Seeing the Wood for the Trees: A Gentle Dive into an NLP Presupposition

We often underestimate how much we already know. In the middle of a challenge—whether it’s navigating a career transition, tackling a tricky project, or managing a team—we instinctively believe we’re missing something vital. If only I had more skills… more experience… more time.

Neuro‑Linguistic Programming (NLP), a field that blends psychology and linguistics to explore how we think and act, offers a quietly radical idea:

People already have all the resources they need—or can create them.

What does that actually mean?

It’s not about pretending life is easy or ignoring genuine obstacles. Instead, it’s about recognising that within you lies a reservoir of strategies, memories, and strengths you might have forgotten. The difficulty is that when you’re in a situation, you rarely see this clearly.

There’s a lovely old British saying: “You can’t see the wood for the trees.” And that’s exactly what happens. We get lost in the details—the deadlines, the doubts, the self‑criticism—and overlook the bigger picture of what we’re capable of.

How do we uncover those resources?

It often starts with stepping back. Sometimes that’s literal: a walk, a pause, a conversation with someone outside your usual circle. Other times it’s a shift in perspective—asking, “When have I handled something like this before?” or “What would someone I admire do right now?”

These small reframes can reveal skills and insights you already hold but had tucked away behind the noise.

Why this matters

In coaching sessions, I’ve seen this presupposition transform how people approach challenges. A leader who thought she lacked confidence realised she’d led brilliantly before—she just hadn’t connected the dots. A student convinced he wasn’t ready for a presentation drew on years of informal storytelling skills once he paused and reframed.

Your turn

Next time you feel stuck, resist the urge to hunt for something outside yourself. Instead, ask: What resource might already be within me? What haven’t I noticed yet because I’ve been too close to the problem?

You might just find that the wood—the bigger, richer picture—was there all along.