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The Chimp Paradox

Author	Steve Peters
Language	English
Subject	Self-help, sports psychology
Genre	Non-fiction
Publisher	Vermilion, Ebury Publishing
Publication date	January 5, 2012
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print, digital, audiobook
Pages	360 (Paperback)
ISBN	9780091935580

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. 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.

The Chimp Paradox takes its name from the chimp.

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-fulfillment 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".

The book also includes accompanying exercises intended to complement its teachings.

Description

The Chimp Model emerged out of Peters' desire to present the different systems of the brain to a wider audience in an entertaining and accessible manner, without the use of complex jargon. 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. Although famous for his work with the British Cycling Team, the book's contents are applicable outside of the sporting field. It has already been used widely in the common workplace by human resources personnel, and in other fields such as occupational medicine, nursing, and careers coaching.

Contents

In the introduction, Peters identifies seven target areas of life in which the book aims to examine:

1. Your inner mind
2. Understanding and relating to others
3. Communication
4. The world in which you live
5. Your health
6. Your success
7. Your happiness

Each area is conceptualised as a planet that constitutes part of what is dubbed the "Psychological Universe", at the center of which is the individual's "Sun", symbolising their life's purpose and personal fulfillment.

The rest of the book consists of eighteen chapters that are divided into three main parts:

Part 1: Your Inner Mind Explored

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:

1. Recognising who is in charge
2. Understanding the fixed process of how the brain receives information
3. 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

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

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 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

Grossing

The book has sold over 600,000 copies since its release, and has spent almost 200 weeks in the TCM Top 5,000.

Critical Response

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. Opinions have been mixed regarding its writing style: while some have received the conversational tone positively, others have critiqued its overly simplistic nature and excessive use of metaphors

External links

The Chimp Paradox – Steve Peters' website

Category:Personal development Category:Self Category:Self-care