I recently read the book, Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, M.D. It impressed me because it put into words what I’m actually seeing happen in my life. In the past few months, since reading the book, I have experienced much of what Dr. Maltz’s research supports. He explains in the book the power of the mind when it has a target to aim at.

As a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, I see a vital connection between Dr. Maltz’s research and Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder (CSF) research. I’m able to engage in the learning process of life in a new way using two of my top strengths along with what I learned from the book.

Combining Psycho-Cybernetics and Clifton StrengthsFinder (CSF)

Reading Maltz’s book helped me put it all together to improve myself and increase my coaching clients success.

“Maximizer”..my #1 strength defines my focus on strengths as a way to stimulate people to grow. I also love to work with something or someone strong to become superb.

“Learner”…my #4 strength propels my love for the process of learning. .

Maltz’s book had a profound effect on me. The science behind his research, and the years of proof that his findings really work sealed the deal for me.

I’ve always been goal-oriented, but did not realize why goals are so important until I read the book. The human brain is actually wired in such a way that goals are required to have a healthy outlook on life.

Maltz wrote about an area of the brain he discovered that operates as a servo-mechanism. His groundbreaking research was published in his book in 1960 and still stands today.

“There are two types of servo-mechanisms, (1) where the target, goal, or answer is known and the objective is to reach it or accomplish it. And (2) where the target or answer is not known and the objective is to discover or locate it. The human brain and nervous system operate in both ways.” (Maltz, 2015)

This mechanism in our brains needs to have a target to reach, and without it we are directionless.

Maltz discovered a link between determining a target and imagining it (almost like a mental movie) as a way of reaching desired goals in life.

I realized I’ve been acquiring targets for years and imagining what it would feel like to reach them. I always thought I was a little weird for doing this, but hey, I have an active and creative imagination. It was like day dreaming, but targeted at something I really wanted to happen. Suddenly, I was thankful for my daydreaming when I realized it helped me accomplish my goals.

My Story

How I became a strengths coach is one example of the servo-mechanism working.

My most recent example of how this servo-mechanism works was writing as a Content Expert for Beyond Campus Innovations (BCI). They are the Continuing Education arm of CSU Global online campus.

About 3 years ago I set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of helping young people to be entrepreneurs. I had just completed my training at Gallup to become an Entrepreneurial Strengths Coach. The results of my assessment indicated I had a very high talent for building business. The difference between me and the multi-million dollar business owner in the class was simply early discovery, development, and directing this entrepreneurial talent. I came home and began to dream of ways to identify and develop business building talents in at-risk youth to give them the chance I had not known as a female growing up in the 50’s and 60’s.

I realized right away, the first big obstacles of my BHAG would be connecting with the academic sector and learning how to write curriculum. I had no idea how to do either. Not knowing something has never slowed me down…My Learner drives me to learn whatever I need to know.

I actually sat and thought about how cool it would be to write courses for a University. (This was before reading Maltz’s book) I could envision the feelings of accomplishment and even some of the things I would write about.

Within the next couple months I was introduced to the President of CSU Global University. I did a coaching program for their enrollment team as a staff development opportunity. Two years later I began writing courses for them under the BCI side of the University. I had no idea how quickly that would all happen. I’m not writing Entrepreneurial Courses YET, but I can imagine it.

I should add here that this all confirms my faith in God. I believe He gives us the desires in our hearts. (Psalm 37:4) AND a loving Father, loves to give good gifts to His children (Matt 6:26). Once we accept the desires He gives us, He goes to work bringing them to reality. We are created by Him, so it makes sense to me that He would create us with something like a “servo-mechanism” to help us in participating with Him to carry out His desires for us.

Wrapping it all up:

Maltz describes how quickly we will reach goals when we practice his methods. Now I’m more intentional to practice them to help me succeed. I have also “Learned” a tool for my “Maximizer” to use to take strong clients…and future Entrepreneurial Students…to superb results. The book confirmed all of this for me, and now I’m coaching my clients to practice setting goals and imagining the results to accomplish what they want.

Now it’s your turn….

Don’t just take my word for it, get the book and read for yourself. People like Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jim Rohn, and Zig Ziglar are just a few who use Dr. Maltz’s principles found in Psycho-Cybernetics.

Maltz, M. (2015). Psycho-Cybernetics, Updated and Expanded. New York, NY.: TarcherPerigee.