I have been reading a book that I first read over 40 years ago. The book is called, Psychocybernetics, which was written by Maxwell Maltz in 1960. This book contained major breakthrough information at the time it was published. It is still available from amazon for two or three dollars.
What is so significant about this book? Dr. Maltz was a Plastic Surgeon who improved the physical appearance of thousands of people, especially those with deformities. Some of these people experienced major personality transformations following surgery. Others felt no different about themselves, even though photos revealed major improvements. Why? Because their self-image did not change. For example, some people who felt ugly before surgery still considered themselves unattractive after major improvements were made to their appearance. Dr. Maltz realized that our self-image or picture of how we see ourselves is extremely important.
The bad news is that our self-image defines and limits what we will achieve in life. We cannot consistently outperform what we believe to be true about ourselves. Our self-image determines our degree of happiness and fulfillment, success in relationships, and our career accomplishments and satisfaction. It also impacts our physical, emotional, and mental health.
The good news is we can change and improve our self-image. Dr. Maltz concluded that 90% of people could use at least some improvement of their self-image. His book provides practical exercises for improving one’s self-image and for managing our inner critic. As our self-image improves, so does our self-confidence and self-esteem, which are important for any type of success in life. A strong and healthy picture of ourself helps us to overcome many self-imposed limitations and beliefs.
For more information on this subject see my article on this web site called, “How to Enhance Your Self-Image” dated June 2009.
Copyright 2007. Raymond Gerson
Best regards,
Raymond Gerson
