Positive wisdom and helpful insights on how to be a successful person
Happiness and success are habits. So are failure and misery. But negative habits can be changed--and Psycho-Cybernetics shows you how!
This is your personal audio guide to the amazing power of Psycho-Cybernetics--a program based on one of the world s classic self-help books, a multimillion-copy bestseller proven effective by readers worldwide. Presenting positive attitude as a means for change, Maltz s teaching has the ring of common sense. Psycho-Cybernetics-is the original text that defined the mind/body connection the concept that paved the way for most of today s personal empowerment programs. Turn crises into creative opportunities, dehypnotize yourself from false beliefs, and celebrate new freedom from fear and guilt.
Testimonials and stories are interspersed with advice from Maltz, as well as techniques for relaxation and visualization. Dr. Maxwell Maltz teaches you his techniques of emotional surgery --the path to a dynamic new self-image and self-esteem and to achieving the success and happiness you deserve!
Maxwell Maltz was an American cosmetic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybernetics, which was a system of ideas that he claimed could improve one's self-image leading to a more successful and fulfilling life.
This is a keeper. I can’t believe I never came across this before--he basically thought of everything I have thought before I did. The book is about how to cultivate a more productive mind; that your mental attitude is related to your success in a lot of ways. And I thought his insights were really practical. Here are a few: --About your success, “you must not wait to act until you have proof —you must act as if it’s already there and it will come through” --Do everything you can to prepare, and then relax in the doing of it. The more you can detach yourself (and your self esteem) from the outcome, the better you will perform. Get out of your own way. --“Live in daytight compartments”. The only time we have any power over is the present moment…don’t waste time worrying about the past or future; do the things you need to do right now to heal the past or prepare for the future. --Happiness is a choice. Your circumstances may be difficult or discouraging…but your attitude can make those circumstances worse or better. You always have a choice about how you react. --“be willing to make a few mistakes and suffer a little pain, to get what you want”. Bring courage to your life, do the hard thing, be vulnerable, and take a risk for something you really care about.
I remember when my Grade Nine friend - David, a genius in physics - recommended this book to me, later, in 1976. We shared a two bedroom apartment together, along with his back-to-the-land girlfriend (later his wife) Diana, and David was doing grad work.
I was a nine-to-five office type, getting down to serious daily drudgery.
They were gone each weekend to Diana's cottage, so I would carry on with my own haphazard lifestyle then.
David saw I was disorganized. So much like him, but Diana was setting him straight. Now David wanted me to get my life together, with Maltz's book.
I tried, but never succeeded to clean up my act and my thinking.... Until I met my own wife. Turns out I had only needed a lady’s inspiration to think cybernetically!
Turns out I had been more concerned about my feelings about things, rather than things themselves, Maltz's key point. I now had energy to burn again.
That was in the next year, 1977. But 1976 proved an utter debacle... ***
I had heard in the spring of vitamin therapy for my bipolar condition, as well as Maltz’s medicine. My roomy David was the son of a decorated biochemist, and was big on Linus Pauling, so no wonder! Didn't work, though - in the middle of the summer I crashed and burned.
(You know, the anti-psychiatry movement in North America was then gaining momentum, and my confinement that year was So much like a sojourn at a country club. Quickly and clinically given a cybernetic release, I gradually badly imploded.)
Of course, by November the only possible remedy was heavy artillery, and I was duly given lights-out meds. Where is all this ugliness leading, you may ask?
Well, of course (if you believe in White Magic) into a serendipitous solution:
My Forever Wife!
Cause, brutally KO'ed and down for the count, my Darkest Hour then proved to be just a Herald of Dawn. ***
My dear wife then started to get me straight. With good loving and no-nonsense pep talks galore, in short order I converted to her native Catholicism.
Then, a Church wedding.
Suddenly my life was positive.
It was filled with sunlight.
Promotion rapidly followed promotion at work.
And now, having worked steadily for thirty years, I finally had a respectable pension...
And plenty for more books.
And, what of David and Diana?
After marriage, they settled in an community out west in Alberta -
And David became the Chairman of its university Physics department.
So we both made it in life, retiring in 2005 and around 2011 respectively...
For we had both successfully done our best thinking in a grimy box all that dreary younger time:
Probably the most impactful book I've ever read. I read the 1960 edition, but it has been updated several times; however the underlying premise still holds true: "A human being always acts and feels and performs in accordance with what he imagines to be true about himself and his enviroment." Our nervous system reacts appropriately to what we think or imagine to be true. If we can change the vision of ourselves, others, and our environment, we can rise to success, and become better people. I have applied this so many times in my life and know it to be a true principle. When we can see ourselves acting, feeling, or being as we want to be, the body responds accordingly. We really under-rate the power of the mind and the scripture, "Whatever a man thinketh, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)
1. First the author makes a point of how your self-perception has significant impact on goal attainment. The image of being for example "stupid at math" will manifest to have itself fulfilled.
2. Success mechanisms are automatic processes that steer yourself towards a set state. Comparison: A self-steering missile autocorrects itself until it hits the goal.
3. Setting a state is best achieved by visualizing vividly the desired state of being and imagining yourself to already be there. Practice: "Hold a picture of yourself long enough and steadily enough in your minds eye and you will be drawn toward it." - Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick Imagine yourself acting in your "goal personality" for 30 min a day.
4. False beliefs - dehypnotize yourself by using relaxation. Relaxation image: Your body is made of concrete and very heavy.
5. Ideas are changed not by will but by other ideas. For each belief (esp. Where you say 'I can't do this') ask yourself: Is there a rational reason for such a belief? Could I be wrong in this belief? Would I come to the same conclusion about some person in a similar situation? Why should I continue to act and feel as if this were true of there's no good reason to believe it? "If you can interest the neighbor, you can interest all neighbors, or the world, and not be frozen by magnitude" - Daniel W. Josselyn Concious rational thought selects the goal. It is not responsible for results. Do the work, act upon the best assumptions available, and leave the results to take care of themselves.
6. Let the success mechanism work for you - have a burning desire to solve your problem and gather all the information possible, then let go. - Do your worrying before you place your bet, not after the (roulette) wheel start turning. - Consciously respond to the current moment - > react to what is happening now, preparing is fine; live as best you can today; Stop - look - and listen; Don't fight strawmen out of the past - Do one thing at a time - Sleep on it - Relax while you work
7. Acquire the habit of happiness. We have a wrong view of happiness: be successful/healthy, then you can be happy. Rather: be happy, then you can be successful/healthy. Happiness is not a "pay off" for being unselfish: if we are rewarded for being unselfish, you can assume that more self-abnegation will lead to more happiness. This is irrational, saying that less happiness means more happiness. Metaphor: if outward events change how you feel it is like the master of ceremony of a TV show steers the audience to cheer or to say 'awww'.
8. Success type personalities have these traits: - Sense of direction - Understanding - Courage - Charity - Esteem - Self-confidence - Self-acceptance
9. Failure mechanism - noticing and understanding negative emotions can lead to course corrections. Using negative emotions as an immediate trigger to for example think positive thoughts. Frustration comes from the childish belief that expressing our dissatisfaction will solve problems like it did when we were young and our parents solved problems for us.
10. Removing emotional scars - first, protect yourself from future emotional hurts by being too big to feel threatened, having a self reliant and responsible attitude and then relaxing away emotional hurt. To remove old emotional scars you want to use real (not forced) forgiveness. Forgive yourself as you would others. Don't attach your self image to a failure: Say "I fell" instead of "I am a faller".
11. Unlocking personality - Poor personality and inhibited personality are the same thing. Negative feedback is there to modify response not to stop it altogether. Quote: "Self-consciousness is really others-consciousness" Example: Stage fright is the fear that we will be punished for speaking up, expressing our opinion, presuming to be someone, or showing off - things most of us learned were wrong and punishable as children. Stage fright illustrates how universal is the suppression and inhibition of self-expression. Exercises: - don't worry what you're doing to say - don't plan, but have a goal and act - stop criticizing yourself - speak louder than usual - let people know when you like them
12. Tranquilizers - Over-response is a vast habit which can be cured. Example: You can choose to answer the phone. If at first you cannot ignore the stimulus, delay your response. Build yourself a quiet room in your mind. Carry-over emotions can be a killing factor since party of an old problem carry through to a new one and can lead to wrong results.
13. Turn crises into creative opportunities - performing well in a crisis requires: - practicing without pressure - reacting to crises aggressively instead of defensively - putting cruises into perspective
14. That winning feeling - you supply the goal (the what) and your automatic mechanism supplies the means whereby (the how). The possibility of the goal must be seen so clearly that it could be real. So real that the same feelings are evoked.
15. More life in your years - thoughts can harm or benefit your bodily functions. 6+1 basic needs: Need for... - love - security - creative expression - recognition - new experiences - self-esteem - more life Create a need for more life by developing a nostalgia for the future. Quote: "We age, not by years, but by events and our emotional reactions to them." Learning ability is about the same at age 17 and 70. Don't conserve energy, spend it gradually
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Psycho-Cybernetics. A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life, Maxwell Maltz
Psycho-Cybernetics is a self-help book written by Maxwell Maltz in 1960. Happiness and success are habits. So are failure and misery. But negative habits can be changed--and Psycho-Cybernetics shows you how!
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز بیست و هفتم ماه ژوئن سال 2016میلادی
عنوان: سایکو - سایبرنتیکس، یا، معجزه تصویر ذهنی؛ نوشته ماکسول مالتز؛ ترجمه و تفسیر و تلخیص: ا.خواجه نوری؛ گردآورنده و تنظیم کننده لیدا مشفق؛ عنوان روی جلد: معجزه تصویر ذهنی، یا، راه میانبر خودشناسی و روانکاوی؛ بی جا، بی نا، 1360؛ در 55ص؛ موضوع روانشناسی از نویسندگان ایالات متجده آمریکا - سده 20م
عنوان: روانشناسی ارتباط و کنترل (سایکوسیبرنتیک)؛ نویسنده: ماکسول مالتز؛ مترجمها: جمال زرهساز، بابک شمشیری؛ تهران، چاپخش؛ 1372؛ در 203ص؛
عنوان: سایکوسیبرنتیک: درس زندگی؛ اثر ماکسول مالتز؛ ترجمه مهدی قراچهداغی؛ تهران، شباهنگ، سخن، 1373؛ در 196ص؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، اسرار دانش؛ 1380؛ در 250ص؛ شابک 9646719546؛ چاپ سوم 1387؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، شباهنگ، 1390؛ در 196ص؛ شابک 9789642732227؛
عنوان: سایبرنتیک روان: هدف، حرکت، بازخورد؛ ماکسول مالتز؛ ویراستار علمی دن کندی؛ با همکاری موسسه سایکو سایبرنتیک؛ مترجم حسن حقشناس، با همکاری سودابه ملکزاده؛ شیراز، ایرسا، 1386؛ در 304ص؛ شابک 9786009029808؛ چاپ دوم 1391؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، رون سنجی، 1397؛ در 6ص، و 304ص؛ شابک 9789647855259؛
عنوان: سایکوسایبرنتیک جدید: علم اصلی اصلاح خود و موفقیت که زندگی سی میلیون نفر را تغییر داده است؛ نویسنده ماکسول مالتز؛ ویرایش و به روز شده توسط اس کندی و بنیاد سایکوسایبرنتیک، ترجمه فرهاد توحیدی؛ ارومیه، فرهاد توحیدی؛ 1393؛ در 7ص، و 238ص؛ شابک 9786000412616؛
فهرست کتاب ترجمه جناب «فرهاد توحیدی»:؛ فصل یک: «تصور از خود: کلید شما برای زندگی بدون مرز»؛ فصل دو: «چگونه مکانیسم موفقیت خودکار درونتان را بیدار میکند»؛ فصل سه: «تخیل استارت مکانیسم موفقیت خودکار شما»؛ فصل چهار: «چگونه خود را از باورهای غلط خارج کنید»؛ فصل پنج: «چگونه در رابطه با قدرت تفکر منطقی پیشرفت کنیم»؛ فصل شش: «چگونه ریلکس شویم و اجازه دهیم مکانیسم موفقیت خودکار برایمان کار کند»؛ فصل هفت: «میتوانید عادت خوشبختی را به دست آورید»؛ فصل هشت: «اجزای شخصیت نوع موفق و چگونگی حصول به آنها»؛ فصل نه: «چگونه از فعالسازی ت��ادفی مکانیسم شکست خودکارتان جلوگیری کنید»؛ فصل ده: «چگونه زخمهای احساسی را برطرف کنیم و به خود یک ترمیم چهره انسانی بدهیم»؛ فصل یازده: «چگونه شخصیت واقعی خود را آزاد کنید»؛ فصل دوازده: «آرامبخشهایی خودی ای که آرامش ذهن میآورند»؛ فصل سیزده: «چگونه یک بحران را به یک فرصت اخلاقی تبدیل کنیم»؛ فصل چهارده: «چگونه آن حس پیروزی را به دست آورده و حفط کنیم»؛ فصل پانزده: «سالهای بیشتر زندگی و زندگی بیشتر در سالهای شما»؛ فصل شانزده: «داستانهای واقعی زندگیهایی که با استفاده از سایکو سایبرنتیک عوض شده اند»؛ و «واژگان»؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 06/04/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
دوستانِ گرانقدر، از آنجا که این کتاب به نوعی تخصصی به شمار می آید، بنابراین تصمیم گرفتم ریویوِ کاملی در موردِ آن بنویسم تا چنانچه حوصلهٔ خواندنِ این کتاب را نداشته و یا شرایطِ مطالعه در موردِ این موضوع برایتان فراهم نباشد، اطلاعاتِ لازم و مفیدی را با خواندنِ این ریویو به دست بیاورید... این کتاب در ایران با ترجمهٔ قراچه داغی موجود است و البته ترجمه ای قدیمی تر نیز از این کتاب انجام گرفته که مترجمِ آن زنده یاد ابراهیم خواجه نوری بوده است، که احتمالاً این ترجمه در ایران ممکن است به سختی پیدا شود --------------------------------------------- عزیزانم، <ماکسول مالتز> در این کتاب، اهمیتِ "تصویرِ ذهنی از خود" را، در چگونگیِ زندگیِ انسانها روشن ساخته است.. او باور دارد که تمامِ احساسات و رفتارها و حتی توانایی هایِ ما، بر اساسِ تصویرِ ذهنی از خود، شکل میگیرد و لازم است که انسان، تصویرِ واقعی و شایسته ای از خویش داشته باشد.... او روشن میسازد که درونِ هر موجودی یک مکانیزمِ خلاق وجود دارد که او را در جهتِ هدفهایِ جهان، راهنمایی میکند و این مکانیزمِ خلاق، به نوعی مکانیزمی هدف جو میباشد انسان با داشتنِ هدفهایِ مشخص، میتواند خود به خود این مکانیزمِ خلاق را به سویِ اهدافِ برتر در این جهان، هدایت کند.... زمانی که هدف در ذهنِ انسان شکل میگیرد و مشخص میشود، مکانیزمِ خلاق در انسان، مسئولیت را بر عهده خواهد گرفت و ممکن است بهتر از نیرویِ اراده، انسان را به مقصودِ موردِ نظر برساند با تمرین میتوان یک تصویرِ ذهنیِ مناسب از خود ایجاد نمود... انسان میتواند به کمکِ نوآموختگی، عادات و باورهایِ مناسبی در خود به وجود آورد که بدونِ شک این باورها باید در مسیرِ خردگرایی و دانشِ انسانی بوده و از خرافات و موهومات خالی باشد --------------------------------------------- تصویرِ ذهنی از خود، به صورتِ ناخودآگاه از تجربه هایِ گذشته، موقعیتها و شکستهایِ شخصی، به وجود می آید *************************** پندار، گفتار، کردار، احساسات و توانایی هایِ انسان، بر اساسِ تصویرِ ذهنی، شکل میگیرد *************************** تصویرِ ذهنی که از خود میسازید، قابلِ تغییر میباشد و با تغییرِ آن میتوانید، زندگیِ خویش را تغییر دهید *************************** تصویرِ ذهنیِ خوب و درست از خویش، بسیار اهمیت دارد... باید نقاطِ ضعف و قوتِ خود را شناخته و نسبت به هر دوِ آنها، با خود صادق باشید *************************** هدفِ مکانیزمِ خلاق، دستیابی به تصاویرِ ذهنی میباشد که با استفاده از تخیل ایجاد میشود... مهمترین هدفِ تصویرِ ذهنی، دستیابی به تصویرِ ذهنی از خودِ انسان میباشد *************************** مکانیزمِ خلاقِ شما، بر اساسِ اطلاعات و داده هایی کار میکند که شما در اختیارش میگذارید *************************** دستگاهِ عصبیِ شما، تجربهٔ خیالی و مجازی را از تجربهٔ واقعی نمیتواند تشخیص دهد و در هر دو مورد، واکنش نشان میدهد.. مثلاً زمانی که با یک خرسِ وحشی برخورد میکنید و همچنین زمانی که با هنرپیشه ای برخورد میکنید که لباسِ خرس به تن کرده است و شما تصور میکنید که او یک خرسِ واقعی میباشد، به سرعت از خود واکنشِ ترس و وحشت نشان خواهید داد.. بنابراین اگر شما اندیشه و تصاویرِ ذهنیِ غیرواقعی از خویش داشته باشید، واکنشِ شما به همان اندازه نیز نامناسب خواهد بود.... این موضوع در هیپنوتیزم نیز دیده میشود، اگر به شخصِ هیپنوتیزم شده بگوییم که در قطبِ شمال است، او احساسِ سرما میکند و میلرزد، با آنکه در حقیقت در جایِ گرمی قرار گرفته باشد *************************** انسان دارایِ قوهٔ تخیلِ خلاق میباشد که با آن میتواند مکانیزمِ موفقیتِ خویش را هدایت کند....قوهٔ تخیل، بزرگترین محکِ فعالیتِ انسان و منبعِ پیشرفتِ او به شمار می آید... با از بین بردنِ این استعداد، انسان نیز هم ردیفِ حیوانات قرار میگیرد *************************** وظیفهٔ مکانیزمِ خلاق و خودکار در وجودِ شما این است که چنانچه شما هدفی را مشخص نمایید، وسیلهٔ رسیدن به آن هدف را برایِ شما پیدا خواهد کرد... شما به هدفِ پایانی بیاندیشید، وسیلهٔ رسیدن به آن را مکانیزمِ خودکار، فراهم میسازد *************************** چنانچه شما در تصورتان خود را به صورتی ببینید که میخواهید باشید، درست در آن زمان است که موفق خواهید شد... این بهترین وسیلهٔ تغییر دادنِ خویش است *************************** انسان زمانی از سردرگمی، نگرانی و تشویش رها میشود، که خود را انسانی متمایز و متفاوت از دیگران به حساب آورد.. یعنی نه خود را برتر از کسی بداند و نه کوچک و حقیرتر از کسی... انسان باید ذهنِ خویش را از موهومات و باورهایِ اشتباه و نابخردانهٔ دینی و مذهبی خالی کرده و وجودِ حقیقی و راستینِ خویش را بشناسد *************************** مکانیزمِ خودکار و ضمیرِ ناآگاه، با توجه به اندیشه و افکارِ آگاهِ شما کار میکند. بنابراین موهومات و باورهایِ اشتباهِ دینی و خرافات را از ذهنِ خویش پاک کنید و اندیشه هایِ خردمندانه و منطقی را در مغزِ خود به کار بیاورید... زمانی که به سویِ خردگرایی و باورهایِ درست و منطقی گام برمیدارید، باورهایِ اشتباه و غیرِ منطقی و موهومات، خود به خود در وجودتان از بین میرود *************************** وظیفهٔ اندیشهٔ آگاه این است که دربارهٔ خواسته هایِ شما تصمیم بگیرد و اهدافِ موردِ نظر را برایتان مشخص کند... پس رویِ این اهداف تمرکز کنید.. مهم چیزی است که میخواهید، نه آنچه که نمیخواهید --------------------------------------------- امیدوارم این ریویو برایِ شما دوستانِ خردگرا، مفید بوده باشه <پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
[holding back a rating until I finish the 21 day period of practical exercises]
For those who are curious here are the Practical Exercises
[1] Read chapter 2 three times per week or until memorised (effectively understand the Cybernetics part of Pyscho-Cybernetics. p.30
[2] Spend 30 minutes a day visualising yourself being successful and acting and reacting appropriately. p.51
[3] Spend 30 minutes a day relaxing to the following mental images: a). Imagining oneself having extremely heavy limbs as though they were made of concrete sinking into a mattress b). Imagining oneself as a marionette puppet but with all the various connecting strings as being limp and loose. c). Imagining oneself as being composed of giant balloons and whilst lying down slowly letting them deflate. d). A relaxing experience from your past. p.67
[4] Several times a day remember a period of great relaxation and mentally repeat to yourself "I am relaxed". p.104
[5] Form the habit of being goal oriented and react positively aggressively to threats and challenges p.115
[6] Make the following affirmations every morning: I. I am beginning the day in a new and better way. II. I will be as cheerful as possible. III. I am going to be a little less critical and a little more tolerant of other people, their faults, failings and mistakes. I will place the best possible interpretation on their actions. IV. Insofar as possible, I am going to act as though successes are inevitable, and I already am the personality I want to be. I will practice acting like and feeling like this new personality. V. I will not let my opinion colour facts in a pessimistic or negative way. VI. I will practice smiling at least 3 times a day. VII. Regardless of what happens, I will react as calmly and intelligently as possible. VIII. I will completely ignore and close my mind to all those pessimistic and negative facts I can do nothing to change. p.121
[7] Speak more impulsively, do not consciously criticise yourself , speak louder than usual and compliment at least 3 people a day . p.202
[8] Visualise yourself sitting quietly and unmoved by things that trigger anxiety or fear. When encountering these things in real life say to oneself " I am letting the telephone ring. p.222
Loy Machedo’s Book Review – Psycho-Cybernetics, A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life by Maxwell Maltz
Tell me this. What were you doing in the year 1975? Or better say, what were you doing in the year 1960? Sounds too early?
Well then, would you believe that the author of this book died in the year 1975? Or would it be more shocking to know that the book carries the copyright date of 1960?
May be that is why the 1st impression of the book is pretty bad. In fact, I would say it is downright pathetic.
The book carries the typical sales pitch employed in the early era of Self-Improvement Gurus (In the Introduction the typical phrases like “In this book you will find 8 secrets to this and 6 steps to that and 14 techniques to something else”). And that was where I got put off. I said to myself - Not another ‘This-Is-The-Secret-To-Success’ book. I was about to dismiss the book altogether. And it was then something strange happened. I slowly found myself attracted to the content.
Was it because the author was sharing something new? No. Absolutely not.
In fact, most of the techniques stated here were employed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder giving it the NLP title and then making it commercially viable to the world via Tony Robbins.
So what was it?
I suppose, it was the purity of the content and the simplicity of what was stated.
Let me put it into perspective.
The first surprising bit was the authors credentials. The author didn’t have any basic qualification in psychology nor was one of those high-powered Ph.D title holders (and yes, thankfully he wasn’t a Sales Pitch Man). He was a Plastic Surgeon. And all these formulas that he compiled and condensed were from raw clinical observations and experiences. Where today – after nearly half a century, Pathetic, Prophetic and Pot-headed Unprofessional Quacks give metaphysical babble with some motivational flavor added with some hardly understood and unexplained Scientific theories of Quantum Physics to sell their repackaged products and services (especially add-ons) – Maltz does not do use such techniques. He is simply honest. And the premise is simple.
According to the Author, the human organism, like a computer, is capable of miraculous feats. You just have to program it correctly. This is done on a mental level by regulating thoughts and the stimuli we expose ourselves to. Couple this with powerful visualization and our mind, like an unstoppable servo-mechanism, propels us to success. Many other persons have also written about this such as James Allen in "As a Man Thinketh". Maltz compares the methodology of achieving a desired improvement in one's self image with that used in the design of modern physical automatic control systems (he uses the term "Cybernetics" to describe the servomechanism systems of his day, such as those used in military fire control systems).
Almost all the methods stated in the book are mind-based i.e. imaginative and visual in nature with most of the techniques resting in the range of changing ones image mentally to imagining how one should act. And finally, when the whole thing is compiled together, this is more like a definitive guide with unequivocal ideas that help you deal with the core issues and behavior patterns of human actions and results.
Moment of Truth I found this book a valuable resource and for someone like me who has read quite a lot of book related to Visualization, Success, NLP, Coaching, and the Secrets to whatever, I found this book to be worth its money.
Some notes from Psycho-Cybernetics divided by chapters.
TLDR: “You will act like the sort of person you conceive yourself to be.”
1. THE SELF IMAGE: YOUR KEY TO A BETTER LIFE
2. DISCOVERING THE SUCCESS MECHANISM WITHIN You
3. IMAGINATION—THE FIRST KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS MECHANISM
4. DEHYPNOTIZE YOURSELF FROM FALSE BELIEFS
5. How TO UTILIZE THE POWER OF RATIONAL THINKING
6. RELAX AND LET YOUR SUCCESS MECHANISM WORK FOR YOU - Do your worrying before you place your bet, not after the wheel starts turning. - Form the habit of consciously responding to the present moment. - Try to do only one thing at a time. - Sleep on it. - Relax while you work
7. YOU CAN ACQUIRE THE HABIT OF HAPPINESS - Happiness Does Not Lie in the Future but the Present - Stop Letting Things Push You Around
8. INGREDIENTS OF THE SUCCESS-TYPE PERSONALITY AND HOW TO ACQUIRE THEM S-ense of direction (goal) U-nderstanding (truth, admit mistakes) C-ourage (to act, be willing to make mistakes) C-harity (people are important) E-steem S-elf-Confidence (remember past successes, forget failures.) S-elf-Acceptance
9. THE FAILURE MECHANISM: HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU INSTEAD OF AGAINST YOU F-rustration, hopelessness, futility A-ggressiveness (misdirected) I-nsecurity L-oneliness (lack of "oneness") U-ncertainty R-esentment (is inconsistent with creative goal-striving) E-mptiness
In creative goal-striving, you are the actor, not the passive recipient. You set your goals. No one owes you anything. You go out after your own goals. You become responsible for your own success, and happiness.
10. HOW TO REMOVE EMOTIONAL SCARS, OR HOW TO GIVE YOURSELF AN EMOTIONAL FACE LIFT Self-fulfilled persons: 1. They see themselves as liked, wanted, acceptable and able individuals. 2. They have a high degree of acceptance of themselves as they are. 3. They have a feeling of oneness with others. 4. They have a rich store of information and knowledge.
Give Up Grudges as You Would a Gangrenous Arm You Make Mistakes—Mistakes Do Not Make "You"
11. HOW TO UNLOCK YOUR REAL PERSONALITY Excessive Negative Feedback is the Key to Inhibition Conscious Self-Criticism Makes You Do Worse Excessive "Carefulness" Leads to Inhibition and Anxiety
The way to make a good impression on other people is: Never consciously "try" to make a good impression on them.
Act — and correct your actions as you go along. Accept Negative Feelings as a Challenge React Aggressively to Your Own Negative "Advice" The Substitution Method of Curing Worry
12. DO-IT-YOURSELF TRANQUILIZERS THAT BRING PEACE OF MIND Over-response Is a Bad Habit Which Can Be Cured - by relaxation If You Cannot Ignore the Response—Delay It Build Yourself a Quiet Room in Your Mind Calmness Carries Over, Too ACT ! Stop Fighting Straw Men
13. HOW TO TURN A CRISIS INTO A CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY attitude: "fearlessly accepting the challenge," and "confidently expending our strength." maintain an aggressive, a goal-directed attitude, rather than a defensive, evasive, negative one - Shadow-boxing for Stability - Crisis Brings Power
"when great demands are made upon us, if only we fearlessly accept the challenge and confidently expend our strength, every danger or difficulty brings its own strength" - Keep Your Goal in Mind - Don't Mistake Excitement for Fear "What Is the Worst That Can Possibly Happen?" - What Have You Got to Lose?
14. HOW TO GET "THAT WINNING FEELING" - Think in Terms of Possibilities Your Nervous System Can't Tell "Real Failure" from Imagined Failure
"Nothing succeeds like success." - Don't Take Counsel of Your Fears - The Choice Is Up to You - Old Recordings Can Be Changed
15. MORE YEARS OF LIFE AND MORE LIFE IN YOUR YEARS - Life Force—The Secret of Healing and the Secret of Youth - Look Forward and Live - Create a Need for More Life
Reading it through a second time. Love the era it was written in! A plastic surgeon who found out more about people than a psychiatrist ever could! Great self image booster
What a strange blend of practical, sports psychology-type tips and absolute nonsense. If he could have left out the absolute nonsense, it could have been a good book.
First published in 1960, this is one of the early self-help books that became more popular in the mid-twentieth century. Using techniques of cognitive behaviourism and rational emotive therapy, and mixing it with cybernetic systems theory, author Maltz addresses the self-image and mind-body connection to advise readers in visualisation, positive thinking and goal setting. My father had a copy of this on his bookshelf for years, and I never read it as a kid, but the title was memorable. Now I've listened to an updated audiobook version, with an introduction, sidebars and afterword written and narrated by the president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, Matt Furey. I liked its positive message, and I noticed that I already use some of its principles in my life. However, I just can't get on board with the analogy at its core, equating the way the human mind and body work with a computer, robot or similarly complex machine. At best it's a weak, inaccurate metaphor, and at worst, it creates unrealistic expectations for the person attempting to better themselves by following the advice outlined in the book. As a trained psychologist, I'm quite aware that this kind of false equivalence denigrates the human being with a broad misunderstanding of what we really are and how we actually work. It's worth noting that the author developed his ideas in counselling patients in his plastic surgery practice and is not formally educated in what he wrote about. You should also be aware that most of the research he mentions is well over 60 years old and the "updated" part is more about references to elements of modern society like the Internet rather than the latest in relevant fields like psychology or neuroscience. This doesn't mean the techniques described don't work, but if they don't, Maltz and Furey mostly advocate persistence rather than offering any alternatives. My opinion is that if you read this book, there's no harm in trying what it recommends, but don't expect miracles.
This book was recommended by a millionaire mentor of mine. This book has already started to help me immensely turn my brain and thoughts into an asset instead of it being a battlefield of negative thoughts and having the self image of myself as being unworthy and not believing in myself.
I remember reading reviews for this book only 2 months ago and trying to convince myself not to take the plunge despite all of the people saying this book changed their life.
Well...it was one of the best decisions I have made. And i confidently know I will use the practices in this book for the rest of my life to be a happy, confident, and strong goal-attacking person. Dr. Maltz's guidance is already starting to ring in my head almost daily.
I value the mental benefits of this book in the thousands honestly.
Just get it. Start. Do the practice exercises. Don't be judgmental of it and it will work for you.
This one is no bullshit self help. It is, plain and simple, deeply illuminating; even life changing! I had many 'aha' moments, which is rare for these kinds of books. This is a book from 60s; and the author was working as a plastic surgeon then. In a nutshell the motto of the book is: do not simply add years to life, but add more life to the years!
You are "how" you think you are... change your thinking and change the direction of your life. Surgery can sometimes fix your physical flaws, but mental flaws need to be addressed. This plastic surgeon knows that he is talking about. There are more updated discussions of mind over matter, you are what you think, etc., but this is still a worthwhile read.
A great tool in the "fix it yourself" toolkit I like to keep adding to!
This was one of the best books (and most helpful) I have ever read in my life. It has been a life changer for me. I strongly recommend this book to anyone struggling with a poor self image or lacking confidence. This book will change your life. I can only thank the author so much for writing it and sharing! Why dont they teach some of this in schools? I dont know?
Although I've read several self-help and development books and am a fan of these kinds of books I didn't really believe that they could help me , i only considered them as an insight and a different perspective of life and towards the problems we face, but this has definitely changed with this book In psycho- cybernetics as its name implies, it guides you through a journey of exploring how does the human mind perceive the environment and it is psychological makeup .
The thing that really impressed,me that this book is considered the guru of self-help books written since 1960, and many of the books I've read contained many principles Dr. Maltz mentioned. The writer was a plastic surgeon he wasn't a psychologist , he noticed that many of his patients came to him complaining about their ugly noses or an apparent scar and believing that due to those disfigurements they had a miserable life or unsuccessful business or marriages, after the surgeries their lives changed dramatically, the question raised was ,why? The beautiful nose nor the scar changed their environment or that their IQs increased ,thus there must be something in their own minds something has to do with their own perception of the environment and attitudes towards it that changed, something that didn't come from the outside, it came from within !
As children we grow looking up to the adults around us , believing in them either our parents, teachers or any adult around- it's a human nature- but the problem is that we grow up believing in what they've told us about who we are is true or a fact , eg; ur not smart in math , you can't run fast as your sister or brother etc... this book explains how this learning process starts and how does those messages we receive from adults while growing up define whom we are today (This chapter was very interesting ! )
The fundamental point I learned was that positive thinking and positive mental attitudes are not forced ideas , you can't just look at the full half of the glass and believe that this is going to change the way you perceive life , it's rather a long journey and practical steps to practice and learn . The amazing part is that the human brain can't differentiate between real experiences and imaginary ones ! its scientifically proven and many experiments were done regarding this psychological concept; this book teaches you how to use your imagination and conscious thoughts to improve your skills in anything you want to master. This idea of reprogramming our subconscious mind reminded me of the psychology behind our choosing behavior and advertisements, the idea is why advertisements are repeated all the time over and over on the tv , posters at the malls , we don't even notice that we saw them or gave attention to them yet we end up buying those products with out again thinking why did we buy them from the first place or if it was really the best product out there, in the same way you can reprogram your subconscious mind to believe in an idea and it will believe it , and act towards it and adopt that successful attitude. This book gives an idea why some pioneers like Oprah for an example ever since she was a child she refused that she will be a maid for white people, this idea wasn't based on any scientific or any given information it's her mental attitude toward her environment that changed her fate
Oh, the pain. This was so difficult to get through. I usually enjoy a self-help book at least mildly where I get "something" out of it, even if it is an insight into what "some" people find helpful. But, this! Ugh. There might be a few tasty bits but the narrator was not professional at all. It was so obvious he was reading and he droned to the point of exasperating me at times. The material is also directed at straight, christian males. Even though there are a couple of disclaimers that this can be implemented at anyone, which it can, the writing includes scriptural quotes, lots of stories about golfing, and near-misogynistic examples. Yes, it can be applied to other audiences, but it sure left a bad taste in my mouth.
The premise is that there exists an internal blueprint, a self-image, that lays at the foundation of thoughts, behavior, and feeling. This said self-image can be changed, the book maintains, by creative imagination and goal-oriented action. The message and techniques are simple enough and might be more or less useful. I am well aware that a practical book shouldn't be judged by its theoretical underpinnings, but by how certain actions are more or less likely to produce the advertised effect, while theory is only used to "sell" the ideas. The book contains the usual oratory propaganda and anecdotal evidence to support its case, which is to be expected. However, it is also full if pseudoscience and it doesn't fail to mention parapsychology and extra sensory perception, claiming them to be accepted by the scientific community. There's also an unquestioned assumption about how God created us and want us to be happy, it's rather distracting. The science is, of course, used only to serve the propaganda, with rare mentions of actual studies. But I think these misinformations and faults do not interfere with the main premise, and how the conclusions are drawn from it. The book may actually provide the desired effects and contains some good ideas. I only wish the pseudoscience and propaganda was kept to a minimum. But a process of critical distillation still leaves you with some food for thoughts.
This is like the mitochondrial Eve of self-help books; the core ideas of every other (non-spiritual) self-help book have been hiding in here since 1960. (Now I'm sure many of the ideas are even older than this, but it's like they all converged in this one book to save us the trouble of having to hunt them down from older books.)
There are a few inevitable anachronisms that have seeped in over the last half-century, but once I just let that slide I found this to be a really solid book of advice for getting your life in order. Especially back in 1960, it had to have been a far cry from the conventional advice of the time.
It's funny to think that I actually avoided investigating this book for a number of years because I thought the title sounded silly and archaic. Then when I finally read it the author explains that it simply refers to the use of logical cybernetic principles to the field of psychology, where you might not normally think of applying them. Basically a deliberate use of cause and effect, and target acquisition. It makes sense after the fact.
I just wonder why there's no Kindle version. It's 50 years old, the rights can't be that expensive. I'd buy a digital copy to complement my paper copy in a minute if they just offered one...
fucking finally finished it. anyways. interesting concepts are discussed in this book but unless you really, truly need to deal with a whole laundry list of personal issues, just read the book summary. it probably has fewer references to how we're all children of God, which I assume would be pretty tedious to read for non-believers.
Oh god no. First of all, I thought this was a self-help book. Instead, it launches into all this neuroscience, but neuroscience of the 1960s. And when you've read a bunch of recent books on neuroscience, it's pretty sad to read descriptions of memory and free will and timing the velocity of a ball as it was understood sixty years ago.
The other reason this is an oh-god-no? You ever read a paper that had to reach a minimum page length, and rather than actually coming up with enough content to fill the pages, the writer decides to re-word the sentence in eighteen different ways to make the requisite page count? I'll copy in an excerpt so you can see what I mean. This excerpt came from page 17. No way am I sitting through three hundred more pages of this.
"In the simpler forms of life the goal 'to live' simply means physical survival for both the individual and the species. The built-in mechanism in animals is limited to finding food and shelter, avoiding or overcoming enemies and hazards, and procreation to insure the survival of the species. In man, the goal 'to live' means more than mere survival. For an animal 'to live' simply means that certain physical needs must be met. Man has certain emotional and spiritual needs that animals do not have. Consequently for man 'to live' encompasses more than physical survival and the procreation of species. It requires certain emotional and spiritual satisfactions as well."
totally mind changing book...packed with alot of big ideas
one of the most mind blowing ideas.. is that we are all Self-Hypnotized & we need to De-Hypnotize oneself
Quote: “It is no exaggeration to say that every human being is hypnotized to some extent, either by ideas he has uncritically accepted from others, or ideas he has repeated to himself or convinced himself are true. These negative ideas have exactly the same effect upon our behavior as the negative ideas implanted into the mind of a hypnotized subject by a professional hypnotist.”
also "Over Thinking/Analyzing" & how to overcome this stupid habit... Unfortunately I'm addicted to it in the Audio version of the book he made an example by an episode of "Dr.Frasier" the TV series... I found it on YouTube and saw it... then I said OMG this is totally me Must see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18eQDe...
anyway..its so hard for me to summarize this book ..but Brian Johnson from philosophersnotes.com did a great job summarizing it actually the first time I heard about this book was from his notes
یکی از بهترین کتاب هایی که تا حالا خوندم تصویر موفقیت: 1.موقعیت شناسی 2.تفاهم 3.شهامت 4.خیرخواهی 5.مناعت 6.اعتماد به نفس 7.خودشناسی
این پاراگراف رو خیلی دوست داشتم چون خیلی وقتا فکر می کردم زندگی پوچه،شاید حراش تکراری باشه ولی برای من جالب بود انسان دارای مکانیزم هدف جوست.اینطوری طراحی شده،ما را اینطوری ساخته اند.وقتی ما فاقد هدف باشیم،وقتی به چیز خاصی علاقه نداشته باشیم،در واقع گرد دایره ای می چرخیم.احساس گم شدن می کنیم،زندگی را پوچ بی هدف می بینیم.ما برای غلبه بر محیط ،هرگز به رضایت خاطر نمی رسیم.آنهایی که زندگی را پوچ و بی ارزش می دانند، در واقع منظورشان این است که شخصا هدف با ارزشی ندارند تجویز: برای خود هد با ارزشی تعیینکنیدو مهمتر از آن طرحی برای رسیدن به آن بریزید. ببینید به دنبال چه می گردید. به آینده بیندیشید و از گذشته دست بردارید،به جای گذشته به آینده فکر کنید.اینطوری جوان و شاداب می مانید.بدون هدف جسم وظیفه خود را انجام نمی دهد.به همین دلیل است که بسیاری از اشخاص در فاصلهکوتاهی پس از بازنشست شدن میمیرند.وقتی هدفی ندارید،وقتی به آینده چشم ندوخته اید، در واقع زندگی نمی کنید. بلاخره کتاب رو خریدم! حتما 1 بار دیگه باید بخونمش
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
ی کتاب فوق العاده جالب برای من حداقل کتابی ک برخلاف خیلی از مجموعه کتابای تفکر مثبت حرفاش بنظر من دارای پایه و اساس منطقی قابل پذیرش بود من یکی ک با خوندن این کتاب و عمل کردن ب بخش کوچکی از تمریناتش شاهد تغییرات زیادی در خودم بودم و الانم برای بار دوم دارم میخونمش و توصیم اینه ک حتما بیش از یکبار بخونیدش بار دوم با توجه ب آشنایی ذهنتون با کلیات مطلب جزئیات زیادی از کتاب رو درک میکنید.
The book was good and helpful, but I think it was the origin of so many self-help books I've already read that it wasn't particularly new or interesting. But I think I buy most of it. Visualize success, practice in your head, sleep on it, all very good advice.
I was contemplating on reading this book because the title sounded a bit 'psycho-ish'. This was recommended by John Sonmez on the top 10 books every programmer should read. This and other series of books he recommended had nothing to do with programming.
Written by Dr.Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon who during his illustrious career uncovered a lot of psychological reasons behind why one would opt for a surgery and the science behind our perception of our own self - our self-image. He explains with numerous examples the theory behind cybernetics and the art of correcting and staying on course towards our goal using constructive negative feedback. He talks more about life force and how to harness it from the infinite source and forever stay young. A must read for all ages!