Chapter 2 of Psycho-Cybernetics emphasizes the importance of the self-image in achieving success and happiness. The chapter explains that the self-image is the key to human personality and human behavior, and changing the self-image can change one's personality and behavior [0].
The chapter starts by exploring how the self-image is built consciously or unconsciously from past experiences [4]. Once a belief about oneself enters the self-image, one enacts it without thinking about whether it was there already or not [4]. The self-image is key to changing one's life because all of one's actions, feelings, behaviors, and abilities are consistent with this self-image [4].
The chapter explains that people who believe they were meant to suffer will invariably suffer, and people who believe they are meant to succeed will succeed [4]. If one wants to live well, they must have an adequate and realistic self-image that they can live with [4]. The good news is that even if one does not have a good self-image, they have a life force, an instinct, that makes them strive towards happiness. This life force is located in the subconscious and is called the Creative Mechanism [4].
The Creative Mechanism is an automatic goal-striving mechanism that is constantly at work to realize the picture one has of oneself [4]. If one has a poor self-image, this automatic goal-striving mechanism will make them do things that will make their self-image poor, and vice versa [4]. The Creative Mechanism uses whatever information one feeds it, and if one feeds it garbage thoughts, it will create garbage results [4].
The chapter explains that the first step in using the Creative Mechanism as a success mechanism is to learn how to use it to bring success and happiness in achieving particular goals [4]. One needs to learn, practice, and experience new habits of thinking, imagining, remembering, and acting to use their Creative Mechanism to bring success and happiness [4].
In conclusion, Chapter 2 of Psycho-Cybernetics emphasizes the importance of the self-image in achieving success and happiness. The chapter explains how the self-image is built, and how it is key to changing one's life. The chapter also explains the role of the Creative Mechanism in achieving success and happiness, and how one can learn to use it as a success mechanism.