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

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Psycho-Cybernetics summary

Name: Psycho-Cybernetics
Rating: 4.4 (339 reviews)
Author: Maxwell Maltz

Maxwell Maltz

A New Technique for Using Your Subconscious Power

4.4 (339 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

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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.

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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.

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