An anchor is a stimulus-response mechanism where the unconscious mind links, at the neurological level, an intense associated state with a unique stimulus. When the stimulus is fired again later, it triggers the associated state automatically.
Anchors occur naturally all the time — a piece of music that takes you back to a specific memory, or a smell that instantly changes your mood, are both examples of naturally occurring anchors. In NLP, anchors are set deliberately to give a person reliable access to a chosen resource state.
The four keys to creating a strong anchor:
- Intensity — the person must be fully associated into the state at its peak
- Timing — the anchor must be set at the peak of the emotional state
- Uniqueness — the stimulus must be unique enough to be distinguishable from everyday touch or sound
- Replicability — the anchor must be able to be fired in exactly the same way each time
See also: What is a Collapsed Anchor? | What is NLP?