The Chimp Paradox
| Author | Steve Peters |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Self-help, sports psychology |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Vermilion, Ebury Publishing |
Publication date | January 5, 2012 |
| Media type | Print, digital, audiobook |
| Pages | 360 (Paperback) |
| ISBN | 9780091935580 Search this book on  . |
The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness, is a 2012 self-help book written by English psychiatrist Steve Peters.[1] The book is aimed to teach readers how to become "a happy, confident, healthier and more successful person" using a mind management model developed by Peters himself.[2]
In the book, Peters presents his "Chimp Model", which conceptualises the human mind as a receptacle containing three distinct components: the Human, the Chimp, and the Computer. Each component represents a different aspect of human cognition; the Human serves as our rational decision-maker, driven by facts and logic, while the Chimp is the irrational, emotionally-driven reactive part of our brain. The Computer, in contrast, is the storage system in which information regarding thoughts and behaviours is kept.
Specifically, Peters suggests that the Human and the Chimp are in constant conflict with one another, and that the key to regulating behaviour and achieving self-fulfilment is in learning how to manage one's Chimp. The title, "The Chimp Paradox", is therefore a reference to the ambiguous or contradictory nature of the Chimp - the fact that it is both "your best friend and your worst enemy".[1]
The book also includes accompanying exercises intended to complement its teachings.
Development[edit]
Although Peters is best known for his work with the British Cycling Team and has previously used his expertise to help athletes manage the pressures of elite sports, The Chimp Paradox is not aimed specifically at athletes.[3] As the book's release was set to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics, Peters had stated that he "did not want to give away anything before the Olympic Games, on how I deal with elite sport."[3]
The Chimp Model was developed during Peters' time at Sheffield University,[4] and is as much influenced by his work with members of the general public as it is elite sports.[5] During his work as a clinical psychiatrist, Peters often found that clients benefitted from understanding how their own minds worked.[6] Therefore, the concept emerged from his desire to present the different systems of the brain to a wider audience in a simplistic manner, and without the use of complex jargon.[7]
Peters has stated that the Chimp Model is "not a theory or a scientific hypothesis", but rather a means to help readers deal with their internal struggles.[8] The model is intended to recognise that everyone has their own unique 'chimp', and to allow each individual to manage their own emotions.[9] He has acknowledged that the representation of the brain as a chimp and a human may be an oversimplification, but wanted to make the book accessible for everyone.[3]
Contents[edit]
In the introduction, Peters identifies seven target areas of life in which the book aims to examine:
- Your inner mind
- Understanding and relating to others
- Communication
- The world in which you live
- Your health
- Your success
- Your happiness
Each area is conceptualised as a planet that constitutes part of what is dubbed the "Psychological Universe", at the centre of which is the individual's "Sun", symbolising their life's purpose and personal fulfilment.[1]
The rest of the book consists of eighteen chapters that are divided into three main parts:
Part 1: Your Inner Mind Explored[edit]
Part 1 introduces readers to the book's key concepts. According to Peters, the human mind is composed of three independent systems: the Human, the Chimp, and the Computer. The Human (the only part that is really 'you' - the individual) and the Chimp ("the emotional machine") are in constant conflict with each other, while the Computer (the storage unit) acquires information provided by either the Human or the Chimp.
The Human and the Chimp are said to have developed separately in the womb before forming any connection, thus explaining their opposing natures. Each is driven by their own unique agenda and operates separately from the other.
The Human aspires to achieve self-fulfillment and social harmony. It engages in logical thinking, and makes rational, evidence-based conclusions with careful consideration of contextual information, moral, and ethical judgement.
The Chimp, in contrast, is solely driven by a basic need for survival, and the preservation of the human species. Therefore, as well as the emotional component of the human mind, the Chimp also encapsulates the human sex drive. It uses an emotional lens to filter information, often reaching conclusions through guesswork, incomplete assumptions, and feelings.
Peters suggests that the Chimp can be managed in three steps:
- Recognising who is in charge
- Understanding the fixed process of how the brain receives information
- Managing the Chimp while developing the Human
The Computer then exists for two main purposes: it allows the individual to act automatically using learned thoughts and behaviours, and serves as a reference point for the Human or the Chimp to retrieve information. Advice on how to manage the computer, so that only constructive beliefs and behaviours can be retrieved is provided.
Part 2: Day-to-day Functioning[edit]
Part 2 focuses on interactions between the self and others, providing advice on how to best facilitate meaningful communication, understanding, and relationships. It is based on the notion that everyone possesses their own unique 'Chimp', and thus, for the advice in Part 1 to be effective, the individual must be equipped with a means to navigate the external social world (as well as their internal mind).
The key to cultivating positive relationships, according to Peters, is by empathising, accepting, and understanding others without prejudice, while also learning to leave those with whom you have irreconcilable differences or beliefs.
Existence without interpersonal interaction is impossible, as both the Human and the Chimp are in need of a "troop" (the term used in the book for a group of people who offer companionship). Opinions outside of an individual's immediate troop are regarded as unimportant; instead, it is necessary to invest time and thought into your own troop in order to increase its function.
Part 2 also discusses effective stress management, including dealing with chronic stress, and identifies several stressors that people commonly encounter in life. These include the need to make decisions, an aversion to change, and unrealistic expectations.
Part 3: Your Health, Success and Happiness[edit]
Part 3, as the title suggests, is concerned with the acquisition of health, success and happiness.
Health refers to both mental and physical health. Here, Peters distinguishes the difference between "malfunction" and "dysfunction". If the human body is conceptualised as a working machine, malfunction refers to illness, where the machine is not working correctly, and the individual must seek treatment from a medical professional. In contrast, dysfunction is when the machine is working properly, but is being used for purpose other than what is intended. The section on health, therefore, explores how to minimise dysfunction.
The chapters on success examine how success is defined and achieved. Success is presented as a subjective quality, and Peters stresses the need for individuals to create their own personal definition of success. Success can then only be achieved through proactive planning, commitment and goal-seeking. A goal, in contrast to a dream, is defined as something the individual must set an achieve. Dreams, however, are not entirely within the scope of our control, and thus goals must be used to work towards dreams.
Happiness, like success, requires premeditation and planning to achieve. Confidence and security (the need to feel safe within one's surroundings) are identified as key components of achieving happiness.
Reception[edit]
Grossing[edit]
The book has sold over 600,000 copies since its release[10], and has spent almost 200 weeks in the TCM Top 5,000[11]
Critical Response[edit]
The Chimp Paradox has already been used widely in the common workplace by human resources personnel,[7] and in other fields such as occupational medicine,[12] nursing,[13] careers coaching,[14] and business management.[15] The consensus appears to be that the book is well-received. Its advice on effective communication, interpersonal relationships, stress management and personal functioning have been cited as useful within the workplace, for both employees and those in managerial positions.[16] Peters' book has also been widely used in the corporate and business worlds,[6] including Unilever and Willmott Dixon as clients.[15]
Opinions have been mixed regarding its writing style: while some have received the conversational tone positively.[14] The Independent called the book "refreshingly free of psychobabble, making it very accessible".[3] Others have critiqued its overly simplistic nature and excessive use of metaphors.[17]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Peters, Steven (2012). The Chimp Paradox. London: Vermilion. p. 8. Search this book on
- ↑ Peters, Steve. "THE CHIMP PARADOX Professor Steve Peters Official Site". Chimp Management. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Fotheringham, Alasdair (29 February 2012). "Dr Steve Peters: From chimps to champs". The Independent. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Hoyos, Carola (21 July 2016). "At Work with the FT: Dr Steve Peters, psychiatrist". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Bell, Poorna (31 October 2014). "Steve Peters, Author Of The Chimp Paradox, Reveals How To Be Less Anxious". Huffington Post. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Toner, Christine (7 October 2015). "Interview with Prof Steve Peters, the mind management master". Move Commercial. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jeffery, Robert (2016). "'Ignoring Your Emotions Is the Biggest Mistake You Can Make at Work': We Must Encourage Greater Psychological Self-Awareness Among Our Employees, Says Professor Steve Peters, Author of The Chimp Paradox. (Interview)". People Management.
- ↑ Green, Emilie (2012). "Control Your Inner Chimp. Steve Peters Is a Consultant Psychiatrist for Elite Sports Team". Student BMJ. 20: 1.
- ↑ Hobro, Scott (6 March 2012). "MANAGING THE CHIMP - INTERVIEW: GREAT BRITAIN CYCLING TEAM PSYCHIATRIST STEVE PETERS". British Cycling. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ "Books: The Sunday Times Bestsellers, March 31". 31 March 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ↑ "3 books to watch". The Bookseller: 11. Oct 9, 2015.
- ↑ Slater, Matthew (2013). "A Review of "The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Program to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence, and Happiness"". Journal of Sport Psychology in Action. 4: 134–135.
- ↑ Kay, Jenny (2013). "Rein in your inner chimp". Nursing Management (through 2013). 20: 11.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Olson, Julie (2015). "The chimp paradox: The mind management program to help you achieve success, confidence, and happiness". Career Planning and Adult Development Journal. 31.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lynch, Russell (6 June 2014). "Steve Peters: Making money by managing the 'inner chimp'". The Independent. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Wilson, Bill (20 October 2016). "Sport 'mechanic of the mind' brings Olympic expertise to firms". BBC News. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Haldane, David (2015). "The Chimp Paradox". Occupational Medicine. 65: 509.
External links[edit]
The Chimp Paradox – Steve Peters' website
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