My first NLP training I went to years ago, the trainer would close every day with an “incantation,” which was a tightly packed, multi-looped hypnotic story that was supposed to “install” what we’d learned that day.
Then the next day, he asked us if we had any strange dreams. I recalled a dream I had about my sofa, which, in my dream, I discovered was a sleeper sofa. Now, in my dream, as I was finding this out for the first time, I started thinking of all the stuff I could do now that I had two uses for sofa.
Then I remembered that we’d learned the previous day that one of the presuppositions of NLP is that he who has the most options, usually comes out ahead.
If you’re selling something for example, and your only option is to close the deal with the person you’re sitting across from, you don’t have much wiggle room. On the other hand, if you could close it with them, or some other appointment you’ve got later that day, or even offer them some kind of alternative product, then you’ve got a lot more wiggle room, a lot more options, and a lot more chance of getting your outcome.
When Alexander the great was tearing across Persia, he was absolutely crushing armies ten times the size of his own. Why was this? He was like the quarterback of a football team that had hundreds of plays, going up a team that could only run up the middle.
This was in large part because his army was previously a bunch of smaller armies that had fought amongst themselves, consequently coming up with all kinds of different battle plans and formations.
The Persians, on the other hand, had sheer size on their side, so they never really need up to come with much “game” on the battle field.
Of course, there’s all kinds of reasons Alexander had so much success, but that’s one of them.
Moral of the story?
Always have a back up plan. Always have a clear outcome, and several different ways you can get there. That way, when you come up against any problems or resistance (as you invariably will) you won’t throw in the towel like people.
You’ll just back up, formulate a new battle plan, and forge ahead.
Keep fighting!