The Magic of Thinking Big

Introduction

The Magic of Thinking Big is a self-help classic written by David Joseph Schwartz and first published in 1959.

He argues that achieving significant success and personal fulfillment does not require exceptional intelligence or natural talent.
Instead, it depends on cultivating the right mindset, especially the ability to think big, maintain a positive attitude, and take consistent action toward ambitious goals.

Life is too short to be little.

Believe You Can Succeed and You Will

Everyone wants to be successful; nobody enjoys living in mediocrity or feeling second-class.

However, not many people believe they can achieve greatness, and as a result, not many do.
Wishful thinking alone cannot lead to success, but believing in your ability to succeed generates the power, skill and energy to do so.
The belief that something is impossible prevents from studying and observing how successful people approach problems and make decisions, and it stops us from finding our own ways to achieve success.
Strong beliefs not only trigger your mind to figure out the ways and means to succeed, but they also make others confident in you.

On the other hand, the "I'll give it a try, but I don't think it'll work" attitude often leads to failure.

The disbelief or doubt in your mind constantly seeks out reasons (excuses) to support your failure.
It is wise to respect and learn from a leader by observing and studying them, but do not worship them. You should believe you can surpass and go beyond their achievements.

Here are the 3 guides to acquiring and strengthening the power of belief.

Think success, not failure.

When faced with a difficult situation, your mindset is crucial. Instead of thinking, "I will probably lose", tell yourself, "I will win".
Similarly, when an opportunity arises, replace "I cannot" with "I can do it".
Thinking about success trains your mind to create plans that lead to success, while thinking about failure does the opposite.

Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are.

Successful people are not supermen, but are ordinary individuals who have developed a strong belief in themselves and their abilities.
Success is not a matter of having a super intellect or being lucky.

Believe big

The extent of your success is directly tied to the size of your belief.
If you aim for small goals, you will likely achieve small results.
But if you set your sights on big goals, you will have the motivation to achieve big success.

Cure Yourself of Excusitis, The Failure Disease

A careful study of successful people reveals that "excusitis" - the habit of making excuses - often explains the difference between a person who is going places and one who is barely holding their own.

The more successful the individual, the less inclined they are to make excuses.
However, the person who has gone nowhere and has no plans for getting anywhere always has lots of reasons to explain why.
They might cite poor health, a lack of education, being too old or too young, bad luck, or their family upbringing.
They rely on these excuses to justify their lack of progress to themselves and others.
Each time they make the excuse, it becomes more deeply embedded in their subconscious.
Thoughts, whether positive or negative, grow stronger when fertilized with constant repetition, until the person is eventually convinced that the lie is true.

The four most common forms of "excusitis" are:

But my health is not good.

I would resolve to live until I die.
Refuse to talk about your health. The more you talk about an ailment, even the common cold, the worse it seems to get. While you may receive a little sympathy, you will not gain respect or loyalty by being a chronic complainer.
Refuse to worry about your health. Every minute a person spends worrying about dying is a minute they might as well have been dead. Don't be only half-alive.
Be genuinely grateful that your health is as good as it is.
Remind yourself often, "It’s better to wear out than rust out." Life is yours to enjoy. Don't waste it by thinking yourself into a hospital bed.

Search This Blog

Rx Note