Leveraging the Power of the Mind: Understanding Psycho-Cybernetics
Estimated reading time: 8 Min
Published In 1960, Dr Maxwell Maltz’s “Psycho-Cybernetics,” offered a deep insight into the power of the mind that is well worth exploring and understanding.
I first wrote about Dr Maltz’s book during January 2021, under the title of “Discover And Make The Most Of What Self-Image Is About“. Since then I’ve received a number of questions asking for more clarity. So here I focus on what I believe is the most profound concept contained in the book.
Despite the fact that the concepts have been supported by scientific studies since 1960, this concept is not widely understood, although applications have been widely written about.
I hope you come to agree with me that Dr Maltz’s revelation helps us better understand how our conscious and subconscious minds work together, and the direct influence our conscious thinking has on what we achieve.
Read on and let me know at the end if it makes sense to you from your life experience, or not!
This concept revolves around the subconscious mind, particularly its natural role as an untarnished servo mechanism shaping our life experiences and achievements.
The subconscious mind, especially in its unaltered, youthful state, operates without the notion of good or bad. It’s a neutral, highly efficient entity, that takes advantage of our brain structure, functioning more like a goal-oriented machine than a moral compass.
The primary task of the subconscious mind is to follow the instructions it receives, regardless of their inherent value. It’s an automatic goal-seeking mechanism.
Now think about this: can you remember when you first became self-aware?
If you can, that would be more or less the date when your conscious mind became functional, if not fully formed. Since then, your conscious and subconscious minds have been influencing each other with instructions.
They just love to tell each other what to do!
These instructions are not innately labelled as positive or negative by the subconscious; rather, they gain their character from the values and beliefs that we, through our conscious thoughts, develop within our subconscious mind over time.
What made this perspective transformative is understanding that our subconscious doesn’t inherently know what’s beneficial or harmful for us. Yet every action we take is controlled by our subconscious.
Our seemingly subconscious judgements of good or bad come from the instructions supplied by our conscious mind, shaped by our accumulated values and beliefs, which collectively make up our subconsciously based, mindset.
Thus, when we provide directives to our subconscious, in the absence of good or bad judgements provided by our values and beliefs, it diligently works towards these goals, irrespective of their potential impact on our well-being.
This introduction to the servo mechanism and the automatic success mechanism invites us to explore the profound implications of this understanding.
It highlights the importance of nurturing positive, constructive thoughts and beliefs in our conscious mind.
As we dive deeper into this topic, we’ll uncover how aligning our conscious values with positive goals can lead the subconscious towards paths that enhance our success and overall happiness.
Understanding the Servo Mechanism
The servo mechanism, a concept borrowed from control systems and engineering, is brilliantly applied to the human mind in psycho-cybernetics.
In simple terms, a servo mechanism is a system designed to follow a predetermined path and correct itself based on feedback. This is akin to how a thermostat regulates room temperature or how a missile alters its course based on the target’s movement.
When applied to the human mind, this mechanism illustrates how our subconscious operates.
It follows the ‘targets’ set by our conscious mind, constantly making adjustments based on the feedback it receives from our experiences and perceptions.
For example, if you aim to become more confident, over time, your subconscious mind aligns your actions and reactions to match this goal, subtly guiding you towards situations that build confidence.
However, the servo mechanism in our mind is uniquely influenced by our mindset: that’s the sum total of our thoughts and beliefs.
This means that the targets we set – whether they’re to succeed in a career or to maintain healthy relationships – are pursued relentlessly by our subconscious, most importantly, guided by the beliefs we hold about these goals.
It’s a powerful system that works tirelessly, but its efficacy is entirely dependent on the quality of instructions it receives from our conscious mind combined with the power of our subconscious values and beliefs.
The Power Of The Mind: Automatic Success Mechanism
The automatic success mechanism is an extension of the servo mechanism concept, focusing specifically on how we achieve (or fail to achieve) our goals.
This mechanism is like an inner success-oriented pilot, always aiming to guide us towards our defined objectives.
But, it doesn’t just operate in isolation; it’s a part of our daily life, influencing our decisions, behaviours, and ultimately, delivering our outcomes.
To be clear, the automatic success mechanism is impartial, yet extremely powerful.
It doesn’t judge the goals we set. Whether it’s striving for a promotion, improving personal health, or fostering negative habits, it works with equal diligence. The mechanism doesn’t discern whether a goal is beneficial or detrimental; it solely focuses on achieving the ‘targets’ fed into it by our conscious mind.
This impartiality highlights why feeding positive, constructive, and beneficial goals, values and beliefs into our automatic success mechanism is vital.
When we input negative targets, such as fears and doubts, the mechanism dutifully steers us towards outcomes that align with these negatives. Conversely, when we feed it with positive aspirations and beliefs, it propels us towards success and fulfilment.
Understanding this mechanism empowers us to take control of our destiny.
By consciously programming our mind with positive, beneficial goals, we can steer the automatic success mechanism towards outcomes that enhance our lives and well-being.
The Power of Positive Input
The role of positive thinking in shaping our lives cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to programming our automatic success mechanism. By consistently feeding our subconscious with positive goals, aspirations, and thoughts, we set the stage for positive outcomes.
This is not just wishful thinking; it’s a practical application of how our mind works.
When we infuse our subconscious with positive inputs, we essentially program it to seek out opportunities, solutions, and paths that align with these positive goals. This could manifest in various ways – increased resilience in the face of challenges, heightened awareness of opportunities that align with our goals, or an enhanced ability to learn and adapt skills beneficial for our aspirations.
It’s crucial, however, to understand that positive thinking isn’t about ignoring life’s difficulties.
Rather, it’s about approaching life with a mindset that seeks constructive outcomes, believes in possibilities, and perseveres through challenges.
For instance, viewing setbacks as learning experiences rather than failures is a positive input that can dramatically shift the trajectory of our efforts.
The Impact of Negative Input
In contrast, negative inputs from our conscious to our subconscious can have a profoundly detrimental effect on our life’s trajectory.
When we consistently focus on fears, doubts, and limitations, our automatic success mechanism takes these as direct instructions.
Over time it shapes our beliefs and aligns our actions and reactions in a way that unwittingly leads us towards these negative outcomes.
The impact of negative thinking can be subtle but pervasive.
It might manifest as self-sabotage in crucial moments, avoidance of opportunities due to fear of failure, or a general sense of pessimism that colours our daily experiences.
This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where our negative thoughts reinforce the very outcomes we dread, trapping us in a cycle of negativity.
Breaking free from this cycle requires a conscious thinking effort to reprogram our thought patterns.
It involves recognizing the negative beliefs and fears we’ve been feeding into our subconscious and deliberately replacing them with positive, empowering thoughts.
This shift doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistence and awareness, it’s possible to steer our automatic success mechanism towards a more positive and fulfilling path.
Practical Tips for Nurturing a Positive Mindset
Achieving a positive mindset is key to steering the automatic success mechanism in the right direction. Here are some practical tips to help nurture positive thinking:
- Goal Setting
Define clear, achievable goals.
This gives your subconscious a positive direction and a clear target to work towards. - Mindfulness Practices
Engage in mindfulness and meditation. These practices help you stay grounded in the present moment, reducing the impact of past regrets or future anxieties.
Use them to reinforce positivity. - Positive Affirmations
Regularly use affirmations that reinforce your capabilities and worth. This helps in gradually altering negative belief patterns into positive ones. - Surround Yourself with Positivity
The environment and company you keep can significantly influence your mindset. Surround yourself with positive influences that encourage and support your growth. - Reflect on Successes
Regularly reflect on your past successes, no matter how small. This reinforces the belief in your ability to achieve goals.
Overcoming Challenges and Setbacks
Even with a positive mindset, challenges and setbacks are inevitable. Here’s how you can deal with them:
- Reframe Challenges
View challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. - Seek Learning in Failure
Every failure has a lesson. Identify what you can learn from each setback to avoid repeating the same mistakes. - Maintain Perspective
Keep setbacks in perspective. They are often temporary and a normal part of the journey towards success. - Stay Resilient
Cultivate resilience by reminding yourself of your strengths and past triumphs in the face of adversity. - Seek Support
Don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or professionals. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can make a big difference.
Although these steps are essentially conscious activities, with persistence, over time vales and beliefs will evolve in your mindset subconsciously and the practises will become more intuitive and powerful.
Summary
In summary, the concepts of the servo mechanism and the automatic success mechanism from Psycho-Cybernetics offer a powerful lens through which we can view our subconscious mind.
The key takeaway is that our subconscious acts on the inputs it receives, without discerning good from bad.
By consciously feeding it positive thoughts and goals, we can steer our automatic success mechanism towards success and well-being.
Remember, the power to shape your life lies within you.
It starts with the thoughts you nurture and the beliefs you hold.
By adopting a positive mindset, setting clear goals, and learning from setbacks, you can harness the power of your subconscious to create a fulfilling and successful life.
Now it’s your turn. Does your experience support this concept? If not, what is your point of view?
Please let us know in the comments. Or ask any apt questions.
🙂
Richard
