Book Summary | The Magic of Thinking Big

Title : The Magic of Thinking Big

-    Author : David J Schwartz

The book was first published in 1959, the book appears on many "must read" lists, and is sometimes quoted by modern authors. I enjoyed reading the book. Inspirational to really push yourself past your comfort zone to be successful. The 3 areas of focus are career, family, and social.  I have developed the crux of the book as ready reckoner. Although at the end of the each chapter, the author has summarized. I think this book is worth refreshing and relooking at times.  The author also provides some framework on how to avoid excuses, build confidence, build enthusiasm and lastly the magic of thinking big.  

A person is a product of his own thoughts. When you believe in yourself, then good things start happening. Mind is a ‘thought factory’. It is the busiest factory producing countless thoughts in a day. Developing the power of belief.  The author classify People into 3 groups; First Group: Those who surrender completely; second Group: those who surrender partially; Third Group: Those who never surrender.  People who tell you it cannot be done almost always are unsuccessful people are strictly average or mediocre at least in terms of accomplishment.  And there are always excuse for not being successful. Every failure is the diseases in its advanced form though Excuse. Thoughts, positive or negative grow stronger, when fertilized with constant repetition. Thinking yourself to success must be to vaccinate yourself against excuseitis.   The author has analysed the reason for excuse and they are commonly due to the 4 reasons and provides remedy to overcome the excuses.  

Excuse 1: But My health isn’t good | remedy: Refuse to talk about health; refuse worry

Excuse 2: But you’ve got to have brains to succeed | remedy: Never underestimate your confidence; remind yourself several times and put your intelligence to creative positive

Excuse3: It’s no use; I am too old or too young | Remedy: invest in future; compute how much productive; look present age positively

Excuse4: But my case is different; I attract bad luck |Remedy: Accept the law of cause and effect; don’t be a wishful thinkers.

Success means winning. Belief in greatest driving force, the power behind all the great books, plays and scientific discoveries. Disbelief is negative power. Doubt disbelief, the subconscious will fail, the not really wanting to succeed is responsible for most failures. Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life.  The magic of thinking big is about, Think Success, Remind yourself regularly your better than you think so and Believe Big. Big ideas and big plans were often easier. The magic of thinking big is through 3 step framework

1. Provide the content – What to do
2. Supply a method – How to do
3. Meet the acid test – Get results.

Magic of thinking Big comes through Confidence. Confidence has a common meaning of a certainty about handling something, such as work, family, social events, or relationships. The book provides key insights to building Confidence and practise that needs to be followed to think and act confidently:

•        Deposit only positive thoughts in your memory bank
•       Withdraw only positive thoughts from your memory bank
• .      Get balanced view to other fellows
• .      Develop an understanding attitude.

To "think confidently, act confidently" practice the following needs to be practiced         

•  Be a front seater 
• Practice making eye contact 
•  Walk 25 percent faster 
• Practice speaking up     
• Smile Big

To build confidence we need to be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm can make things 1000% better, three steps to create enthusiasm are

• 1. Dig into it deep
• 2. In everything you do, life it up
• 3  Broadcast good news

To think big use words and phrases that produce big, positive mental images.4 ways to think big vocabulary

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

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

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

4.      Use positive words to outline plan to others

Believe it can be done: When you believe something is impossible, your mind goes to work for you to prove why. But when you believe, really believe, something can be done, your mind goes to work for you and help you find the ways to do it. Become receptive to ideas. Be an experimental person. Be progressive, not regressive 

Bottom-line 
A must read book that touches many aspects.