Around 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote a book called Psycho Cybernetics. Cybernetics was a new idea that was discovered around the Second World War. It was used for heat-seeking missiles. And what it does, it measures the deviation from a set goal, sends information into a coordinating mechanism that will correct the output and keep whatever it is moving toward the goal. You know, you have a cybernetic mechanism locked up into you, and unless you understand this concept, you will always struggle in achieving your goals. So what is exactly psycho cybernetic and how we can use it to have a more fulfilling life?
Let's start with a simple example of cybernetic instruments. Consider the thermostat in your home. In the winter, you would have set it to control the room temperature around 70 degrees, The thermostat measures the deviation from a set goal, which is 70 here. Now, imagine the front door was open for a while and the temperature has dropped to 65. Things have changed. The thermostat sends a message to the furnace and automatically the fire is turned on and the temperature starts to rise until it's right back on course at 70 degrees. It all happens automatically. That's a cybernetic mechanism. You know, you've got a cybernetic mechanism in you.
Here is you and you have locked into your subconscious mind a self-image. And that self-image operates like a cybernetic mechanism.
So the key idea #1: Your self-image is a cybernetic instrument.
Dr. Maltz called these psycho cybernetics. Now, How does this work? Let's suppose your self-image is that you are overweight. Now, you don't talk about it. You don't want anybody else to talk about it. But deep down, you feel you are overweight and you just get to a point where you cannot handle it anymore. So you make a decision. I am going to go on a diet and instantly move into action. And what happens? Well, you start to lose weight. Why? You're starving yourself. No more chocolate. Why? Because those things make you fat. But that's not what makes you fat. It's the self-image that makes you fat. Now, here is the point. When a person who is overweight goes on a diet without changing or altering the self-image, any weight loss is temporary. That's why people gain and lose tons in a lifetime. The self-image is a cybernetic instrument that measure the deviation from the set goal and corrects the course. The weight that was lost will be found. So if you want to change anything in your life and not just your weight, you've got to change the self-image first. Otherwise, any change would be temporary.
Key Idea #2: Self-image is the golden key to a better life
As a plastic surgeon who gave people new faces, Dr. Maltz suggests that we acquire self-image through our beliefs about ourselves, which grew out of past experiences of success and failure. How others see us, that's the blueprint of who we are. And to achieve an inspiring goal. You must first upgrade your self-image so that you feel that you are worthy of achieving that goal. This is very important because who you believe yourself to be, determines how you act every day. When you think you are a failure, you most likely will fail. When you don't change the self-image and go after a goal, some part of you doesn't believe that you are worthy of your goal. And believe it or not, this is the main obstacle for most people who are striving to reach a goal. Self-image is a blueprint of how we should behave, what we are capable of doing, how much money we are able to make, whether we are confident or not. All these things are contained in our self-image, but you can Consciously create the desired image of yourself and adjust the cybernetic instrument on that image. With such a strong image of yourself, it will be difficult not to live out and manifest all that is associated with the self-image.
But how do we change our self-image?
Key Idea #3: Visualization is the key to changing the self-image.
The most efficient way to upgrade our self-image is through visualization, imagine a clear picture of what you want and see yourself already living the life you want to live. Being the type of person you want to be. Make your visualization as vivid as possible. Add as many as details you can to your picture. Now, Why does this technique work? Well, the self-image is formed by past experiences, but the human nervous system cannot tell the difference between experiences that we imagine and the ones that actually happen. So it reacts to what we believe or imagined to be true. Do the visualization over and over again until it becomes your new self-image. Then just let go and trust the automatic mechanism to get you to your goal without you having to analyze every step along the way.
To sum it up,
1- Your self-image is a cybernetic instrument.
2- Self-image is the golden key to a better life.
3- And, we can change our self-image through visualization.
I believe we should learn to live the way we really want to live. And to do that, we got to understand this concept of self-image and cybernetics. Hope this summary gave you an insight into these very important concepts and changed the way you think about goals. Don't forget to like this video and share it. And as always, thanks for watching, see you in the next video.
