The Magic of Thinking Big
by David J. Schwartz
"The Magic of Thinking Big" asserts that success is primarily a product of one's mindset and belief system, rather than innate intelligence or circumstance. The book emphasizes the power of belief, arguing that truly believing in one's ability to achieve a goal empowers the mind to discover solutions. It advocates for proactive thinking, encouraging readers to visualize future possibilities rather than dwelling on present limitations. Key themes include the importance of taking action to overcome fear, cultivating a positive mental environment by feeding the mind with constructive thoughts, and recognizing one's own potential while avoiding the overestimation of others' abilities. The author stresses that leadership involves critical thinking and initiative, particularly in building relationships and inspiring confidence. Ultimately, the book's central message is that "thinking big",fostering confidence, embracing challenges, and focusing on growth,is the fundamental driver for personal and professional achievement.
30 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from The Magic of Thinking Big:
“Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.”
“Action cures fear.”
“The mind is what the mind is fed.”
“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”
“Hope is a start. But hope needs action to win victories”
“WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY”
“the thinking that guides your intelligence is much more important than how much intelligence you have”
“those who believe they can move mountains,do.Those who believe they can't,cannot.”
“Look at things as they can be, not as they are.”
“Most of us make two basic errors with respect to intelligence: 1. We underestimate our own brainpower. 2. We overestimate the other fellow’s brainpower.”
“WHEN YOU BELIEVE, YOUR MIND WILL FIND WAY TO DO”
“Build castles, don't dig graves.”
“Then it dawned on me that no one else was going to believe in me until I believed in myself.”
“Think you are weak, think you lack what it takes, think you will lose, think you are second class - think this way and you are doomed to mediocrity.”
“The point is clear. People who get things done in this world don’t wait for the spirit to move them; they move the spirit.”
“Belief triggers the power to do.”
“whether the psychological problem is big or little, the cure comes when one learns to quit drawing negative form one's memory bank and withdraws positive instead”
“The point is this: Big thinkers are specialists in creating positive, forward-looking, optimistic pictures in their own minds and in the minds of others. To think big, we must use words and phrases that produce big, positive mental images.”
“when we do what is known to be wrong, two negative things happened. First, we feel guilt and this guilt eats away confidence. Second, other people sooner or later find out and lose confidence in us”
“Treating someone as second-class never gets you first-class results.”
“Take the initiative in building friendships—leaders always do. It’s easy and natural for us to tell ourselves, “Let him make the first move.” “Let them call us.” “Let her speak first.”
“Meet problems and obstacles as they arise. The test of a successful person is not the ability to eliminate all problems before he takes action, but rather the ability to find solutions to difficulties when he encounters them.”
“This is a fact of paramount significance: Each human being, whether he lives in India or Indianapolis, whether he’s ignorant or brilliant, civilized or uncivilized, young or old, has this desire: He wants to feel important.”
“You win when you refuse to fight petty people. Fighting little people reduces you to their size.”
“a man big enough to be humble appears more confident than the insecure man who feels compelled to call attention to his accomplishments. A little modesty goes a long way.”
“Nothing—absolutely nothing—in this life gives you more satisfaction than knowing you’re on the road to success and achievement. And nothing stands as a bigger challenge than making the most of yourself.”
“Remember, the main job of the leader is thinking. And the best preparation for leadership is thinking.”
“Put these two thoughts deep in your mind. First, give your ideas value by acting on them.”
“Practice calling people by their names. Every year shrewd manufacturers sell more briefcases, pencils, Bibles, and hundreds of other items just by putting the buyer’s name on the product. People like to be called by name. It gives everyone a boost to be addressed by name.”
“If employees are doing something wrong or are making a mistake, I am doubly careful not to hurt their feelings and make them feel small or embarrassed. I just use four simple steps: “First, I talk to them privately. “Second, I praise them for what they are doing well. “Third, I point out the one thing at the moment that they could do better and I help them find the way. “Fourth, I praise them again on their good points.”
