Thinking big is good for everyone

Don't be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams.

-- Author Unknown

I shared with a group of friends that I was reading The Think Big Manifesto and asked what they were thinking big about. The responses were interesting. "Writing a book," one person said. For another it was education. And here is one response many of us think about: happiness. Reading the book and asking others what they were thinking big about resulted from reading a post on marketing expert and author Seth Godin's blog.

"If you need a push to think bigger today and tomorrow, here it is," Godin wrote, referring to the new book by Michael Port, The Think Big Manifesto: Think you can't change your life (and the world)? Think again. He made it easy by providing a link to the book. In a few minutes I had downloaded it and joined the Think Big Revolution.

"Every year, millions of people fall victim to a debilitating disease -- a disease that cripples careers, destroys relationships, and undermines the health and happiness of the entire world," writes Port. "It has had no name until now -- it's called small thinking. Its hallmarks are a failure of imagination and a disbelief in human possibility."

Port is all about challenging people to think big.

So what does it take to do that? A revolution. That's one reason Port has also created what he describes as a meeting place for big thinkers, The Think Big Revolution Web site, www.thinkbigrevolution.com. He encourages you to think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world. No one owns big thinking, the site states.

According to Port, "it takes a personal revolution to stop accepting what is and start energetically creating what is possible. You can't wait until later to do big things. It's up to you to achieve your dreams, to head in the right direction, and to keep your focus." It is about being intentional and expanding your idea of what's possible and moving toward it.

Small thinking to him reflects an attitude that "you've waited too long, that there's no point anyway, or that it's too late." In other words, you have accepted what is. You have given up.

A friend recently shared an example that I believe illustrates thinking big -- that is, thinking in a different way. It was such an interesting idea. Her church took a large bed sheet and attached it to a wall as a place to write and record prayers. "The prayer project lasted six months during which time people could write words (prayers requested or answered), draw pictures or visions, offer thoughts or inspiration," she explained. "It was a big graffiti board to God." She went on to share how amazing and uplifting it was to participate.

She is now thinking about doing the same thing for her office by creating a "thinking big" sheet to capture her thoughts, ideas and aspirations. And the trainers attending a refresher course where she talked about the "prayer sheet" are thinking about how that idea can be used with participants in training classes.

Big thinking is contagious, says Port.

Here is what some members of the Think Big Revolution site are thinking bigger about: One person wants to think bigger in all aspects of her life -- socially, morally, spiritually and financially. She is not limiting her thinking. A friend who joined the revolution wants to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect. An executive is thinking about specific strategies for improving society. He is focused.

A dentist thinks big about providing dental care to the underserved both in the United States and around the world. And he is making it happen. Another person I know is thinking big about one thing, God.

I have been thinking about an important issue that affects our community. A planning committee has started the process of developing a community approach to help youth transitioning from foster care. I have started a discussion on the Think Big Revolution site aimed at improving the foster-care experience and outcomes.

According to Port, "the only thing holding you back from taking the risks you need to succeed at what you want is your own small thinking." What should you be thinking bigger about today?

■ Nigel Alston is a Dale Carnegie trainer and motivational speaker who lives in Winston-Salem. He can be reached at nalston1@triad.rr.com.