M
Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz was a plastic surgeon who studied the connection between self-image and success. He is best known for his book Psycho-Cybernetics, which focuses on psychology and personal development.
Psycho-Cybernetics: Updated and Expanded
Synopsis
Psycho-Cybernetics, written by American cosmetic surgeon Dr. Maxwell Maltz and first published in 1960, is one of the most influential self-help books ever written, with tens of millions of copies sold and a lasting impact on personal-development thinking. Its central claim is that success and happiness are governed less by circumstances or talent than by 'self-image', the internal picture of ourselves that we carry.
Maltz drew on his surgical practice, observing that changing a patient's face often failed to change their self-esteem, to argue that lasting transformation must happen at the level of the self-image. Fusing Prescott Lecky's psychology of self-consistency with Norbert Wiener's cybernetics, he frames the subconscious as an automatic, goal-seeking servo-mechanism that can be steered through vivid mental imagery, relaxation and rational action.
The book supplies practical techniques for visualization, letting go of past failures, and forming new mental habits, anticipating later work in visualization and goal-setting.
Genres
Frequently asked questions
How does this book differ from later versions like The New Psycho-Cybernetics?
The original 1960 text is the foundational work, while later editions such as The New Psycho-Cybernetics often include additional commentary, updated stories, and exercises added by other editors, which some long-time readers find less impactful than the author's original prose.
Is this book related to the author's earlier work in medicine?
The concepts in this book were developed after the author observed that his plastic surgery patients often experienced no change in their self-esteem despite successful physical transformations, leading him to conclude that the mental self-image is the primary driver of personal success.
What is the connection between this book and the field of cybernetics?
The author drew inspiration from the work of Norbert Wiener, applying the principles of goal-seeking feedback mechanisms used in engineering and missile guidance to human psychology, suggesting that the mind functions as a system that can be programmed to achieve specific outcomes.