note: you are going to have to trust your unconscious because your conscious mind will not know what the new behaviors are, only your new identity.

4. After identifying the cue image (in first position) of the behavior you want to change, elicit a desired self-image (observer of self) of the new you of the future where this behavior is no longer an issue.

5. This “new resourceful you image”should be like a 3-D portrait head shot image without a context and in a neutral background. In other words see this more capable self of yourself standing, with a bright in color image of yourself looking confident, but not doing a behavior , and in a very generalized neutral background.

6. Place the desired self-image as a small, dim image in the left or right corner of your mental screen.

7. Perform the Swish

In less than a second, mentally shrink the trigger image and expand the desired image—making it bright, large, and compelling.
Add a “swish” sound effect in your mind if it helps enhance the motion and speed.

8. Clear Your Mind

After each swish, break state (look away, count to three, take a deep breath).
Then repeat the process.

9. Repeat 7-10 Times

Each time should feel faster and more automatic.
Eventually, the trigger should instantly cue the new, desired image.
Think about the original situation. Does the unwanted image still appear, or is the new image dominant?
If the old image still triggers the old feeling, repeat the swish a few more times.

Pro-Tips for Success

As you practice, keep these common questions in mind:

• What if I can’t visualize clearly? Don’t worry about a perfect HD picture. Focus on the feeling of that new you. The emotional resonance of confidence and resourcefulness is more important than visual clarity.

• What if the old image feels “stickier”? Make your “SWISH!” sound more dramatic and the speed of the image replacement even faster. The key is to overwhelm the old pattern with speed and intensity.

This audio will take you through the “Swish” in less than 2-minutes:

Richard Bandler is the originator of the “Swish Pattern”. Steve Andreas (1935-2018) spent a lot of time perfecting the pattern. This is a copy of a VHF tape from a training in 1986. The YouTube video is an 18-minutes long with Steve working with a woman that wants to cure her finger nail biting behavior/compulsion:

https://youtu.be/qPcUfOGpMQs?si=-PVlHXxB0-c64UkP

Feedback will be Appreciated @ Clint77090(at)Gmail.Com