“The self-image is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self-image and you change the personality and behavior.”
–Maxwell Maltz
Defining and living into your positive self-image involves self-awareness, self-acceptance, and intentional efforts to focus on strengths and achievements rather than dwelling on perceived weaknesses.
In the book Psycho-Cybernetics, Dr. Maxwell Maltz explores the concept of self-image and how it influences our behavior, success, and overall well-being. In seminars, my father often recommended this book, saying he had never found a book that explains self-image better than Maltz.
As a reconstructive plastic surgeon, Dr. Maltz realized that although plastic surgery benefited 0.5% of the population, the other 99.5% had a limited self-image that prevented them from seeing the physical changes his treatments achieved.
Maltz found that the negative ideas people held of themselves kept them from the change they were seeking… and that by doing the inside work of identifying those limiting beliefs and building new positive self-beliefs, people could indeed change their entire world.
Now, of course, it takes effort, but it is effort that is well worth doing because everything outside of you will begin to change when you alter your inner self-image. Get excited about that. You are on an adventure where new opportunities are everywhere – just waiting to be discovered.
Let’s say you want your new self-image to include a healthier you. You would begin asking yourself–what choices would a healthy person make when you are faced with decisions about exercise and nutrition?
You could do the same thing with money:
What would a person earning a million dollars do?
Approach each decision this way. Make decisions from the perspective of the person you are working to become.
What about appearance?
Think about how you want to present yourself physically. Something as simple as how you dress, walk, and project yourself sends a powerful message to your subconscious mind.
How do you enter a room? Are you walking tall and making eye contact?
In my book, My Father Knew the Secret, I used the example of my father and his custom-made suits. Wearing those suits made him feel proud of himself. He noticed that other people saw him differently, and that reinforced the self-image he was building in his subconscious mind.
Now, you can attempt to change things outside yourself, but your improved results will be temporary unless you change what’s going on inside. You must do the inside work first.
Understand that you will never outperform your self-image. To re-make your life, you must define and build a new self-image.
So, let’s begin the work of answering these questions: Who am I? What is the new self-image that I want to live into?
Don’t neglect what you love about yourself. Instead, cultivate it! Discover! This is about chipping away to reveal the beauty that is you; removing old, tired, and outdated beliefs and thoughts. You are the sculptor.
“The idea is there, locked inside. All you have to do is remove the excess stone.”
– Michelangelo
Be deliberate in the questions you ask yourself. Framing matters and will determine the answers you get.
• “Why am I not successful?” You’ll get answers that berate you.
• “How can I succeed here?” You’ll get answers that propel you.
To experience growth, you must be willing to update yourself when faced with new information. Do this by maintaining a flexible mindset. Consider that how you currently perceive yourself is likely based on old data. And keep in mind: it is natural to give too much weight to negative experiences from the past.
Remember that our expectations are almost always confirmed — if you don’t expect things to improve, you are unlikely to notice when they do. Begin chipping away at your assumptions about what you can and cannot do.
At the core of this work of understanding who you are and what has shaped you is the work of developing healthy self-love.
In my experience, the deeper you can love yourself, the easier it is to love and appreciate others. No matter what is happening around you, the world is better when you come from a place of love, and that must begin with self-love. The relationship we have with ourselves is our most important relationship.
On stage, Dad would talk about how we had to love ourselves first before we could really love anyone else in a meaningful way.
The audience would laugh when he said, “You should wake up every morning and kiss yourself,” and then he’d flamboyantly kiss his hand. He would then have the audience do it. It was a fun exercise, but he was making a point through this gesture that we must love ourselves first.
Self-love is the foundation on which all our relationships grow and blossom, and it’s the key to personal success. It was easy to notice the people in the audience hesitating at the idea of kissing their own hand in this way, and you could hear how uncomfortable they were in their laughter.
Dad would say, “It’s easy to see when a person lacks self-love; just watch how they carry themselves.”
Remember, this is about creating. Avoid comparing; it is the thief of joy.
“Pay attention to how readily people talk themselves out of things — and be wary of adopting the same narrative. People will often try to convince you their limiting beliefs should become your own. They should not. Find your own ceiling.”
– Tim Ferris
Let’s try an exercise to Weaken Limiting Beliefs.
How do you weaken limiting beliefs? You identify them and replace them with a new belief. Most of the time, we are unaware of our limiting beliefs. We don’t even consider that our thoughts and beliefs could be what are holding us back.
Doing the thinking work of identifying these ideas could change a pattern that has existed for generations within your family. You can end those patterns by changing a belief possibly holding you and others back.
As you do this, pay attention to your self-talk and recurring thoughts undermining your confidence or self-esteem. Look for patterns.
Is your current identity attached to your past?
Here is an example of a result based on a limiting belief:
Self-doubt (I’m not smart enough): Someone who consistently doubts their abilities, decisions, or worth is likely operating with a limited belief established by past experiences, criticism, or repeated negative feedback. These experiences led to the perception that they were inadequate or incapable.
This trait of self-doubt may manifest in many ways, such as questioning abilities at work, hesitating to take on challenges, or feeling unworthy in personal relationships.
In this example, the limiting belief (“I’m not smart enough”) has shaped the personal trait of self-doubt, impacting confidence and influencing behavior and decision-making.
Remember, your results are an outer expression of the current inner image of yourself that you are living with.
How do you see yourself regarding appearance, abilities, and potential for success? What are you expecting?
A fun exercise is to list at least five positive traits or qualities you possess. These could be related to skills, personality traits, or achievements — things you like about yourself. Acknowledge and write how you appreciate these aspects of yourself.
Consistency is vital in implementing these exercises. By actively and consistently working on your self-image, you are paving the way for lasting change in your personal growth and success. Change in this area of your life will create change in every area of your life.
So, my friend… who are you? Below, share a comment with at least one positive trait that you appreciate about yourself. List as many as you can think of, and inspire others to read your list and recognize themselves in you!
I am gods highest form of creation for expansion n fuller expression.I am a spritual being living in a physical body.I am divine love n light.🙏 thankuuu sooo much Mr Brian proctor for this amazing blog
I love this!
I appreciate my ability to study and to be curious and open minded
I love these skills: I can sing, dance, speak dfferent languages and bring people together.
I love communication and networking
Thanks Birgit. I feel your positive emotions.
Thank you for your article “Who Am I? The Power of Self-Image”. It was incredibly enlightening and motivating. I was particularly struck by the emphasis on practical exercises to improve self-image and the importance of cultivating self-love.
Your clear and accessible approach has provided me with new tools for personal growth. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and for the encouragement to transform our lives from the inside out.
With gratitude,😊 keep going💪
Thank you Lucio, really happy to hear that the message was valuable.
I am confident, i am courageous I live a life of joy freedom purpose prosperity and fulfillment
Keep going! ;o)
I am a kind, friendly and smart. I am currently reading the book by Dr. Maltz. I just started it and would already recommend to anyone wishing to be successful.
Thanks Frances, It really is a valuable book for anyone to read.
Maltz’s work was revolutionary. Very powerful information when applied. It should not be underestimated. Great blog Brian. Or should I dare to say “The Seal whisper’r” 😉
Thanks Dave, Now that got a laugh out of me!
I am a loving person and always try to see the best in others. We are like prismatic colors all coming from the same light. I try not to judge others and accept them as they are. They are only a different expression of the same essence. The love I am sending out is always coming back to me. It’s law. ❤️
Claudia, this is a perfect affirmation. I love it.
I am extremely confident, intelligent, insightful, spontaneous, adventurous, enthusiastic, bold,energictic, charaismatic, fun, passionate and a chosen optimist who always aim to find the good in people, situations and circumstances. The foundation for all my qualities is I love the person I am and the person I am becoming.
Thanks Bobby, I could feel your emotion when reading this.
Thank you, Brian for this great article! I remember one video of Bob telling to kiss oneself each morning and this picture got stuck in my head and reminds me when I get aware that I am not loving toward myself. Thank you, for bringing this memory back to me! What I like about myself is being curious and open, I appreciate my willingness to develop, to reflect on myself without beating up on myself, I am really proud to continue working on toward my dreams and already inspire people by just choosing to be more and more myself.
This was a great article! It reminds me so much of Bob’s teachings that I have gone through. Thank you, Brian, for all you do to continue Bob’s work.
I am a powerful creator of good.
I see the potential in each one of you even when you can not see it.
I am grateful, thank you Brian for sharing your wisdom and knowledge of your Father Bob ❤️✨🙏🏻✨🙌🏻
Question: About – who are you? Read this blog post on Self-Image and then at the bottom, share a comment with at least one positive trait that you appreciate about yourself. List as many as you can think of, and inspire others to read your list and recognise themselves in you!
Answer:
1.) My online name is “About Creativity”
2.) Began my study work here online/YT about 13 years ag0. (when ”Jackass” was popular)
3.) I think YouTube/online is the best form of Mind, Body, Emotion and energy experience.
4.) My experience of YT got real April of 2019 with Bob Proctor
5.) Gemini.google.com is the BEST for anything real too.
6.) I have many quotes and today this is my go to: “Any idea that’s held in the mind, that’s emphasised, that either feared of revered, will begin at once to clothe it self in the most convenient and appropriate form available. – Andrew Carnegie,1888-1955”
7.) I am looking forward to in “home robots” for the planet. or just my home.
8.) Robots = cooking, cleaning, dusting, on line shopping, conversation with the planet, security, meal planning, reminders, reliable information for decisions, on board printer, on board 3 d printer, calendar planning, webinar planning, summary of books, real money investments opportunities, monitors my body for health, helps organise pictures and find.
9.) Current study work since October 2023: Vishrant – reality teacher from Australia. Note: important not to prejudge this person, study work is required to understand.
*10.) Reminder: “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from the old ones. – John Maynard Keynes,1883-1946”
11.) Please see number 10*. END.
12.) I am a human on the planet/universe and beyond.
I have come to love the light and dark side of myself for I am God’s creation. I love that I am open to change as I step into studying and allowing myself to be the student and not knowing all the answers but to be the observer to help me grow into who I need to be to serve others. Thanks again Brian for sharing your journey, it inspires so many.
Hi Brian,
Thank you as always for the great post.
I am a loved mother, sister, daughter, wife and friend. I am consistent and focused in what I do when I put my mind on something that I want. I am hard working and dedicated.
🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸
“…List at least five positive traits or qualities you possess…
Consistency is vital ….
Consistently
working on your self-image,
you pave the way for success.”
🩷 FACT:
➡️ “Change ⬅️
IN THIS area of your life
will CREATE
➡️ Change ⬅️
(& automaticity!!!)
IN EVERY area of your life.”
☝️⬆️👆
🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸
🩷 YES!!! 🩷
STRANGE 🤷♀️
but
TRUE!! 🤷♀️
…. lol 🙂
🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸
🩷 Thank you, Brian🕊️ 🩷
and team!
💕
🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸
🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸
Oops! Feel free to edit out a few emoticons!! lol 💕 (oh, just one or two, lol…! 🤣 )