This pattern is based on the NLP presupposition that “Whatever you think you are, you are always more, way MORE, than that.” While the most important information about a person is their behavior, their behavior is not who they really are. My intention in using this pattern is to enlarge the client’s vision of what’s possible for them. This is particularly useful for clients who say things like “Oh I couldn’t do that,” or “That’s not me”. That’s not the TRUTH about them, it’s simply old programming.

Before beginning this pattern some information gathering is necessary. Say the client wants to become X. Ask them, “Now in order to become X, what kind of person would you have to be? … What kind of beliefs and values would you have to have? … What kind of behaviors would you be engaging in? You will then feed this information back to the client in Step Four.

Step one: Have the client imagine that they are in a dressing room and you, the practitioner, have been hired as their “image consultant.” Your job is to assist the client in trying on some new clothes—different self-images if you will—eventually arriving upon one that stretches the client beyond what they think is possible for him or herself. (If the client is male I may have them imagine themselves in a locker room instead. You’re their coach and they are trying on different uniforms instead.)

Step two: You have the client try on an outfit, one that is way below their current abilities. Have them notice that the collar is a little too tight or that their pants or sleeves are a little too short. Remind them that this outfit may have been fine back there (pointing behind them) then but it is clearly too limiting for them now. Get their agreement on this before proceeding to the next step.

Step three: Have them try on an outfit that represents exactly where they currently are in life. Have them notice that these clothes fit well enough… there is enough room at the neck and their pants’ legs and sleeves are all the right length but, curiously enough, they are finding this outfit to be somewhat uncomfortable. Really play up on that discomfort using hypnotic language patterns until you get the client to the point where their clothes are so uncomfortable, so “itchy,” they can’t wait to take them off. Again, get their agreement on this before moving to the next step.

Step four: Next, present the client with a new outfit, saying something like “Now perhaps you never dared or dreamed of trying on something like this before but since you are in place where changing is possible, perhaps you find yourself considering it. … And why not? I mean… you could just try it on, just for fun. And I’m not suggesting that this outfit is the one for you. But it could be and then at least you are the one making the choice about what true for you.”

When the client tries on this new outfit they are perhaps a little shocked because this new outfit actually fits REALLY well. The neck, arms and sleeves are perfect for them. They are looking and feeling the best they’ve ever felt. Encourage the client to admire him or herself in the mirror. To turn it up a notch, ask the client to imagine another person (either another saleswoman or someone important in that client’s life) saying something like “That’s so you!”

Allow the client to really enjoy this new, expanded image of themselves. Anchor this peak state several times. Have them continue to feel more and more comfortable in this new outfit by feeding back to them all of the information that you gathered before you began this NLP pattern. Instruct the client to “Experience how naturally, this new identity lines up with who they want to be, do or have.

Step five: Future pace the client. “Notice… as you go into the future that You CAN do this! … that You ARE ready!“ To cement in this change, the practitioner might say something like, “And I can’t even imagine the relief you feel as you look back behind you and see those old clothes, that limited view of yourself, rumbled up in a ball.”