NLP for Confusion

How can you use confusion to your advantage?  And how can you use NLP for confusion?

Children grow up in a confusing world and often seem to tolerate confusion much better than adults.  Many adults become uncomfortable when confusion befalls them. Some adults are even afraid of confusion! But why is confusion such a big deal? What’s so terrible about it? After all, no one knows everything, and to be confused is perfectly normal and acceptable. So there’s no need to make a big deal out of it.

How do you respond to confusion?

• Do you feel bad and want it to go away? or
• Do you imagine how you’ll enjoy finding out how the pieces fit together?

Ask yourself:

• How well do I tolerate uncertainty?
• What happens when I feel out of control?
• Do I feel OK when confusion comes?

The structure of confusion is simple: if you don’t know something, you cannot be confused.  You will be confused only when you already know some of the pieces, when you have incomplete information and partial understanding. Confusion is the gateway to understanding and the prelude to integration.   This can also be motivating and encouraging for you to find what you’re missing. Therefore welcome confusion rather than avoid it.

Deal with confusion with NLP:

• When you notice that you’re confused, acknowledge it.
• Ask yourself: What else do I need?
• Is there missing information (=environment – where & when)?
• You don’t know what to do (=behavior – what)?
• You don’t know how to do something (=capability – how)?
• Does it conflict with what you believe or value (=why)?
• Does it not fit with your sense of self / identity / who you are?
• Or does something beyond who you are confuse you? If yes, how will it fit into the grand scheme of life?

Once you have this clear, you’ll more likely welcome confusion.  Confusion reminds you of the pieces that you know and gives you direction for finding the pieces that you don’t know. Still confused?  Let’s see if some more NLP for the confusion will deconfuse you.