I never in a million years thought that it’d take so long to finish a book. The old me could plow through 300+ pages in a weekend. Now? It takes me weeks if not months. Oh well, at least I’m still trying!
I digress!
Today, I want to share why I believe The Magic of Thinking Big is a worthwhile read along with a caveat to go along with that sentiment.
First and foremost, let me start off by saying that this book really is for everyone, regardless of your line of work, level, etc. In my opinion, it’s about how to be human in achieving success (however you define that for yourself). The suggestions really hit home because they’re rooted in basic values and principles. It’s not about achieving overnight success, but rather about making small, simple, and very practical changes to your thinking and ultimately behavior that will allow you to win people over, be happier, achieve your goals, etc.
Let’s move on to the caveat for a second. The book was written in 1959. This means the stories and examples are very old-school (re: sales, manufacturing, male dominated, etc.). On the surface, they seem very archaic, but when you really think about it, they are things that still apply in our modern day lives. Perhaps now more than ever…? If you can get over this one thing and really allow the simplicity of the book to guide your thinking, I think you’ll gain a lot from it. I know I did!
Without giving away all the wisdom, here are a few points that really hit home for me. As you’ll see, these aren’t complex topics/ideas. It’s just simple stuff that we need to be reminded of more often.
- Big people monopolize the listening. Small people monopolize the talking.
- Don’t sell yourself short. Think, ‘why not me?’
- Always ask, “Is it really important?” Especially before getting worked up.
- Be human in your approach. Put people first.
- “Life it up.” In your smile, your language, etc.
- Always think about how you can add value.
- Surround yourself with people who are successful and push you to be better.
- How you think about yourself is directly correlated to what you can achieve. Whenever doubt creeps into your mind, think big. Focus on what you can do today, all actions welcome.
- It’s not always the smartest person in the room who is the most successful. It’s the person who’s willing to build relationships, work hard, and keep trying no matter how many time he/she fails.
- Always give people more than they expect to get.
- Action, action, action. Action begets action.
- Think about things as they can be not as they are. Visualization elevates your thinking and gets you out of the here and now to the possible.
Believe it or not, this is just a small sliver of everything you can get out of this book. Can’t wait to reread again in the future!
And for those who were holding their breath waiting for me to share my next week, it’s going to be Beartown!!! So excited to dig in!
Your turn – what’s your favorite self-help type book?
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