I am taking the opportuniy to recap - and refresh - my own understanding of the operating mechanics of the goal striving mechanism as envisaged by Dr Maxwell Maltz in Psycho-Cybernetics.

As I have had already mentioned, this servo-mechanism, as Dr Maltz defined it, is encapsulated within the Reticular Activating System or RAS located in the thalamus region of our Reptilain core, which in turn sits on top of our spinal chord.

It's basically our Central Sensory Awareness Controller.

“Servo-mechanisms are divided into two general types:

(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.”

“An example of the first type is the self-guided torpedo, or the interceptor missile.

The target or goal is known—an enemy ship or plane. The objective is to reach it. Such machines must “know” the target they are shooting for. They must have some sort of propulsion system that propels them forward in the general direction of the target. They must be equipped with “sense organs” (radar, sonar, heat perceptors, etc.), which bring information from the target.

These “sense organs” keep the machine informed when it is on the correct course (positive feedback) and when it commits an error and gets off course (negative feedback).

The machine does not react or respond to positive feedback. It is doing the correct thing already and “just keeps on doing what it is doing.”

There must be a corrective device, however, that will respond to negative feedback.

When negative feedback informs the mechanism that it is “off the beam,” too far to the right, the corrective mechanism automatically causes the rudder to move so that it will steer the machine back to the left.

If it “overcorrects” and heads too far to the left, this mistake is made known through negative feedback, and the corrective device moves the rudder so it will steer the machine back to the right.

The torpedo accomplishes its goal by going forward, making errors, and continually correcting them. By a series of zigzags it literally gropes its way to the goal.

Dr. Norbert Wiener, who pioneered the development of goal-seeking mechanisms in World War II, believes that something very similar to the foregoing happens in the human nervous system whenever you perform any purposeful activity—even in such a simple goal-seeking situation as picking up a pen from a desk.”

“1. Your built-in Success Mechanism must have a goal or “target.” This goal, or target, must be conceived of as “already in existence—now” either in actual or potential form.

It operates by either (1) steering you to a goal already in existence or (2) “discovering” something already in existence.

2. The automatic mechanism is teleological, that is, it operates or must be oriented to “end results” goals. Do not be discouraged because the “means whereby” may not be apparent.

It is the function of the automatic mechanism to supply the means whereby when you supply the goal. Think in terms of the end result, and the means whereby will often take care of themselves.

The means by which your Success Mechanism works often take care of themselves and do so effortlessly when you supply the goal to your brain. The precise action steps will come to you without stress, tension, or worry about how you are going to accomplish the result you seek.

Many people make the mistake of interfering with their Success Mechanism by demanding a how before a goal is clearly established.

After you’ve formed a mental image of the goal you seek to create, the how will come to you—not before. Remain calm and relaxed and the answers will arrive. Any attempt to force the ideas to come will not work.

As Brian Tracy wrote, “In all mental workings, effort defeats itself.”

3. Do not be afraid of making mistakes, or of temporary failures. All servo-mechanisms achieve a goal by negative feedback, or by going forward, making mistakes, and immediately correcting course.

4. Skill learning of any kind is accomplished by trial and error, mentally correcting aim after an error, until a “successful” motion, movement, or performance has been achieved.

After that, further learning, and continued success, is accomplished by forgetting the past errors, and remembering the successful response, so that it can be imitated.

5. You must learn to trust your Creative Mechanism to do its work and not “jam it” by becoming too concerned or too anxious as to whether it will work or not, or by attempting to force it by too much conscious effort.

You must “let it” work, rather than “make it” work. This trust is necessary because your Creative Mechanism operates below the level of consciousness, and you cannot “know” what is going on beneath the surface.

Moreover, its nature is to operate spontaneously according to present need. Therefore, you have no guarantees in advance. It comes into operation as you act and as you place a demand on it by your actions.

You must not wait to act until you have proof—you must act as if it is there, and it will come through.

“Do the thing and you will have the power,” said Emerson.”

In retrospect, I must say, with my training background in engineering, this is truly an intellectual masterpiece of Dr Maltz.

Going back to the late seventies, when I first encountered the classic, following my participation in the Paul J Meyer's Dynamics of Goal Setting program, I am truly indebted for what they have had brought me to who and where I am today, especially in terms of being future-focused, goal-directed and action-oriented.