Psycho-Cybernetics

Submitted by Craig on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 10:47

Thank You Maxwell Maltz!

The NLP founders borrowed heavily from Psycho-Cybernetics, though it is hardly mentioned. I want to share some of my insights from the New Psycho-Cybernetics, which I've just completed for the third time. My sense is that whether or not NLP came along, Psycho-Cybernetics had a lot to offer by way of enduring concepts and exercises, which when compared side-by-side with NLP is hardly distinguishable. NLP places more emphasis on language models, but the structure of nearly all NLP interventions were identified in the '60s by Maxwell Maltz.

For me, Psycho-Cybernetics offers a really simple and yet robust metaphor for how we humans operate in the world in real time. The word Cybernetics derives from Greek, and meant the art of steering, or the helmsman. Later, the word evolved into the Latin word for Governer. When you think about it, there's a lot there to chew on there.

Whether we know it consciously or not, we all have goals, and like helmsmen, we tend to zig and zag our way towards those goals. Some of those goals we choose consciously, others we subscribe to unconsciously, and our ability to achieve any goal is governed by our self-image, or our self-concept. Hence the adage: whether we think we can or we think we can't, we're right.

As we modify our self-image, our capabilities also change with it. Both Maltz and NLP work to install a more productive self image through relaxation and imagination, facilitated by trance. Once installed, the new self-image begins to direct our goal-seeking mechanisms to find new pathways to those goals.

Think about how your self image influences or governs the way you pursue some of your own goals, such as making money, finding a mate, finding a job, healing a sprained ankle, speaking to a crowd, finding lost keys, or even making decisions about what your life is about, or what you should dedicate a spare hour to. Get a sense for how much more powerful it would be to spend time modifying your self-image so that it can zig and zag you towards your goals automatically, rather than having to engage consciously at every turn.

Another important aspect to all cybernetic systems is a feedback loop. How does a boat or airplane captain know to correct their course? It is when they notice that they have deviated from the path toward their target. In NLP, they call this Sensory Acuity, which is the ability to notice what is going on within yourself, or with the person in front of you. Notice what is working, what is not, and make changes to get back on course toward the goal. NLP did not invent this. It is something we all do naturally, but Psycho-Cybernetics and NLP make us aware of this, so we can do it better.

NLP also incorporated the concept of well-formed outcomes, so that we get very clear on what we want to achieve from the beginning. Once we have a clear picture about what we want, and who we are, it is only a matter of time before steps towards those outcomes become history, and the outcome is achieved. Outcomes that conflict with our self-image are not achievable, however. This is because we unconsciously create obstacles if our self-image must be damaged in order to achieve some outcome. This is an area that NLPers can get into trouble. Time needs to be spent on the self-image as well as on the outcome and the steps to be taken. Good NLP patterns devote attention to both aspects.

Personally, if I had read Psycho-Cybernetics earlier, it would have helped my NLP training go much smoother, and given structure to the ideas that NLP had to offer. I hope you enjoy Psycho-Cybernetics as much as I do.