For those of you who aren’t familiar with the author, Maxwell Maltz (1889–1975) was an American cosmetic surgeon and author. By combining his daily work experiences as a surgeon with profound studies of the human psychology, Maltz came to the conclusion that our self-image is the cornerstone of our mental state, and therefore of all the successes and failures that happen in our lives as a result.
His best-seller Psycho Cybernetic, published in 1960, is considered one of the best books in the self-help category, of the psychology masterpieces that paved the way for most of today’s personal empowerment programs. In the following lines, we’ll go over the book’s lessons that I consider worthy of attention.
- It’s all about self-image.
The book starts with the concept that everyone has a specific “mental portrait” that defines who he/she is and what he/she believes in. That mental portrait is the result of our past experiences, successes, failures, feelings and behaviors. As a result, this image represents a foundation on which we build our personality.
Thing is, most people let past experiences define them in a negative way. Therefore, they end up behaving in a way that’s not coherent with who they really are, but only with who they “think” they are.
However, this mental distortion can be overcome, and that’s what the book is all about; adopting a new method for better defining ourselves and living life according to the person we were really meant to be.
We have to construct a new self-image, one which resembles us the closest (no more and no less).
What we fail to understand is that every one of us was born for success; every human being has that internal greatness that is just waiting to be unleashed; and before you go further, here’s a reminder: YOU are THAT human being.
Inside of you, regardless of the opinion you have of yourself, lies the ability to be happy and successful in everything you put your mind into. In this exact moment, you have the opportunity to do things you’ve always dreamed of doing, and that opportunity becomes available as soon as you “dehypnotize” yourself from thoughts like “I can’t”, “I’m not skilled enough”, “I don’t deserve it” and the like. - Imagination is key.
So, how do we actually reach a new way of thinking about ourselves? According to Maltz, the…
