How big we think determines the size of our accomplishments.
David J. Schwartz, The Magic of Thinking Big
Do you feel like you were made for more but you’re not sure what? After all, you made it through school (and let’s face it, that wasn’t all that easy), but now what? Now is the time to think BIG!
In Habit 2 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey talks about visualization and affirmations. Visualization, in this context, is thinking about how you want things to be. An affirmation is a statement that describes the vision.
Covey suggestions spending a few minutes each day visualizing situations where the affirmation would be a helpful reminder, and to visualize the outcome you want.
We can apply visualizations and affirmations when talking about thinking BIG. The key is to remember what Covey said about everything being created twice – once in our mind and once physically. Have you ever seen a product and thought, “I never would have thought of that!”? And, if you never would have thought of it you certainly could never have made it, right? Similarly, if we can’t picture ourselves as a tech lead, manager, executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist, volunteer, or whatever, we’re not going to achieve it. So let’s start thinking BIG!
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.
David J. Schwartz, The Magic of Thinking Big
Let’s talk about some of the prerequisites for thinking BIG.
Abundance mindset
In order to think BIG for yourself, we need to know whether we have an abundance mindset or a scarcity mindset. Covey talks about this in Habit 4. An abundance mindset means you believe that there is enough for everyone. If you succeed, you will not be taking away from someone else, because there is plenty to go around. You add value. In contrast, if you have a scarcity mindset, you feel if you make a little more money that means someone else is making less. The person with the scarcity mindset believes the world is zero-sum.
It seems no one really said “Everything that will be invented has been invented,” but there are always naysayers to progress. Someone will tell you the business can’t be started, the project can’t be completed, or the product or service can’t be invented. Think BIG anyway, knowing there’s always more value to create.
Be happy for others
This is a follow-on to the abundance mindset. If we have a scarcity mindset, we’re upset that a colleague got a promotion, or got a raise, or invented something new because we feel that if they succeed, they are taking away from our potential. The person with an abundance mindset is happy for the person who got the promotion, got a raise, or invented something new because they know there is a chance for them to do the same or even more. Plus, being happy for others breeds goodwill, and will make you more valuable as a team member and leader.
Have the courage to think BIG
David Schwartz in his book The Magic of Thinking Big talks about “murder weapons” of success. It takes a lot of courage to destroy these weapons. Here are three he talks about:
- Self-depreciation is when we say things like, “I’m not smart enough to work at that level, or to start a business”, or “I’m not good-looking enough to record videos”, “My voice isn’t pleasant enough to be a speaker”. You may need to train a bit, but you have all the potential you need to succeed! Find what you’re great at, or can work to be great at and go after it.
- “Security-itis” is the condition where we say, “I’m safe where I am at”, “I’m unlikely to get laid off here”. I admit, that’s a tough one to overcome when the economy is uncertain. But people find a way to succeed even in the most tumultuous of conditions.
- Competition may scare us away and we can tell if this is the case if we hear ourselves saying, “There are already so many qualified candidates,” or, “The field is really crowded.” I heard a book publisher tell an audience of would-be writers that even if their subject has been covered by other authors, they should still write their book because their voice is unique. One person may find value in their voice and not another, even on the same topic. You can find a way to succeed, even if the field is crowded.
Trust yourself
When you think BIG, it’s likely you don’t have everything you need to manifest your BIG vision or goal right away. Trust yourself in putting together a system and habits that will get you there. Trust that you will figure out a way around roadblocks, like not having enough money, or skill, or even talent. Trust that you know how to solve problems, and that you will indeed solve whatever problems arise. Trust that you will surround yourself with quality people who want you to succeed, and will cheer you on as you do.
Set aside time to think
To think BIG you actually have to set aside time to think. I know that sounds funny, but we get really wrapped up in our lives. Maybe you’re still in school, or going part-time to finish a master’s degree, or you’re working, volunteering, or maybe you have a family that keeps you busy. In any case, I’ll bet you are busy. We have to schedule in time to think.
Give yourself permission to change your mind
So you’ve set aside time to think, you’ve come up with something, and it scares you because you think, what if I reach this goal and I don’t really like it? Give yourself permission to change your mind. Think BIG. Come up with ideas, but know you can make a different decision later, once you get more information. Luckily, we don’t have to register our BIG thoughts with anyone, so if they change, they change. And what about the system and habits you put in place, the knowledge you gained, and the time you put in? If you change your mind, is that all a waste? The way I reason it is that worst case, if I change my mind but put effort into the original goal, at least I know I am able to commit to something, change my habits, gain knowledge, and reflect on the experience and learn from it. It’s likely you will change your mind at some point. But we need to move forward with the information and tools we have. Movement brings clarity. So don’t be afraid to move.
Write down your BIG goal
Your BIG thought is more powerful when you write it down. I don’t know why that is, but it seems to be true for me, and for a number of authors I’m familiar with. I suggest posting your BIG goal or vision somewhere that you will see it often. I have one taped to the inside of my medicine cabinet. I have short-term goals that I write in my notebook whenever I sit down to write. Make your BIG thought visible.
If the BIG thought is sticking, make it happen
Settling on a BIG thought or two is part of the “first creation”. Making the BIG thought or goal a reality is the “second creation”. If your BIG thought is really BIG (and I hope it is), it will be overwhelming to think about. Break it down. What would need to happen to get you there? For each one of those things, break them down further into skills you need to acquire or improve, people you need to meet, knowledge you need to acquire. Then ask yourself, what one tiny step could you take today? Maybe you need to write down your goal. Maybe you need to do a Google search about a technology. Maybe you need to ask a friend for some advice. Start small. Each day will build on the previous.
tl;dr
Thinking BIG thoughts, goals, and vision for yourself requires you to adopt an abundance mindset, to be courageous, to have trust in yourself, and to give yourself some time to think your BIG thoughts. Posting your BIG goals where you’ll be reminded of them frequently will help you reach them, as will identifying the small steps, actions, and habits that will lead to your BIG goal.
engineer your life
Schedule time to think BIG. You might start by reflecting on your experiences so far, noting what comes easy to you and what skills and knowledge you’ve acquired. Then brainstorm!
Imagine yourself having reached your BIG goal. How do you show up differently? For example, are you confident, courageous, willing to learn new things, ask for help? Think about how you can show up like that now in order to be the person that has reached their BIG goal.