Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Magic of Thinking Big” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Magic of Thinking Big

David J. Schwartz

4.23 · Rating details · 62,134 ratings · 1,953 reviews

The Magic of Thinking Big gives you useful methods, not empty promises. Dr. Schwartz presents a carefully designed program for getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life, and your community. He proves that you don't need to be an intellectual or have innate talent to attain great success and satisfaction, but you do need to learn and understand the ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 320 pages

Published April 2nd 1987 by Touchstone (first published 1959)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Magic of Thinking Big, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Best Self Help Books

1,443 books — 1,954 voters

Words That Change Minds by Shelle Rose Charvet

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson

Best Books for Working Women

101 books — 167 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.23 ·

Rating details

· 62,134 ratings · 1,953 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Magic of Thinking Big

Jun 20, 2008 Monica rated it it was amazing

An inspiring book that will teach you to think beyond the mundane, every day, status quo. The enemy we call "average" threatens to take away the hopes, dreams, and meaning in our lives. Strive for excellence in everything you do. If you want something you've never had, you'll have to do something you've never done.

flag 96 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2008 Tracy S. rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Tracy S. by: Ryan Godsey

I know several people who feel that this book has changed their lives. I'm not certain I can make that claim for myself, but this was the first time I'd heard of the three failure diseases: Procrastonation, Excuse-itis and detail-itis. I think at some time or another, I was guilty of all three. Now I tend to catch mysef in the midst of them and think "a-ha! Stop that."

flag 70 likes · Like · see review

Feb 21, 2008 David Rosage rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Anyone with dreams

Recommended to David by: My Father

This book changed the way I look at the world, and will remain a powerful reminder of the great things that can be accomplished with the right attitude.

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Nov 24, 2013 Brady Bunte rated it liked it

I have to admit, I have read this book about 8 times. I make it a goal to read this book every six months because of the powerful influences that come from Dr. Schwartz. I read this book initially in 1999 and was taken aback by how powerful the thinking process is. As a result of applying the book, I was able to get a better job, attain certifications in my field (Computers), buy a house and feel much better about myself. If you find yourself in need of a change, look no further than this book.
I ...more

flag 29 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2012 Anthony Fox rated it it was amazing

A Review of The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

Think success, don’t think failure. The mantra of believe in yourself is the premise of this book. The copy I have read was first published in 1960. This was one of the books I found in my grandfather’s bookcase and one which I kept after he died. This is second time I have read this book with many years between the readings. I know the book has been re-published many times since and is available. The reason I selected this book to write A Review of The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

Think success, don’t think failure. The mantra of believe in yourself is the premise of this book. The copy I have read was first published in 1960. This was one of the books I found in my grandfather’s bookcase and one which I kept after he died. This is second time I have read this book with many years between the readings. I know the book has been re-published many times since and is available. The reason I selected this book to write a review is that maybe a newer generation might find it an interesting book to read, and they might not have heard about it before.

The book is really a tutorial of how to respond positively to events with mini stories describing how other people have handled both negative and positive events in their lives. This gives the reader a clear understanding of how to approach similar situations with good advice. Of course “you can’t move mountains” but believe in yourself and your abilities and you will climb a mountain of doubt. Because, if you do not believe in yourself you are more likely will not succeed.

I have always believed that to succeed in anything you have to have confidence in yourself. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But, it’s true. The more confidence you have within you the more other people will believe in you. Don’t suffer from fear is another mantra the author discusses which is I believe is a common feeling we all have when it comes to our ability to try new things. We fear failure more, partly because of the unknown and what other people might think about us. I have written about this subject because I feel we are all capable of achieving what we want. Sometimes we just need to understand that fear is only temporary when we start to take action. When we confront our fear head-on the more likely we will gain confidence in ourselves to tackle similar situations in the future.

What I would say which I feel the author doesn’t express is that as humans we have the tendency to set our expectations to high and when things don’t pan out the way we expected them to we can get disillusioned and often depressed. I am not saying you should not aim high or set your goals high, but sometimes things are not always in our control. So we have to learn to aim high, but always remember that not everything is going to go our way.

My analogy of this would be the climbing of Mount Everest, sometimes events and conditions are against you, but for those who keep trying they often reach the summit of their goal. What we all must accept is that failure is part of success. Those that keep trying will find success, as long as they are prepared to evaluate their performance after each attempt and improve.

It’s natural and part of our makeup that as individuals we don’t like coming second, but in a race sometimes there is only one winner. We have to learn that success is more subjective and teach ourselves that taking part is a success. This will make us more confident as individuals with the right attitude to be a better person in this world.

This book is worth keeping and re-reading. David J. Schwartz says “Got a good idea? Then do something about it.”
...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

May 14, 2009 Nancy rated it it was ok

I came away from this self-help book with a few useful/helpful tidbits, namely in the "stay positive," "love what you do" and "work hard" categories. However, as helpful as the book was in the 1960s for millions of people, I don't think I represent its ideal audience.

Because, in order to truly glean more than just a few tidbits of advice from this book, I imagine you would have to subscribe to the thinking that "success" and its cousin, "happiness," are defined the way Dr. Schwartz defines it: ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

May 10, 2016 James rated it it was ok

I'm a Yorkshireman — from the north of England — we subsist on a steady diet of tea and disappointment. This book contains good advice but as a grumpy northerner I still found it annoying.

You can buy the book here.

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2019 Amit Mishra rated it really liked it

It's a really nice book well crafted for the persons of any age. Sometimes you get stuck in your life and you reach a conclusion that there is no way out now. That's where motivation comes to play you consider some phenomenal work that can inspire you and burn a light of hope deep inside your heart.
These books are not extraordnary, the ideas and opinion are the same what we use to talk everyday. But the way authore ahs persented us that is soemthing insirational and tremendous. It talks about ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Jun 23, 2010 Mohammed Al-Abdullah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: the-best-ever

I got the recommendation for this book from Anthony Robins in his famous book (Awaken Your Giant Within) , and he quoted lots of sayings and mentioned them in his book ..

Then I decided to read it as soon as I could .. Although, it's shorter than Robins's book but really it's an amazing book, full of essential concepts and secrets ..

I recommend everybody to read it deeply and apply it's concepts

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2014 Holly rated it did not like it

On the one hand, this book had some good advice about things like thinking positive, treating people well and setting a good example. On the other hand, the author's misogynistic views on women is prevalent throughout the book and is really a sign of when this book was written (the 1950s). Women cannot be successful business people - they are allowed to work menial jobs or be wives, but nothing more.

I'd like to think that since they are still publishing this book that they would update it every ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2008 Mike rated it really liked it

I don't really like self help books, but this was a really good book. Simple, quick read, and actually had intelligent content. I would recommend this book to anyone, but if you like self help books, then this is a must read.

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Nov 16, 2008 Brian Johnson rated it it was amazing

“Think Big and you’ll live big. You’ll live big in happiness. You’ll live big in accomplishment. Big in income. Big in friends. Big in respect… Start now, right now, to discover how to make your thinking make magic for you. Start out with this thought of the great philosopher Disraeli: ‘Life is too short to be little.’”

“In brief, it really is easy to forget the unpleasant if we simply refuse to recall it. Withdraw only positive thoughts from your memory bank. Let the others fade away. And your ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2016 Michael Fox rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I read this book many years ago. It changed my life. So, I picked up a Kindle edition and took another tour through its pages. It's still a game changer. I'm surprised at two things: 1) how many principles taught in this book that I've forgotten over the years, and 2) how some of my fundamental characteristics, things that are deeply ingrained in me, were rooted in this book from my first reading all those years ago. This book is now going on my annual rotation list.

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2014 Cate rated it it was ok

This is a good book only if you read it to yourself in the voice of a 1950s tv announcer. First published in 1959, this book is chock full of sound advice for the young gentleman looking to get ahead, acquire the secrets of success, make more money for his family, think like a leader, etc. etc. Where are the women? Why, they're at home, of course, cooking and cleaning and raising those children.

Each chapter is an examination of a different successories-style motivational lecture: Believe You ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2019 Leah Nadeau rated it liked it

Shelves: own-the-book

It's good but not life changing. At least to me, for others I could see it. It teaches basic principles like smile more, network more, speak loud and clear, stay positive, make eye contact...

The beginning was overcoming common excuses like 'oh I can't do it because of my health', or 'I'm not smart enough', 'I don't have enough time', etc."

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 13, 2017 Ashok Krishna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Books on personal development, or the so-called ‘self’-help genre, have been around for so long, there is no doubt about that. There is a plethora of such books, which promise to help a person overcome the tough situations in life and sail through smoothly. Especially in our modern times, where publishing a book has become as easy as ordering a product online, there is a rise in the number of authors who promise to improve your life by offering some quick-fix solutions for your troubles. But Books on personal development, or the so-called ‘self’-help genre, have been around for so long, there is no doubt about that. There is a plethora of such books, which promise to help a person overcome the tough situations in life and sail through smoothly. Especially in our modern times, where publishing a book has become as easy as ordering a product online, there is a rise in the number of authors who promise to improve your life by offering some quick-fix solutions for your troubles. But there are very few authors who write books that leave a lasting impact, without merely indulging in flowery language and empty platitudes. 'The Magic of Thinking Big' is a book of the first kind.

Make no mistakes about it, all of us started our lives by dreaming big. We had high ambitions, we dreamt big and hoped big. But sooner than later the 'reality' gave us a wake-up call and the world around made us shrink our dreams and thoughts. Few of us, if ever, arrived at our last day with all our dreams fulfilled and all our hopes intact. Life shakes us all up and shatters our dreams. But some of us march on, tough as nails in the face of struggles. What separates such victors from the vanquished is their thought process. When Life throws you a challenge, one can simply wilt down and wither away or one can simply toughen oneself up and tear apart the challenges. And, one's self-belief plays the most crucial role in how one overcomes the challenges.

In this book, Dr.David Schwartz elaborates on the ageless principle of 'you become what you think'. What is so refreshing about this book is the very practical approach to the problems and the offering of subtle solutions. This book does not ask you to write some self-assuring line for 100 times daily. This book does not ask you to stare at yourself in a mirror - except on one rare occasion - and repeat some 'magical phrase' so many times to encourage yourself. All this book asks you is to think and to think BIG.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book is, this is quite comprehensive. Whether you are suffering from self-imposed inferiority complex or you have been told by people that you’re incapable of doing something, whether you’re suffering a setback in your venture or you’ve not even started yet due to fear, this book will add a dash of confidence to your thoughts and deeds. It all flows in simple, plain language, as if a friend is sitting across the table, speaking with you about your troubles and help stimulate your thought process, through which you get to correct your thought process and solve your troubles on your own. There is no peppering of quotes from ancient philosophers and certainly no repetition of platitudes as many popular modern-day authors wont to do.

If you would want to read only one book of the personal development genre ever, choose this one. For, this is such a beautiful, brilliant and worthwhile stuff!
...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2015 Lars Andersson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: personal-development

This one of the first books I read in my life and it is very good if you like to learn how to do a business in any kind shape or form.
I love the way it is written and it sure helped me a lot.
So if you like to succeed with a business this may give you some hints.

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 12, 2018 Deepthi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: self-help

Who wants to be more succesful in their lives???

Who feels like they can do better but don't know how to do it???

C'mon, people... just read it...

It's a must read book, and trust me when I say it's going to help you...
It helped me a lot

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

May 21, 2017 Andy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is very good as historical sociology more than as self-help. I think this stuff was relevant especially for the generation that came of age in the Great Depression and World War II in America. Those people had been through hell, but then emerged into a booming economy with a ballooning middle-class. They needed a kick in the pants to stop thinking negatively. And the (white) guy who wanted to succeed big could rise above the masses by being a go-getter. The "American Dream" of upward ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 01, 2015 Steven Walle rated it it was amazing

This is one of my favorite books of its' kind. David J. Schwartz teaches that if we can conceive it; then we can believe it, and if we can believe it; we can achieve it.
He goes into detail on how to create the correct mindset for success.
I highly recommend this book to all.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 18, 2009 David P. rated it really liked it

My Dad assigned me to read a book sometime in late November. The book he assigned me to read was The Magic of Thinking Big by Dr. David J. Schwartz, one of the leaders on the art of motivation (according to the back of the book, anyway. According to my Dad, this book would give me great principles on how to be successful in life. In this regard, the book succeeds greatly. Along with that, Dr. Schwartz makes it interesting to read about the success principles.

So, what is The Magic of Thinking Big My Dad assigned me to read a book sometime in late November. The book he assigned me to read was The Magic of Thinking Big by Dr. David J. Schwartz, one of the leaders on the art of motivation (according to the back of the book, anyway. According to my Dad, this book would give me great principles on how to be successful in life. In this regard, the book succeeds greatly. Along with that, Dr. Schwartz makes it interesting to read about the success principles.

So, what is The Magic of Thinking Big about? The book does not really feature a storyline, a plot, or main characters (although Dr. Schwartz does mention people who succeeded on his principles. Instead, it talks about principles on how to be a successful person in life. Some of these life lessons include dreaming creatively, using goals to promote growth, and thinking like a leader; and within The Magic of Thinking Big, Dr. Schwartz uses real life people in relation to these principles. Throughout The Magic of Thinking Big, Dr. Schwartz provides real-life examples of how people succeeded by using the discussed principle. Also, Dr. Scwartz constantly mentions situation where people did not apply the discussed principle, and as a result, the person failed at reaching a goal and becoming successful.

I feel that The Magic of Thinking Big did a great job at teaching me these life lessons. For one thing, Dr. Schwartz uses the examples of people in his book, and these examples help hammer the point home. Also, Dr. Schwartz seems like a qualified person, so that makes his principles trustworthy. But the real reason that The Magic of Thinking Big was so effective at teaching me was this: It was fun to read. You can have a great educational book, but if it's boring, then no one would read it, and its lessons would never be taught. The Magic of Thinking Big, however, is a fun book to read. I found the book hard to put down at times, and because it was actually interesting and fun to read, the The Magic of Thinking Big gets its point across extremely well.

The bottom line is, you should probably read this book sometime in your life. It gives some of the best principles I've read in a long time, and not only that, the book is fun to read. The double whammy of education and entertainment that The Magic of Thinking Big pretty much makes it a must-read book. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 10, 2017 Mason Frierson rated it it was amazing

It’s always shady when you see someone using the usual cliché "This book has changed my life!". While I usually don't take those comments seriously (too much money wasted in 'life-changing' books, I guess) I have to admit that sometimes a particular book hits you with more impact than usual and after a couple of years some self-examination might leave you with the impression that perhaps the author has indeed influenced your choice of paths more than you would have expected.

This was the case ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2016 Soheil rated it really liked it

A book that is focused on telling you that "you are what you think". To tell you that whatever you think of in your mind will become reality whether it would be positive or negative thoughts. It gives you practical programs and steps to change your outlook and the way you think and prepares you for a successful life ahead full of achievements of your own thinking.

The book's philosophy is solid. Whatever is said here conforms with whatever you may have read or heard elsewhere. While the book is ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2015 Amir Tesla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Lots of wisdom and thought provoking ideas with practical applications in different domains of life from personal affairs, family, social interactions to leadership.

This book is definitely ranks among top 5 self-improvement books.

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jul 06, 2013 Nani rated it it was amazing

Shelves: yrittäjyys

One of the best business books I've read.

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2019 Farzin (Ferzîn) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

a truly psychological motivation book not like cheap ones!
it is methodological!
suggest it to everyone!

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2016 Nigham rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorite, informative, inspiring, e-books

First published in 1959, The Magic of Thinking Big is one of the most influential self-help books of all-times. The writer provides schemes and strategies for visualizing yourself achieving your goals.
Things I have learned from this book:

To "think confidently, act confidently" practice the following exercises:

1. Be a front seater
2. Practice making eye contact
3. Walk 25 percent faster
4. Practice speaking up
5. Smile Big

"There’s nothing magical nor mystical about the power of belief.
Belief ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 13, 2010 Russell rated it it was amazing

The Chicago Tribune asked all the local primary candidates what their favorite book was. Of course, the liberal wonks put in stuff by Lincoln or Locke. The right wingers were typically imaginative in their selection of "The Bible." The tea party candidate, Adam Andrejewski, chose this book which intrigued me. Also, his choice for "the book you would take on a desert island" was "How to survive on a desert island." So, I liked the cut of his jib.

I'm a fan of self-improvement books and this one ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2009 David Garza rated it it was amazing

Third time through. It's amazing how a person's thinking is always in the process of becoming small and marginalizing itself. This is a must read for anyone wanting to increase their thinking and pull the weeds out of their life.

[The second time reading this book was very helpful. It's amazing what you can forget and need to be reminded of. I absolutely love the final 2-3 pages. A great summary of what it takes to be successful in any endeavor.]

[This book is just what the doctor ordered. When ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 11, 2008 Douglas rated it really liked it

Shelves: self-improvement

This was a top book in four hour workweek and the title seems relevant to my career trajectory.

I just picked this book up again. The first 200 pages were ok, but the last 100 were solid. Its a lot about setting goals, taking action and dreaming big. Some really great comments about how to react to adversity and stay focused on your goal.

A worthwhile read.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Best Motivation Book?	3	50	Jan 28, 2019 02:28AM
Latoryah's Reader...: Thinking Big	1	6	Aug 11, 2018 07:02AM
Do the Dang Thing: June Book of the Month	1	3	May 13, 2017 01:20PM
Let's read a book...: Let's read and discuss "The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz". (Masoud is leading the discussion)	1	20	Aug 23, 2015 02:38AM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Self Help

651 users

Business

558 users

Nonfiction

394 users

Self Help > Personal Development

284 users

Psychology

211 users

See top shelves…

About David J. Schwartz

David J. Schwartz

373 followers

David Joseph Schwartz PhD (March 23, 1927 – December 6, 1987) was an American motivational writer and coach, best known for authoring The Magic of Thinking Big in 1959.

He was a professor at Georgia State University and also began his own work as a self-help coach and life strategist. Later, he founded his own consultancy firm focusing on leadership development called 'Creative Educational Services ...more