Thread by @RomeoStevens76

Psychocybernetics is one of the most interesting self-help books I've ever read. Thread of interesting bits:

The book is structured pedagogically rather than anecdotally. There are sections to write notes and quizzes to remember things. In the postwar period a bunch of researchers started doing big experiments and learning about how humans really learn and to date no one really uses the research for much, certainly not for curriculum design.

Identity consistency effects are so strong because people don't have write access to their self image. Identity can be thought of as a big set of confirmation bias gradients in salience and decision space.

Identity is more fluid than generally believed, but it takes several weeks of doing things that feel awkward to change it. This involves visualization exercises and taking actions consistent with the new identity.

The hidden variable in growth mindset is whether it is being applied to inputs or outputs i.e. a well calibrated locus of control. People for whome growth mindset 'didn't work' were consistently found to be applying it to overly specific outcomes.

People have positive affect towards harmful features of the self-image without being aware of it. Likely because it is part of habits or coping strategies. It is hard to alter these features until the positive components have new routes towards success.

Low level feedback structures in the brain and nervous system have goal states that they attempt to correct towards when they deviate. Coherent goal states are mutually compatible, incoherent goal states result in fights between feedback mechanisms.

Productivity systems fail when they are used to try to boost a side in the fight between feedback mechanisms, but this results in escalation and paralysis. Only way out is new self images that can contain both goals.

Known goals rely mostly on negative feedback (course correction) while unknown goals rely mostly on positive feedback (seeking behavior/play).

Ambiguity in goal directed tasks arise when no clear picture of what goal state is. A clear internal picture generates lots of intermediate states to compare to. The more fine grained the task, the more fine grained the intermediate states need to be.

For complex behaviors it is not possible to systematize improvement, too many minor details (think socializing or complex movements in sports) but change in image changes what is being compared to moment by moment in low level systems and brings small details in line.

Limiting beliefs get repeated internally more than you remember through some combination of words, images, feelings, essentially you have hypnotized yourself. They are tacitly present in much language, spottable from outside.

Belief formation/refactoring only happens in the relaxed state, so much therapy is about reaching the point that the charge has dissipated enough to work with it while relaxed.

Imagination is more powerful than the will. Use of willpower but image is demotivating? Thing doesn't happen. Image is motivating but willpower tries to prevent it? Thing will happen anyway.

Maintaining vivid picture of the thing is more efficient than effort. Physical relaxation also backprops to mental relaxation. Any tensing->worth pausing to investigate.

Worry is predicated on excessively detailed bad outcome visualizations, along with insufficient positive alternatives. Useful to dig for deeper symbolic limiting belief and see if you can stay with it past initial activation into relaxation.

We tend to exaggerate the importance and difficulty of tasks. If we think of them as easy they often are. If we think 'I'm too tired' and that excuse works, we will mysteriously find ourselves thinking it more often, eventually gaining self image as low energy person.

Most problem solving is non-conscious so make extremely thorough preparations to solve the problem as intensely as you know how to, and then don't worry about it. The answer will come or it won't.

The best antidote to worry is to identify which decisions or belief updates we are avoiding. Once we are in motion the rest of our system knows what to do. Setting intentions before sleep is a good way to wake up with the answer ready to go.

Some common but wrong frames:
Happiness is a reward for virtuous behavior
Happiness is selfish
Happiness is in the future

Happiness is mostly the natural state when we stop diligently maintaining habits of unhappiness. Eg comparison mind, reactivity, resentment of our real problems as low status.

The actual obstacles in anything are only things that disrupt the sense of progress, the actual obstacles are fine. Exercise and writing are both good outlets for frustrated energy. Remember relaxation. The solutions will come.

Uncertainty is based on the illusion that passivity insulates against harm. Inactivity is a choice just like the others. When a real opportunity comes along, do you think you will regret having made lots of mistakes leading up to it? No, they were good preparation.

Resentment carries with it the vice of a sense of righteousness in having been wronged. We will cling to this frame even when it conflicts with the facts as a sort of IOU from the universe.

If you feel slighted by a small transgression, remember a time you observed a thin skinned people. It is more obvious from the outside that they were doubting their own self worth. Find that part within yourself and give it some space.

If you want to get over bad habits you have to stop moralizing at yourself about them.

Many people's internal witness is not their true self but some nebulous combo of parents, teachers, friends, bosses, etc. These error signals are not dynamic enough to actually run your adult life.

@JoeDotAverage Second, depends on the person. I definitely had some aha moments for my own patterns.