Maxwell Maltz

Maxwell Maltz was an American plastic surgeon and author, best known for his book 'Psycho-Cybernetics,' published in 1960. His work focused on the importance of self-image and the psychological aspects of personal development. Although he did not originally intend to establish a theory on habits, his observations regarding the time it takes for patients to adjust to physical changes post-surgery led to the popularization of the myth that new habits can be formed in 21 days. This idea was later misinterpreted and extended by various motivational authors, contributing to a widespread misunderstanding about habit formation.