The Magic of Thinking Big

by David J. Schwartz

success is determined not so much by the size of one’s brain as it is by the size of one’s thinking.

When you believe I-can-do-it, the how-to-do-it develops.

Those who believe they can move mountains, do. Those who believe they can’t, cannot. Belief triggers the power to do.

It is well to respect the leader. Learn from him. Observe him. Study him. But don’t worship him. Believe you can surpass. Believe you can go beyond. Those who harbor the second-best attitude are invariably second-best doers.

Look at it this way. Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life. Study the fellow who is shuffling down there in mediocrity. He believes he is worth little, so he receives little. He believes he can’t do big things, and he doesn’t. He believes he is unimportant, so everything he does has an unimportant mark. As times goes by, lack of belief in himself shows through in the way the fellow talks, walks, acts. Unless he readjusts his thermostat forward, he shrinks, grows smaller and smaller, in his own estimation. And, since others see in us what we see in ourselves, he grows smaller in the estimation of the people around him.

Believe in yourself, and good things do start happening.

Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not supermen. Success does not require a superintellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. And success isn’t based on luck. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never—yes, never—sell yourself short.

Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier—certainly no more difficult—than small ideas and small plans.

You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.

“I’m going to live until I die and I’m not going to get life and death confused. While I’m on this earth I’m going to live. Why be only half alive? Every minute a person spends worrying about dying is just one minute that fellow might as well have been dead.”

The right attitude and one arm will beat the wrong attitude and two arms every time.

Refuse to talk about your health.

Refuse to worry about your health.

Be genuinely grateful that your health is as good as it is.

Instead of complaining about “not feeling good,” it’s far better to be glad you are as healthy as you are. Just being grateful for the health you have is powerful vaccination against developing new aches and pains and real illness.

Remind yourself often, “It’s better to wear out than rust out.”

the thinking that guides your intelligence is much more important than how much intelligence you may have.

The difference in the very successful and the very unsuccessful finally reduced to differences in attitudes, or difference in thought management. The top group worried less, was more enthusiastic, had a sincere liking for people.

“What I want around me,” he continued, “are people who can solve problems, who can think up ideas. People who can dream and then develop the dream into a practical application; an idea man can make money with me; a fact man can’t.”

“My attitudes are more important than my intelligence.”

Old age is a failure disease. Defeat it by refusing to let it hold you back.

If you know your job and understand people, you’re sufficiently mature to handle it.

Invest future time in doing what you really want to do. It’s too late only when you let your mind go negative and think it’s too late. Stop thinking “I should have started years ago.” That’s failure thinking. Instead think, “I’m going to start now, my best years are ahead of me.” That’s the way successful people think.

We don’t become successful simply through luck. Success comes from doing those things and mastering those principles that produce success.

concentrate on developing those qualities in yourself that will make you a winner.

action cures fear. Indecision, postponement, on the other hand, fertilize fear.

Action cures fear.

When we face tough problems, we stay mired in the mud until we take action. Hope is a start. But hope needs action to win victories.

What kind of action can I take to conquer my fear?

Use this two-step procedure to cure fear and win confidence: 1. Isolate your fear. Pin it down. Determine exactly what you are afraid of. 2. Then take action. There is some kind of action for any kind of fear. And remember, hesitation only enlarges, magnifies the fear. Take action promptly. Be decisive.

Do this: in these moments when you’re alone with your thoughts—when you’re driving your car or eating alone—recall pleasant, positive experiences. Put good thoughts in your memory bank. This boosts confidence. It gives you that “I-sure-feel-good” feeling. It helps keep your body functioning right, too.

“Underneath he’s probably a very nice guy. Most folks are.”

Avoid doing anything that will cause you to ask yourself, “Will I get caught? Will they find out? Will I get away with it?”

Do what’s right and keep your confidence. That’s thinking yourself to success.

To think confidently, act confidently.

Psychologists tell us we can change our attitudes by changing our physical actions.

Walk 25 percent faster.

Speak up. It’s a confidence-building vitamin.

Make it a rule to speak up at every open meeting you attend. Speak up, say something voluntarily at every business conference, committee meeting, community forum you attend. Make no exception. Comment, make a suggestion, ask a question. And don’t be the last to speak. Try to be the icebreaker, the first one in with a comment.

Action cures fear. Isolate your fear and then take constructive action. Inaction—doing nothing about a situation—strengthens fear and destroys confidence.

Make a supreme effort to put only positive thoughts in your memory bank. Don’t let negative, self-deprecatory thoughts grow into mental monsters. Simply refuse to recall unpleasant events or situations.

Practice doing what your conscience tells you is right. This prevents a poisonous guilt complex from developing. Doing what’s right is a very practical rule for success.

Make everything about you say, “I’m confident, really confident.” Practice these little techniques in your day-to-day activities: Be a front seater. Make eye contact. Walk 25 percent faster. Speak up. Smile big.

Never, never, never sell yourself short!

To think big, we must use words and phrases that produce big, positive mental images.

Use big, positive, cheerful words and phrases to describe how you feel.

Use bright, cheerful, favorable words and phrases to describe other people.

Use positive language to encourage others. Compliment people personally at every opportunity.

Use positive words to outline plans to others.

Look at things not as they are, but as they can be. Visualization adds value to everything. A big thinker always visualizes what can be done in the future. He isn’t stuck with the present.