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Thinking big vs. Thinking small
By Scott Fusco | September 10, 2007
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Is it better to think big or think small? Is there one clear-cut winner or does it depend on personal preference? How do you know when to think big and when to think small? These are the questions that this post aims to explore.
First of all, as a coach, I am an advocate of not only big, but HUGE thinking. Big thinking is great because it returns us to that imaginative, childlike, playful state of creation.
Remember that everything that we conceive and create starts in our imagination. This is why Einstein said: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Because if we never take the time to imagine or consider the creative possibilities, we will never be able to create anything new.
So if imagination is the prerequisite to creation, then the question becomes “which mindset most easily gets us into this creative mode?” And that mindset is one in which we think big. We dream. We conceive of what has never been conceived before.
I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about thinking big and living in a state of awareness in which you conceive only of possibilities and no limitations. The reason I do this is because if you are going to carry around with you for your entire life a level of awareness - that is, the collection of your beliefs-, and bring that level of awareness into everything that you perceive and everything that you experience in this world, then why would you ever want that level of awareness to be anything other than completely open, free, and infinite?
How could you ever expect to conceive of any new or great ideas or solutions if you carry around with you an awareness that is full of limitations? The very act of creation is transcending perceived limitations.
The easiest solutions flow to a mind that is creative and limitless, not one that has to operate under a lot of rules. The more rules you place upon your thinking, the less freedom you have. And the less freedom you have, the less creative you think.
And the less creative you think, the less resourceful you become. It is difficult to be resourceful when you have to account for this, this, and that to be satisfied in order to solve a problem.
What I am edging around without directly pointing out is that your scope of thinking acts as a filter through which you perceive and interpret your experiences in this world. If you are always thinking small, then you miss out on something much larger or potentially much easier. And the greatest danger for all of us is not that we fail but that we miss out on too many opportunities.
If your greatest ambition is to open a retail store that operates on a street corner, then you miss out on all of the potential business on the internet or overseas. If your greatest ambition is to get a 3% raise, then you miss out on the opportunity of trying to double, triple, or quadruple your current income. And more importantly, you also cheat yourself of the entire creative process of trying to manifest how accomplishing these feats is even possible. By failing to challenge yourself in this manner, you keep your awareness of what is possible lower than it could be.
How many people can you think of that have said this: “If only I had bought Google’s stock in 2004.” Don’t be that guy.
And these examples highlight the biggest problem with thinking small - simply put, the opportunity cost of failing to think big is too great. As has been documented by many psychologists, our awareness and our thoughts shape our perceptions about the world. If you are always thinking small, then you will never see all the opportunity that is in front of you every day. That opportunity is there whether or not you perceive it.
And the way to begin to perceive these opportunities that have been there all along is by shifting you awareness level to one that is more open, free, and infinite.
So in terms of living your life and setting a vision for yourself of what is possible, you want to think big. You want to dream. You don’t want to limit anything. That said, there are times when thinking small has been very valuable in my own experience.
For me personally, thinking small works great when I am not at my best- mentally, physically, spiritually or emotionally. If I am really struggling for whatever reason, then as long as I keep focusing on doing one task at a time, then I keep moving forward. And I might start with really simple tasks and then eventually get to more challenging tasks. But in this way, I can use thinking small as a tool to get my confidence back up and keep my attention in the moment versus further wallowing in whatever negative resistance I am currently experiencing (be it mental, physical, spiritual, or emotional).
This is really the same advice that any sports athlete says after they get interviewed after a game - “I just take it one game at a time.” In other words, as a baseball player for example, you can’t worry about what is going to happen in October when it is April. What is most important to that ball player, and to us, is to think big and implement small. The ball player sets his vision towards a world series in October, but he sets his attention on the only certainty that we have - this moment, this day, this game, this at-bat, etc.
We want to apply this same principle in our lives. The only certainty we have is that we have this moment in time. We really should make the best of it. And thinking small helps us do that.
So if you are tackling some huge project such as starting a business or switching careers, it is really easy to be overwhelmed by the enormous scope of the project that you are undertaking. If you find this happening to you, think in the now, think small. Start with simple tasks and build your confidence.
However, let the vision of your company (or your life, or whatever) be one that is generated from big thinking.
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Related Posts:
- How thoughts create reality
- How negative thoughts spiral out of control
- Knowing when to follow your heart vs your mind
- Self-help? No thanks, I don’t need help
- Useless rules and restrictions
Topics: Awareness-Consciousness, Business-Career, Decision Making, Emotional Intelligence, Inspiration, Limiting Beliefs, Logic-Intelligence, Motivation, Personal Development, Productivity, Shifts, Time Management |
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Thanks Scott, you do have a good blog going on here.
I used to be great at working with the small details (planning events etc.) Now? I don’t know how or when this exactly happened but I find myself at a complete loss on the organization side but my creative and thinking-big mentality has improved dramatically. It’s a great feeling to have ideas constantly going through your head….
Now, I just wish I could get back to the small steps!
Posted by: Jane Porter on October 16th, 2007 at 12:48 pmHey Jane,
It’s great that you are aware of what your natural strengths are. Simply having that awareness will help you decide which projects to take on, which projects to let others manage, and how to most effectively spend your time.
One of the simplest ways to get back to the small steps is to spend a few minutes a day prioritizing what you absolutely want to get done for that day.
Write down one or two things that you want to do for the day and then ask “what are the first steps to get me from point A to point B?” Doing this keeps you focused versus being reactive to all the stimuli that comes up during a typical day.
Good luck and keep the good stuff going on your blog!
Posted by: Scott Fusco on October 16th, 2007 at 4:36 pmHi Scott,
I believe both thinking big and small has its place.
How do you draw the parallel between this and the Stockdale Paradox?
Posted by: Roger Loh on October 20th, 2007 at 5:10 amRoger,
I am not sure what the parallel is, but I do thank you for posting that because the Stockdale paradox is very profound and useful.
I will definitely be writing about it myself at some point.
Posted by: Scott Fusco on October 22nd, 2007 at 9:37 pmHi Scott,
I’m glad I stumbled on this post, very interesting - the crux of it for me lies in the vision being focused on the goal or outcome and the attention focused on what it currently being experienced.
I’m looking forward to having a nosey around the rest of your posts.
Kind regards,
Dan O’Neil
Posted by: Dan O'Neil on October 27th, 2007 at 3:28 am[…] Fusco presents Thinking big vs. Thinking small posted at Personal development coaching | Scott Fusco . […]
Posted by: pinkblocks - personal power and self help » Blog Carnival on Personal Power October 27 2007 on October 29th, 2007 at 4:16 amHi Scott - I just found your blog - and grabbing your feed as we speak. I also write about topics such as the big picture and others that I see on your blog. If you like, please stop by as I think we write in a similar way… Thanks and Best of life! Vern
Posted by: Vern at Aim for Awesome on November 3rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm