Learn the science of cybernetics and get on the road to success
'If you can remember, worry, or tie your shoe, you can succeed'. These are the words of Dr Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho Cybernetics - a book which has dramatically influenced my thinking about success over the years.
I read the book in the early 80's and since that time it has framed my view of life, created feelings of personal power, and inspired me to aim high with my goals. Psycho Cybernetics made me realise that success could be mine irrespective of my background, education, or life circumstances. For this very reason, I believe everyone should read it.
Maxwell Maltz started off his career as a plastic surgeon where he noticed that changing the physical appearance of his patients often created an entirely new person. This observation triggered off an exploration into self-image and its formation.
'Self-image', says Maltz, 'is the key to human personality and behaviour. If you change the self-image of a person you automatically change the personality and behaviour. Self-image defines what you can and cannot do.'
But, Maltz points out, our self image is obtained through experiencing life. 'Our present state of confidence is the result of what we have experienced in the past, rather than what we have learned intellectually', and so the challenge is to create a set of experiences that lead to good self image. Maltz proposes the best way to do this is to use the science of psycho cybernetics, which, unlike real life experiences, guarantees a positive outcome every time.
Cybernetics was first used in engineering applications such as missile technology, where cybernetics describes the mechanism employed to make sure the missile hits the intended target. Psycho Cybernetics applies these same principles to humans, putting forward the theory that we too have a target seeking mechanism - our mid-brain. Understanding this aspect of brain functioning, and deliberately employing it in our lives, opens up a whole new set of positive possibilities, and it is these possibilities that Psycho Cybernetics puts to the reader.
Many people believe that the way to achieve success is to develop a comprehensive plan which plots every step along the way. Understanding cybernetics overturns this notion, suggesting that all we have to do is set our goals, and then ensure we have imprinted them deeply into our minds - that, and no more! Once we have done this we can relax in the sure knowledge that our goal seeking mechanism will automatically prompt us to take the right steps at the right time. What a release, what a wonderful notion. It a low energy model of success, one that I have discovered really works.
What I enjoyed about the book is that, not only does it explain the technology is easy to understand terms, but it also has many examples of practical ways to get psycho cybernetics working in your life. It is peppered with stories of how different people with different goals applied the science and got it to produce the desired results.
So whether your self image is low or not, Maxwell Maltz's book is a must have for any person committed to personal growth and ongoing achievement. Psycho Cybernetics, published by Pocket, can ordered at any bookstore.
© Catherine M Glennie
