Question:
What does “personal power” mean in NLP?

Answer:
In Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), personal power refers to the ability to consciously choose how you respond to situations, rather than reacting automatically or emotionally. Many people believe that their emotions are controlled by external events or others—for example, saying things like “She made me so angry” or “I lost my job, so of course I’m depressed.”

NLP challenges this mindset by teaching that you are not at the mercy of outside influences. Through techniques such as state management, anchoring, and reframing, you can learn to shift your emotional state intentionally and take control of your internal responses.

Even deeply rooted reactions—like phobias—can be transformed by using tools like dissociation, which is often applied in NLP’s phobia cure technique.

Ultimately, building personal power is about reclaiming choice. By changing your perspective or reframing how you interpret a situation, you expand your ability to respond in ways that align with your goals and values.