Personal

Growth Strategies
Thinking Big

Introduction

“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to
the weak and esteem to all.” (George Washington)

W e live in a world of the most rapid change, turbulence and unpredictability ever
experienced in all of human history. And if anything, the rate of change will
accelerate in the months and years ahead.

You cannot control most of the things that happen to you. You can only control your
responses to those things. Your goal must therefore be to become a master rather
than a victim of change. Your goal is to be powerful rather than powerless.

The greatest of all laws is the Law of Cause and Effect. This simply says that when you do
what other successful people do, over and over, you will eventually enjoy the same results
and rewards that they do.

In its simplest terms, successful people are more highly motivated, more focused and more
effective thinkers than others. They think bigger and better than the average person.
In this lesson, you will learn how to transform your life by “thinking big.”

In this lesson you will learn:

■ To develop a reputation as a hard worker

■ The relationship between your results and your rewards

■ To concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task

■ The common denominator of all successful people

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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What Do You Already Know?

Test your knowledge by attempting to answer the questions below.

1. What are the three keys to success and personal power that you need to practice
every day?

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2. What is the key quality of top people in every field today?

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3. What effect does the quality and quantity of your service have on your life?

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4. What is the difference between “working hard” and “working smart?”

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© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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5. How do the top three percent of people in every industry view themselves?

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6. How much of your mental power do you think you use on a daily basis?

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7. How do successful people approach every goal they set for themselves?

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8. What is the key determinant of your income throughout your life?

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© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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Thinking Big

The true measures of success are emotional. They are higher levels of self-esteem,
self-respect and personal pride.

There are several things that you can do, every day, to expand your mind and your thinking,
to increase your levels of self-esteem, self-respect and personal pride.

1. Dream big dreams – allow yourself to dream and to create a wonderful

vision for your future life.

a) Imagine no limitations – write out your dream list!

b) Practice “back from the future thinking” – project forward

and then think back to the present;

c) Create your own “five-year fantasy.”

21 Do what you love and the money will follow.

a) Identify your unique talents and abilities;

b) What has always been easy for you to learn and easy for you to do?

c) What activities in your life give you the greatest feelings of self-esteem,
self-respect and personal pride?

3. Whatever your job, view yourself as “self employed.”

a) Make a plan to join the top 10 percent in your field;

b) Determine your “area of excellence;”

c) Plan your life and your activities strategically for maximum “return on energy.”

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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4. In order for you to earn more, you must learn more.

a) The more you learn, the greater freedom you have;

b) Top people today “know more” than the average person;

c) Knowledge and skill are the keys to the 21st century.

5. Dedicate yourself to serving others.

a) There is a direct relationship between your results and your rewards;

b) Your income will always be in proportion to the value of your services;

c) The key? Always do more than you are paid for. Go the extra mile!

6. Develop a reputation as a hard worker.

a) Work all the time you work!

b) Use the “40 Plus” formula;

c) Develop a reputation for speed and dependability in everything you do.

7. Develop decisiveness to overcome procrastination.

a) Analyze your activities and set clear priorities;

b) Choose your most valuable task;

c) Get started and concentrate single-mindedly until the job is complete.

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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8. Unlock your mental powers and your imagination.

a) Become an unshakable optimist. Be solution-oriented rather than

problem-oriented;

b) Once you have a goal, always ask how it can be achieved;

c) Visualize your goal as a reality to trigger further ideas.

9. Develop personal power to overcome obstacles.

a) Self-mastery, self-control and self-discipline lie at the core of

personal power;

b) Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do,

when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not;

c) Self-discipline is the common denominator of all successful people;

d) Persistence is self-discipline in action. It builds self-esteem,

self-respect and personal pride.

10 . Successful people practice the three keys to success every day.

a) Goal-orientation: know exactly what you want;

b) Result-orientation: focus continually on your highest-value activities;

c) Action-orientation: take action–this is the number one quality of

high achievers.

There are no limits on what you can accomplish once you start thinking big and putting
your thoughts into action. Just do it!

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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Action Exercises

1. What three goals would you dare to dream for yourself if you knew you
could not fail?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

2. What are the three most valuable things you do in your work, the activities that
contribute the greatest value?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

3. If you were made the President of your company for one day, and you could do
anything, what three changes or decisions would you make?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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4. What three parts of your work gives you your highest “return on energy?”

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

5. What three additional skills or abilities could you develop that would enable you to
increase the value of what you do?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

6. In what three ways could you continually “go the extra mile” to increase the value
of your service to your company and your customers?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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7. What are three distinct advantages you gain when you practice the
“40 Plus Formula” in your work?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

8. What are the three advantages you gain by practicing solution-orientation in your
work rather than problem-orientation?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

9. Give three self-limiting thoughts or ideas that you have about yourself or your
work that might be holding you back?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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What one action are you going to take immediately as the result of what you have learned
in this lesson?

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© Brian Tracy. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without the written permission of Brian Tracy.

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