Psycho-Cybernetics Book Summary - Psycho-Cybernetics Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

Psycho-Cybernetics summary

Name: Psycho-Cybernetics
Rating: 4.4 (376 reviews)
Author: Maxwell Maltz

Maxwell Maltz

A New Technique for Using Your Subconscious Power

4.4 (376 ratings)

19 mins

Brief summary

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz is a self-help book that explores the power of the mind and its impact on our success and happiness. It offers techniques and exercises to reprogram our subconscious mind and improve our self-image.

Topics

Personality Confidence

Table of Contents

Psycho-Cybernetics
Summary of 8 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Leave your past self behind.

What kind of person are you? Are you perpetually tardy, type-A personality, or maybe a poor writer? Where did those beliefs come from? A judgmental teacher, a circle of friends who label you a certain way, or maybe from yourself?

We all have an image of the type of person we are. Some of these are positive, and some are detrimental to moving forward and making changes. We use stories to understand the world, but sometimes we make ourselves the villain without thinking twice about the consequences of that narrative. So get out your editing pen; it’s time to make some changes.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how we’re all affected by hypnosis;
how you can practice the piano in your head; and
why you might not be a poor math student after all.

We act according to the image we create of ourselves.

Each person has a self-image – a mental blueprint that describes the kind of person she is. This all-important conception of self contains the beliefs she holds about herself based on past experiences, successes and failures.

Such perceptions are crucial since people act like the person they believe themselves to be. If you think of yourself as a failure, you’ll quite likely fail. Conversely, if you consider yourself successful, you’ll find ways to succeed.

But why are these life-determining self-images formed in the first place?

Well, it’s usually for a logical reason. A person might consider herself a failure because she had a bad year in school after her parents got divorced. While some people can easily recover from such an event and be back on the honor roll in no time, others find themselves trapped in a self-image that tells them they’re the kind of student who gets Fs. In this way, whether good or bad, the formation of a self-image is crucial to everything that follows in a person’s life.

Here’s another example: the author knew a man who suffered from his ‘ugly’ looks; he felt his nose was too large and that his ears stuck out. He suffered because he felt other people were judging him for his peculiar looks.

In reality, however, people weren’t judging him for his appearance. Rather, it was his own negative self-image that made him cripplingly insecure and miserable. In this case, his perception that others were spiteful toward him made him spiteful back. However, this was a loop that could be broken if he turned his negative self-image around.

We’ll learn more about these loops in the next blink.

We’re hypnotized by negative beliefs; the power of rational thinking can lay them to rest.

You probably think of hypnosis as a stunt for an oddball circus act. But every human is hypnotized in one way or another.

After all, the power of hypnosis comes from belief, and you already know how powerful beliefs can be. Just consider a friend of the author, Dr. Alfred Adler, who did poorly at math in school, leading his teacher to believe he had no talent for the subject.

The human body contains a success mechanism that’s driven by imagination.

People have often theorized about the body as a machine – a concept that isn’t too far from the truth. While humans aren’t machines per se, we each have a machine that we can use when necessary.

The author calls this phenomenon psycho-cybernetics, a conception of the human brain and nervous system as a servo-mechanism or automatic response that processes negative feedback to guide its course. This theory operates according to the principles of cybernetics, the study of machines and mechanics.

We can stimulate creativity and make ourselves happy.

Whether it’s writer’s block or a stalled brainstorming session, it’s common to hit obstacles when pursuing a creative project. Most creative practitioners know that when such a roadblock presents itself, the only thing they can do is relax and wait for inspiration to return.

This wisdom makes perfect sense since humans have a highly specific creative mechanism. It only activates when we become interested in solving a particular problem, consciously consider the dilemma and gather every piece of relevant information.

Seven elements make up a successful personality.

Success isn’t something you simply find any more than failure is something you “arrive at.” Rather, failure and success are the result of forces buried deep within your personality.

Both are produced by unique sets of elements. First up you’ll learn about SUCCESS, an acronym that explains the core elements of a successful personality.

Being aware of what causes failure is key to achieving success.

The factors that lead to failure can be readily summed up by an acronym of the word FAILURE itself.

First comes Frustration, which arises when you feel you can’t realize an important goal. This produces a self-fulfilling prophecy as you think of yourself as incapable and are therefore more likely to fail.

Attend to your emotions and unleash your real personality.

When you incur a physical injury, your body forms a scar to protect the damaged area. In this way, scar tissue is nature’s way of preventing further injuries to the same place.

Similarly, people tend to form emotional scars to protect hurt feelings. However, such scars don’t just protect you from the person who initially hurt you; they can also separate you from all other people. After all, they construct an emotional wall that keeps out friends and foes alike.

Use these two simple techniques to find peace of mind in a world full of interruptions.

Imagine you’re at home, quietly reading a novel. Your phone starts ringing, and you instinctively jump out of your favorite chair, rushing to answer the call.

In the blink of an eye, you went from a peaceful state of mind to one of unrest. And who can blame you? The ring tone is a signal that you’ve learned to obey. But the truth is, you don’t have to answer the phone; you could just as easily ignore it.

Want to see all full key ideas from Psycho-Cybernetics?

Key ideas in Psycho-Cybernetics

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is Psycho-Cybernetics about?

Psycho-Cybernetics (1960) is about human self-image, how it’s crafted and how it can drastically affect your happiness and success. These blinks describe how to use machine principles to feed your mind the right data and steer yourself toward a fulfilling life.

Psycho-Cybernetics Review

Psycho-Cybernetics (1960) by Maxwell Maltz is a book that explores the power of the mind and provides practical techniques for achieving success and happiness. Here are three reasons why this book is worth reading:

It offers life-transforming insights that can help individuals overcome self-doubt and develop a positive self-image.
With its scientific explanations and relatable stories, the book presents complex concepts in a clear and understandable manner, making it accessible to a wide range of readers.
By exploring the relationship between mind and behavior, the book encourages readers to take control of their thoughts and actions, paving the way for personal growth and fulfillment.

Who should read Psycho-Cybernetics?

Psychologists, neurologists and philosophers
People interested in the inner workings of the mind
Anyone in need of a boost

About the Author

Maxwell Maltz (1889–1975) was an American cosmetic surgeon. In addition to the bestselling Psycho-Cybernetics, he wrote an autobiography, numerous self-help books, a novel and a play.

Categories with Psycho-Cybernetics

Personal Development Psychology

Book summaries like Psycho-Cybernetics

How to Attract Money

Joseph Murphy

Train Your Subconscious to Grow Mentally and Materially

10 min

4.0

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

Joseph Murphy (Ian McMahan revised)

Unlock Your Master Key to Success

15 min

4.3

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Deepak Chopra

A Pocketbook Guide to Fulfilling Your Dreams

16 min

4.3

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

John C. Maxwell

What the Most Effective People Do Differently

The Science of Self-Awareness

The secrets of 40 millionaires' wealth, revealed

How Great Businesses Achieve Long-Lasting Success

An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

The New Psychology of Success

15 min

4.4

Think Twice

Michael J. Mauboussin

Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition

A Magical Fable About Following Your Dreams

21 min

4.5

The Dichotomy of Leadership

Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win

18 min

4.4

How to Speed Read People

Patrick King

Think Like a Psychologist, Analyze Human Behavior, and Decode Emotions

What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future

Managing Your Emotions - So They Don't Manage You

22 min

4.2

Beth Thomas

How to Get and Stay Happy at Work

Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

13 min

4.3

The Daily Stoic

Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance and the Art of Living

33 min

4.7

The Way of the Superior Man

David Deida

A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire

Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, and Feeling Guilty... . and Start Speaking Up, Saying No, and Unapologetically Being Yourself

19 min

4.4

Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself

Joe Dispenza

How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World

26 min

4.1

Be Your Future Self Now

Benjamin Hardy

The Science of Intentional Transformation

16 min

4.5

The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication

John C. Maxwell

Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message

How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive

14 min

4.1

Extreme Ownership

Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

15 min

4.5

The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster

Darren Hardy

Why Now Is the Time to #JoinTheRide

Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.

The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

21 min

4.4

Common Sense on Mutual Funds

John C. Bogle

New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor

Six Steps to Unlock Your True Motivation, Harness Your Willpower, and Get Out of Your Own Way

How to Avoid Going in the Wrong Direction

15 min

4.1

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Intuition or deliberation? Where you can (and can't) trust your brain

28 min

4.4

The Purposeful Decision Maker

Pádraig Ó Céidigh

A Guide to Making Great Decisions in Life and Business

Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

20 min

4.2

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

John Gray

A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships

How to free yourself from philosophical dogmas and assert your own values

25 min

4.6

Surfaces and Essences

Douglas Hofstadter

Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking

16 min

Outwitting the Devil

Napoleon Hill

The Secret to Freedom and Success

10 min

4.3

The Practice of Not Thinking

Ryunosuke Koike

A Guide to Mindful Living

Simple Principles for an Extraordinary Life

How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do

16 min

4.1

The Danish Way of Parenting

Jessica Joelle Alexander

What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids

Employability Skills and Strategies for Career Success

24 min

4.1

Communication Miracles for Couples

Jonathan Robinson

Easy and Effective Tools to Create More Love and Less Conflict

21 min

4.2

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson

A journey into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer

The Psychology of Persuasion

Exploring Myths that Shape our Identity and Reality

20 min

3.8

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.