“By arranging things so that we can succeed in little
things, we can build an atmosphere of success that will
carry over into larger undertakings. We can gradually
undertake more difficult tasks and, after succeeding
in them, be in a position to undertake something even
more challenging.”
– Maxwell Maltz, M.D. – Psycho-Cybernetics, Updated and Expanded
One of the keys to making continuous progress is following a procedural method of learning. With this method, you begin with the smallest morsel of skill you want to cultivate, including what may appear overly simplistic or too ridiculous to cover.
Dr. Maltz wrote, “Success is built upon success, and there is much truth in the saying ‘Nothing succeeds like success.’”
The sad truth is that many teachers and coaches never gave us a procedural way to create a series of small successes that built our confidence. Consequently, we may have felt we didn’t have the aptitude for success.
The good news is that it’s never too late to learn something you’ve struggled with in the past. You can begin to learn anything procedurally at any age. Just because you had teachers and coaches who couldn’t break down a subject for you doesn’t mean that you cannot find someone who will or figure out how to teach yourself to do it. You most certainly can.
This is why the first mental imagery exercise I teach many of the people I coach is an eyes-open exercise where you picture the A, B, Cs.
When I first came up with this exercise, I thought it might be too easy, too trivial. But the results of it proved to everyone in the audience, including those who
have repeatedly told themselves, “I can’t visualize,” that they really can. They begin to see that thinking in pictures is not as complicated as they thought. This initial exercise created confidence, and from there even greater skill showed up.
Matt Furey
author of Psycho-Cybernetics 365
