Experience they say is the best teacher but over the years through our lives we have come to understand that personal experiences isn’t really the best teacher considering what is at stake, especially in this fast paced era where there is a relentless march of progress, where information cascades through digital platforms and there is a great decrease in the attention span of humans, but there exists a timeless sanctuary, one that holds timeless conduits of knowledge, gateways to imagination, encapsulating stories, wisdom and collective experiences of those gone before us and this sanctuary is the world of books.
In our bid to help you gain more knowledge without having to waste more time, we would be suggesting to us books that would in our personal development.
The book recommendation for this week is a book by Maxwell Maltz.
Who is Maxwell Maltz?
Maxwell Maltz (March 10, 1889 – April 7, 1975) was a prominent American cosmetic surgeon, Author, and Motivational speaker. Born in New York City, Maltz became known not only for his contributions to the field of plastic surgery but also for his influential work in the realm of self–help and personal development.
Maltz is best known for his groundbreaking self-help book which we are about to review titled “Psycho-Cybernatics,” first published in 1960. “Psycho-Cybernetics” became a bestseller and had a profound impact on the self-help genre.
Maltz’s work influenced subsequent generations of motivational speakers and personal development authors, shaping the way individuals approach goal-setting and self-improvement. Maltz continued to write and speak on topics related to self-help and personal development. He authored several other books, and his ideas gained a dedicated following.
In Summary, Maxwell Maltz was primarily a surgeon whose profound insights into the human psyche made him a notable figure in the realm of personal development, influencing countless individuals seeking to harness the power of their minds for positive change.
The Review of the book “Psycho-Cybernetics”
Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz is a ground breaking self-help book that explores the intricate connection between our self-image, behavior, and overall life satisfaction. Pushed by his observation that while physical changes resulted from surgeries, not all patients experienced resultant improvements in their self-esteem or happiness.
The core concept of Psycho-Cybernetics revolves around the idea that humans are like self-guided mechanisms, continually adjusting their course based on the goal they have set. In other terms, the goal set is our self-image (The mental picture we hold of ourselves). Maxwell Maltz propounds the theory that our self-image profoundly influences our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, our level of success and fulfillment.
The book highlights a number of key concepts which include:
1.That our success is primarily tied to our self-image. He reiterates that we cannot consistently outperform our self-image. He further explains the need for one to align his or her goals and aspiration with their self-image.
2.The author explains how the mind operates. He explains that the mind works like a goal-striving mechanism and by feeding it positive or negative thoughts/inputs, we can influence our mental course.
3.The book advocates that by vividly imagining positive outcomes, individuals can create new neural pathways, thereby creating a more optimistic self-image.
4.The book also emphasizes on positive attitudes as key components of a successful and happy life. It encourages readers to cultivate a constructive mindset and to view challenges as opportunities to grow.
Not to be a spoiler though but I can go on and on writing about the key concepts of this book and its importance but I would love for you to read it for yourself and drop your experience from reading the book in the comment section.
Till we meet again, enjoy your reading experience.