Maxwell Maltz (March 10, 1899 – April 7, 1975[1]) was an American cosmetic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybernetics (1960), which was a system of ideas that he claimed could improve one's self-image leading to a more successful and fulfilling life.[2] He wrote several books, among which Psycho-Cybernetics was a long-time bestseller — influencing many subsequent self-help teachers.[3][4][5] His orientation towards a system of ideas that would provide self-help is considered the forerunner of the now popular self-help books.[6]
Life and career
Maxwell "Max" Maltz was born March 10, 1899, in Manhattan's Lower East Side, the third child of Josef Maltz and Taube Elzweig,[7] Jewish immigrants from what was then known as the town of Resche in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (today Rzeszów, Poland).[8]
In 1960, Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living out of Life was first published by Prentice-Hall and appeared in a pocket book edition by 1969. It introduced Maltz's views that people must have an accurate and positive view of themselves before setting goals; otherwise they will get stuck in a continuing pattern of limiting beliefs. His ideas focus on visualizing one's goals and he believed that self-image is the cornerstone of all the changes that take place in a person. According to Maltz, if one's self-image is unhealthy or faulty — all of a person's efforts will end in failure.[2]
On February 10, 1966, Dr. Maltz married Ms. Anna Harabin (1909-1993), his longtime secretary.[9]
Maltz also wrote fiction, including a play called Unseen Scar (1946)[10] and a novel, The Time is Now (1975).[11] His autobiography, Doctor Pygmalion: The Autobiography of a Plastic Surgeon (1953),[12] was popular and influential,[13] discussed in many subsequent books on body and identity.[14] It was re-titled Doctor Psycho-Cybernetics after his self-help work was published.
Although Psycho-Cybernetics was first published in 1960, as of 2008 it is one of 50 recommended in the book 50 Self-Help Classics.[15]
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