How To Think Big

The tendency for so many people to think small means there is much less competition than you think for a very rewarding career.

Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches or pounds or college degrees, or family background; people are been measured by the size of their thinking. How big we think determines the size of our accomplishments. Now let’s see how we can enlarge our thinking.

Ever ask yourself, “What is my greatest weakness?” Probably the greatest human weakness is self-deprecation-that is, selling oneself very cheap. Self-deprecation shows through in countless ways. Mr. Ali sees a job advertisement in the paper; it’s exactly what he would like to do. But he does nothing about it because he thinks, “I’m not good enough for the job, so why bother?” or Mr. Obi wants a date with Miss Chioma, but he doesn’t call her because he thinks he wouldn’t rate with her.

Philosophers for thousands of years have issued good advice: know thyself. But most people, it seems, interpret this suggestion to mean know only thy negative self. Most self-evaluation consists of making long mental lists of one’s faults, shortcomings, inadequacies.

It’s well to know our inabilities, for this shows us areas in which we can improve. But if we know only our negative characteristics, we’re in a mess. Our value is small. 

Here is an exercise to help you measure your true size

1.     Determine your five chief assets. Invite some objective friend to help-possibly your wife, your superior, a professor-some intelligent person who will give you an honest opinion. (Examples of assets frequently listed are education, experience, technical skills, appearance, well-adjusted home life, attitudes, personality, initiative.)

2.     Next, under each asset, write the names of three persons you know who have achieved large success but who do not have this asset to as great a degree as you.

When you have completed this exercise, you will find you outrank many successful people on at least one asset.

There is only one conclusion you can honestly reach: you are bigger than you think you are. So fit your thinking to your true size. Think as big as you really are! Never, never, never sell yourself short.