A key assumption in NLP is that we already possess all the resources we need within ourselves. The Circle of Excellence technique is designed to access and gather these powerful internal states from the unconscious, making them readily available whenever necessary. Originally developed by John Grinder and Judith de Lozier, the initial pattern focused on diminishing unhelpful or limiting states.

This adapted version aims to enhance our “performance” in various areas—whether in sports, relationships, or other personal endeavors. Excellence doesn’t always mean feeling highly energized or excited; sometimes it’s about embodying steady, calm confidence.

The Circle of Excellence is a potent form of self-anchoring in NLP. It allows us to gain control over our emotional states, which directly influence our behavior and the outcomes we achieve. Negative or weak states rarely lead to positive results, so cultivating empowering states is essential.

You can practice this technique using one resourceful state repeatedly or by choosing several different states.

Important Factors

• How convincingly you can “act as if” and bring the state to life
• How deeply you can amplify and embody that state

The Process

1. Select a Resourceful State: Identify a state you want to experience more often, such as confidence, calmness, or motivation.
2. Visualize the Circle: Imagine a circle on the floor in front of you, large enough to step into. You may also physically mark this circle if you wish.
3. Relax and Breathe: Take a moment to calm your mind and breathe deeply.
4. Evoke the State: Bring the chosen state to mind and intensify it fully. Stand as if you were already feeling that state strongly—notice your posture, breathing, and sensations.
5. Project the Feeling: Imagine projecting this powerful feeling into the circle on the floor.
6. Add Sensory Details: Consider what color, texture, size, or other qualities represent this state. Are there any sounds, tastes, or smells connected to it?
7. Step Into the Circle: When the feeling is strongest, step into the circle and deepen the sensation further. Let the emotion surround and flow through you. Breathe it in and enjoy the experience completely.
8. Anchor the State: Use a natural gesture, word, phrase, facial expression, or posture as an anchor for this state.
9. Step Out and Reset: Before the feeling fades, step back out of the circle and shake off the sensations to return to a neutral state.
10. Repeat: Repeat the process with the same or additional resourceful states. With each repetition, the circle becomes more powerfully charged.

Applying It to Overcome Unresourceful States

The resource state chosen should be strong enough to override or replace an unresourceful one. Typically, high-energy states like enthusiasm, confidence, or excitement work better than calmer states for this purpose.

1. Identify the unresourceful state you want to change within a specific situation.
2. Determine the trigger that causes this state—for example, a particular sight, sound, or smell. (Triggers can be subtle and sometimes hard to notice; you may only realize them after some reflection.)
3. At the peak of your resourceful state inside the circle, bring to mind the trigger or a symbol representing the unresourceful state.
4. Use the power of the resourceful state to diminish the impact of the negative trigger.

By practicing this, you develop greater mastery over your emotional responses and improve your ability to act resourcefully in challenging situations.