Believing Big

"Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life. Study the fellow who is shuffling down there in mediocrity. He believes he is worth little, so he receives little. He believes he can't do big things, and he doesn't. He believes he is unimportant, so everything he does has an unimportant mark. As times goes by, lack of belief in himself shows through in the way the fellow talks, walks, acts. Unless he readjusts his thermostat forward, he shrinks, grows smaller and smaller, in his own estimation. And, since others see in us what we see in ourselves, he grows smaller in the estimation of the people around him.

"Now look across the way at the person who is advancing forward. He believes he is worth much, and he receives much. He believes he can handle big, difficult assignments—and he does. Everything he does, the way he handles himself with people, his character, his thoughts, his viewpoints, all say, 'Here is a professional. He is an important person.'

"A person is a product of his own thoughts. Believe Big. Adjust your thermostat forward. Launch your success offensive with honest, sincere belief that you can succeed. Believe big and grow big."

The Magic of Thinking Big
David Schwartz


I always wondered why he titled his book "thinking big" instead of "believing big," since that's really what he says you have to do. You can think anything you want, but if you don't believe it..... oh well. I can convince myself that someone is going to email me and offer me the perfect job, in the ideal location, with more than enough money to travel the world in my spare time; can even think that every morning while eating breakfast and checking my new messages. But, only a fool would really believe it, so it's not going to happen.

Don't just think big, believe it.