Neuro-linguistic programming and solution-focused counselling are approaches, resulting from the work of a few of the most successful American therapists. One of those was Milton Erickson, after whom Erickson International was named.

It is well known that outsiders often provide valuable input and notice differences that can’t be seen by those within a group. In many ways both brilliant and extraordinary, Mr Erickson was an outsider among his peers, occupying himself with analysis of the nature of disease, perception and healing. Despite many health difficulties, including color blindness, he possessed great observation skills.

Erickson’s very successful career as a therapist (thanks to which he has become one of the true legends of his time) as well as his many books have left their mark on the world. His work on how to help others heal, along with observations by his students and those who’ve researched his work provide a valuable source of knowledge and many insights into the human mind and psychotherapy what will remain relevant even long into the future.

His assumption that a subconscious positive intention lies behind any type of behavior has contributed to a fundamental paradigm change in modern psychotherapy, and it provides a basis for counselling and solution-focused coaching. Studies on successful techniques for personal change have led to a clearer understanding of how to initiate the healing process. This has greatly contributed to the development of neuro-linguistic programming, as well as counselling and solution-focused coaching. To this day, various aspects of Erickson’s heritage are still a vital part of the most advanced models of human potential and behavior, as well as of psychotherapy. His work has inspired many studies on the conscious and subconscious mind, hypnosis and psychotherapy.

We would like to mention some of his famous quotes. Enjoy!

  • ‘You are as unique as your fingerprint is.’
  • ‘The goal without the date written next to it remains just a dream.’
  • ‘Life will most certainly bring you pain. That is why it’s your responsibility to create joy. At first, you need to understand the prison in which your mind is detained, in order to liberate it.’
  • ‘You already know something that you haven’t been aware you know.’
  • ‘Change will lead to a new insight rather than the other way round.’
  • ‘The Majority of people are going through their life projecting nothing but weakness, it is up to us to transform that projection into projection of power’.
  • ‘Coaching transforms problems into challenges, challenges into opportunities and opportunities to gifts.’
  • ‘I am self-confident. I look self-confident. I act self-confident. I speak self-confident…’
  • ‘You may teach your child about the importance of pain by your example. You can also teach your child what it’s like to live without pain through your example as well.’

What’s your favorite quote by Milton Erickson? Do you know who he was and how he contributed to the process of human potential development?

Read more about what kind of coaching is developed through Erickson International, guided by Milton’s life-long work in our previous blog: “So what is coaching?”.