The Magic of Thinking ... Small?

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The classic book "The Magic of Thinking Big" revolutionized people's thinking back in the early 60's. It showed average people how to dream big dreams, make big plans and expect big things - In everything they do!

But times are different now. It seems one of the keys to success is to think small. Small niches seem to rule everything around us.

For example, doctors and attorney's or any other profeesion or business who masters their small niche get paid the most. Where the person or business who tries being all things to all people earn the least.

Is thinking Big less effective? Or is the way it's applied shrinking?
#mind warriors #magic #small #thinking #thinking big
  • it's thinking small or starting small?
    I think you should break down your big thinking into several small thinking =)
    • [1] reply
    • That's a good point. But it seems today the mind set is just the opposite. Especially with Generation Y. They've grown up thinking you can have it all ... Now! And if you don't you're a loser.

      They watch 15 year old reality TV stars, 18 year old hip hop tycoons and 19 year old action sports millionaires. And quietly compare themselves with the MTV Cribs images.

      They grow up quietly comparing themselves with these images and many even graduate college thinking they should have the corner office, expense account and the bling, bling.

      Thinking small, being patient and sacrificing is foreign to the reality TV generation. Most need a serious intervention of ... reality.
  • The way I think is this:

    Think BIG with a narrow vision!

    So it's tunnel vision, but I've got some BIG dreams at the end of that tunnel!

    And I do believe in niching down, specifying and digging deep to find that narrow vision. But the goal is big!
    • [2] replies
    • I think it's helpful to have specific niches - narrowed down - so that you can become known in the niche rather quickly and get a high ranking in the search engines.

      You can always expand or move on to other niches, but I think you should master one smaller niche at a time.
    • I agree that it is BIG thinking with a laser-precision focus.

      You should have big dreams. You should allow yourself to create clear images in your mind of who you want to be, what you want to have, and the kind of life you want to lead. I'm a believer in the power of training your subconscious to strive for your dreams.

      The trick (I think) is then having a "small" method of achieving those dreams. If your methods are huge and varied, then you are likely going to have trouble maintaining them. A focused, precision planned method that you KNOW you can handle will be easier to learn, easier to maintain, and will start showing you results in a fairly short period of time.

      So dreaming big isn't changing. The planning stage that will get you to the realization of those dreams is what is changing. The shotgun approach (do lots of vague things are see what works) isn't cutting it anymore. Those with pinpoint focus are the ones achieving more.
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Dream BIG to capture the heart's desire is still effective. Focus on the small,profitable niche is also wise in a highly competitive environment like many areas of IM.
  • how about a compromise here ..think oh how to get a small niche to pay big ..if you have a thousand people who will pay you 100$ a year or produces 100$ in profit per ..then you make 6 figures ..100 people who earn you 1,000 profit a year ..

    think about the small number of people who make you the big money
  • I think we have to think big, but work in a baby steps mood.
    • [1] reply
    • I still like the idea of thinking big, but I like to approach it through small increments. I have seen first hand the power of accomplishing one thing after another even if a particular task is large.
      No matter how big the job, if the mind is reassured all it has to complete is one small item at at time it has no problem being guided in that direction. Results from this technique are startling when gazed upon in retrospect!
  • I think thinking big is just as effective as it's ever been. However, I think it's the process of going from thinking big to getting to that thing a person is thinking big about.

    With more distractions than ever in today's world, I think it's about keeping focus on small goals along the way which eventually take us to that thing that we were thinking big about. That's how I see it.
    • [1] reply
    • Those type of stories are always encouraging to hear because it brings me back to the realization that everyone started at the bottom at one point. Traction is definitely the aim.
  • You always need to keep the big picture in mind. But what really determines your success/failure is how you tackle daily small tasks.

    Cheers,

    Gary
    • [1] reply
    • It reminds me of the question "how do you eat an elephant"? I guess that is kind of like thinking small and ending up hitting a big goal.
  • The magic of thinking. Okey! I heard that from many people. In fact, businessmen considered that as their “SECRET.”But, before you dream for “BIG,”let’s ponder the story of the “Fisherman.”

    There was a time a fisherman with his son caught a Big fish with his bait. When he saw it, he simply threw it back to the sea and preferred to net small fishes. When his son asked him why he threw it, he answered “We can’t carry it because we have only a small boat.”

    In real life, we tend to think “BIG” things without checking our mind first if it is also “BIG” enough to understand. :-)
    • [1] reply
    • Think big, but break it down and pace it.

      I feel that that's the way forward.


      Daniel
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    The Magic of Thinking ... Small?

    The classic book "The Magic of Thinking Big" revolutionized people's thinking back in the early 60's. It showed average people how to dream big dreams, make big plans and expect big things - In everything they do! But times are different now. It seems one of the keys to success is to think small. Small niches seem to rule everything around us.