Three ways to expand your thinking
Dr. Schwartz's The Magic of Thinking Big hammers home the importance of what and how we think. Similar to tips offered in The Charisma Myth, Schwartz wants you to use every means possible to improve your frame of mind, including upgrading your wardrobe. One particularly useful exercise is the self-pep talk, where you make yourself highlight and acknowledge all your best qualities. Frequently using affirmations blots out negativity and self-sabotage.
Don't change your paradigm just to feel better about yourself, though. If you want to accomplish more, you have to choose results over rationalization. You can't have both. When was the last time you heard successful people making excuses? They're too busy producing.
Even then, personal accomplishment isn't the goal, either. Thinking big finds its destiny in significance, not personal achievement. Rather than leave big picture thinking to visionaries like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, Schwartz encourages you to consider how you can make life better for yourself and everyone around you.
Takeaways:
1. Assess your attitude. Do you have people in your life who, no matter how good a situation is, find something wrong with it? Resorting to that behavior reveals a resolve to be unhappy. While people shouldn't avoid addressing problems, they need to keep perspective when assessing them. Suppose you go out for ice cream. If the flavor you want is unavailable, how do you interpret this situation? Is the universe conspiring against you, or presenting you an opportunity to try a new flavor? Whenever you encounter people stuck in pessimism, ask them to identify a blessing or lesson in their circumstances. Or, you can always ask David Allen's favorite question: "What's the next action?"
2. Choose gratitude. When I was a child, I dealt with two mental traps: one was feeling obligated to give thanks. The other was feeling guilty for having privileges others didn't. The turning point involved two steps. First, I became thankful for the guidance and resources others shared to help me. While I am responsible for my own actions, I didn't achieve anything on my own. Next, I shared those blessings with others who still needed them. Kent, my pharmacy school mentor, helped me by meeting with me regularly to share insights and encouragement. I have paid it forward by mentoring students the past few years to provide similar guidance.
3. Dream big. If you don't put a high ceiling on your life, don't expect to do anything significant. When I was younger, I simply wanted to fill my life with grown-up fun. This included playing video games and watching television to my heart's content. After I realized the importance of improving my leadership ability, my focus changed to equipping others who have similar challenges. I wanted to leave a legacy of developing leaders, both on and off the dance floor. Dr. Schwartz said to see what could be, not just what is. To quote Einstein: "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
At the end of the day, what you believe dictates how you live. If you don't think you can succeed, how do you expect it to happen? Hope is not a reliable strategy. Carve out some time to evaluate your thought patterns, then get some people you trust to challenge any self-imposed limitations you might still have. If you don't think you need to read this book, you probably need to read it more than ever. If you want to start somewhere, just ask yourself: "What could be better, and what will I do about it?"
"As you think, so you shall become." ~Bruce Lee
