Live Your Dreams... Let Reality Catch Up: NLP and Common Sense for Coaches, Managers and You (Paperback)

Review by Norman Goldman, Editor of Bookpleasures.com (Montreal)

Tomes pertaining to the quest for success and how to improve your lives are to publishing what sitcoms are to television. There certainly is no lack of them, wherein it seems that every week some author touts that he or she has the magic formula. The trick is to separate the winning strategies from those that don't merit a second look.

Roger Ellerton’s Live Your Dreams Let Realty Catch Up distinguishes itself and stands out from the rest with its original approach, as it focuses on NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). NLP originated in therapy, and it is now been applied in all areas of human endeavor-education, health, sports, business and interpersonal relations.

According to Ellerton, three basic elements comprise NLP: your neurology-sense organs, or how you absorb information, linguistic or the language that you use to recall and make sense of a particular experience, and programming or your habits, patterns, programs and strategies.

Succinctly summed up, the NLP communication model is about how you make sense of the world around you and the behaviors you manifest as a result of your personal interpretations. As pointed out, if we know how to communicate better with ourselves and with others we could live a more rewarding life.

Divided into eight chapters, the author provides the reader with well-rounded advice and the tools necessary to implement NLP into our daily lives. Beginning with establishing the underlying foundation, Ellerton informs us that NLP is not just techniques, but it is also discovering how and why people who are high achievers accomplish what they actually set out to do. On the other hand, it is a plan of action assisting you in ascertaining those thinking and communication patterns preventing you from becoming successful.

Five simple steps to success are enumerated: having an outcome, taking action, using sensory acuity, flexibility and having a physiology and psychology of excellence. These five principles are explored in detail and are a recurring theme throughout the book.

A wealth of practical information, devoid of superficial and trivial data occupies each of the subsequent chapters that delve into personal insights pertaining to how to know yourself and others, improving your communication skills, making personal improvements, freeing yourself from the past, achieving what you want in life and making a difference in business. Each section is knit together into a cohesive whole, wherein the material is presented in simple, accessible language that is not overwhelmed with unnecessary technical jargon.

Suggestions are concise, detailed, and well-organized, intertwined with examples, diagrams and exercises that help the reader reinforce the principles of NLP. One point worthy of mention, however, is that unfortunately the author did not include section summaries-something that would have facilitated the retention of the material. It would have also been useful to include a brief bibliography.

Ellerton knows his subject matter and his passion both spiritually and emotionally for NLP is contagious. Readers will be inspired with practical and intelligent advice, and definitely worthy of one's time to read and slowly digest the material contained in Live Your Dreams Let Realty Catch Up. It is, as mentioned on the back cover, a great resource for individuals, managers, coaches, parents and for anyone looking for or assisting others with personal changes.