The magic of thinking big

The magic of thinking big 

1. Believe You Can Succeed and You Will

2. Cure Yourself of Excusitis, the Failure Disease

3. Build Confidence and Destroy Fear

4. How to Think Big

5. How to Think and Dream Creatively

6. You Are What You Think You Are

7. Manage Your Environment: Go First Class

8. Make Your Attitudes Your Allies

9. Think Right Toward People

10. Get the Action Habit

11. How to Turn Defeat into Victory

12. Use Goals to Help You Grow

13. How to Think like a Leader

Launch Yourself to Success with the Power of Belief 9

Win Success by Believing You Can Succeed 19

Defeat Disbelief and the Negative Power It Creates 12

Get Big Results by Believing Big 14

Make Your Mind Produce Positive Thoughts 18

Develop the Power of Belief 20

Plan a Concrete Success-Building Program 22

Vaccinate Yourself Against Excusitis, the Failure Disease 29

Learn the Secret That Lies in Your Attitude Toward Health 27

Take Four Positive Steps to Lick Health Excusitis 31

Discover Why Your Thinking Power Is More Important Than Mere Intelligence 32

Use Your Mind for Thinking Not Simply as a Warehouse for Facts 37

Master Three Easy Ways to Cure Intelligence Excusitis 38

Overcome the Problem of Age Being "Too Young," or "Too Old" 39

Conquer Luck Excusitis and Attract Good Luck to You 45

Fear and Build Confidence 50

Use the Action Technique to Cure

Manage Your Memory so as to Increase Your Store of Confi- dence 55

Overcome Your Fear of Other People 61

Increase Self-confidence by Satisfy- ing Your Own Conscience 64

Think Confidently by Acting Confi- dently 68

Learn the Five Positive Steps to Build Confidence and Destroy Fear 74

Discover That Success Is Measured

by the Size of Your Thinking 76

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Measure Your True Size and Find Out What Assets You Have 77

Think as Big as You Really Are 79

Develop the Big Thinker's Vocabu- lary with These Four Specific Steps 81

Think Big by Visualizing What Can Be Done in the Future

Add Value to Things, to People, and to Yourself 89

Get the "Thinking Big" View of Your Job 90

Think Above Trivialities and Con- centrate on What's Important. 77

Test Yourself Find Out How Big Your Thinking Really Is

Use Creative Thinking to Find New and Better Ways to Get Things Done 100

Develop Creative Power by Believ- ing It Can Be Done 105

Fight Mind-Freezing Traditional Thinking 106

Do More and Do It Better by Turn- ing on Your Creative Power 107

Use the Three Keys to Strengthen- ing Creativity by Opening Your Ears and Your Mind 118

Stretch Your Thinking and Stimu- late Your Mind 118

Harness and Develop Your Ideas the Fruit of Your Think- ing 120

Look Important, Because It Helps You Think Important 127

Become Important by Thinking Your Work Is Important 132

Build Your Own "Sell-Yourself-to- Yourself" Commercial 141

Upgrade Your Thinking Think Like Important People Think 144

Make Your Environment Work for You 117

Prevent Small People from Holding You Back 151

Manage Your Work Environment 154

Get Plenty of Psychological Sun- shine During Leisure Hours 157

Throw Thought Poison Out of Your Enviroument 161

Go First Class in Everything You Do 163

Grow the Attitudes That Will Help You Win What You Want 168 Get Activated; Get Enthusiastic

168

Develop the Power of Real Enthusi- asm 169

Grow the "You-Are-Important" Attitude 177

Make More Money by Getting the "Put-Service-First" Attitude 186

Win the Support of Other People by Thinking Right Toward Them 192

Become More Likable by Making Yourself "Lighter to Lift" 194

Take the Initiative in Building Friendships 197

Master the Technique of Think-

ing Only Good Thoughts About People 202

Win Friends by Practicing Conver- sation Generosity 207

Think Big, Even When You Lose or

Receive a Setback

209

Get the Action Habit You Don't

Need to Wait Until Conditions Are Perfect 212

Make Up Your Mind to Do Some- thing About Your Ideas. 221

Use Action to Cure Fear and Gain Confidence 222

Discover the Secret of Mind Action 223

Capitalize on the Magic of NOW 226

Strengthen Yourself by Getting the "Speak Up" Habit 228

Develop Initiative, a Special Kind of Action 229

Discover That Defeat Is Nothing More Than a State of Mind 236

Salvage Something from Every Set- back 237

Use the Force of Constructive Self- criticism 243

Achieve Positive Results Through Persistence and Experimenta- tion 245

Whip Discouragement by Finding the Good Side to Every Situa- tion 249

Get a Clear Fix on Where You Want to Go in Life 252

Use This Plan to Build Your Ten- Year Goal 255

Avoid the Five Success-Murdering Weapons 259

Multiply Your Energy by Setting Definite Goals 260

Set Goals That Will Help You Get Things Done and Live Longer 261

Accomplish Your Goals with This 30-Day Improvement Guide 268

Invest in Yourself for Future Profit 270

Learn the Four Rules of Leader- ship 275

Develop Your Power to Trade Minds with the People You Want to Influence 280

Put the "Be-Human" Approach to Work for You 282

Think Progress, Believe in Progress, Push for Progress 288

Test Yourself to Learn Whether You Are a Progressive Thinker 293

Tap Your Supreme Thinking Power 295

Use the Magic of Thinking Big in Life's Most Crucial Situations 300

HOW TO DEVELOP THE POWER OF BELIEF

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Here are the three guides to acquiring and strengthening the power of belief:

1. Think success, don't think failure. At work, in your home, substitute success thinking for failure thinking. When you face a difficult situation, think, "I'll win," not "I'll probably

lose." When you compete with someone else, think, "I'm equal to the best," not "I'm 'outclassed." When opportunity appears, think "I can do it," never "I can't." Let the master thought "I will succeed" dominate your thinking process. Thinking success conditions your mind to create plans that produce success. Thinking failure does the exact opposite. Failure thinking conditions the mind to think other thoughts that produce failure.

2. Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not supermen. Success does not require a superintellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. And success isn't based on luck. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never yes, neversell yourself short.

3. Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achieve- ments. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier--certainly no more difficult-than small ideas and small plans.

1. Refuse to talk about your health.

2.

Refuse to worry about your health.

3. Be genuinely grateful that your health is as as good as it is.

4. Remind yourself often

1. We underestimate our own brainpower.

2. We overestimate the other fellow's brainpower.

Three Ways to Cure Intelligence Excusitis

Three easy ways to cure intelligence excusitis are:

1. Never underestimate your own intelligence, and never overestimate the intelligence of others. Don't sell yourself

short. Concentrate on your assets. Discover your superior talents. Remember, it's not how many brains you've got that matters. Rather, it's how you use your brains that counts. Manage your brains instead of worrying about how much IQ you've got.

2. Remind yourself several times daily, "My attitudes are more important than my intelligence." At work and at home practice positive attitudes. See the reasons why you can do it, not the reasons why you can't. Develop an "I'm winning" attitude. Put your intelligence to creative positive use. Use it to find ways to win, not to prove you will lose.

3.

Remember that the ability to think is of much greater value than the ability to memorize facts. Use your mind to create and develop ideas, to find new and better ways to do things. Ask yourself, "Am I using my mental ability to make history, or am I using it merely to record history made by others

1. Accept the law of cause and effect.

2. Don't be a wishful thinker

TYPE OF FEAR

1. Embarrassment because of personal appearance.

2. Fear of losing an important

customer.

3. Fear of failing an examination.

4. Fear of things totally beyond your control.

5. Fear of being physically hurt by something you can't con- trol, such as a tornado or an airplane out of control.

6. Fear of what other people may think and say.

7. Fear of making an investment or purchasing a home.

8. Fear of people.

ACTION

Improve it. Go to a barbershop

or beauty salon. Shine your shoes. Get your clothes cleaned and pressed. In general, prac- tice better grooming. It doesn't always take new clothes.

Work doubly hard to give better service. Correct anything that may have caused customers to lose confidence in you.

Convert worry time into study time.

Turn your attention to helping to relieve the fear of others.

Pray.

Switch your attention to some- thing totally different. Go out into your yard and pull up weeds. Play with your children. Go to a movie.

Make sure that what you plan to do is right. Then do it. No one ever does anything worthwhile for which he is not criticized.

Analyze all factors. Then be decisive. Make a decision and stick with it. Trust your own judgment.

Put them in proper perspective. Remember, the other person is just another human being pretty much like yourself

1. Isolate your fear. Pin it down. Determine exactly what you are afraid of.

2. Then take action. There is some kind of action for any kind of fear.

And remember, hesitation only enlarges, magnifies the fear. Take action promptly. Be decisive.

1. Get a balanced view of the other fellow.

2. Develop an understarding attitude

PUT THESE FIVE PROCEDURES TO WORK FOR YOU

1. Action cures fear. Isolate your fear and then take construc- tive action. Inaction-doing nothing about a situation strengthens fear and destroys confidence.

2. Make a supreme effort to put only positive thoughts in your memory bank. Don't let negative, self-deprecatory thoughts grow into mental monsters. Simply refuse to recall unpleasant events or situations.

3. Put people in proper perspective. Remember, people are more alike, much more alike, than they are different. Get a balanced view of the other fellow. He is just another human being. And develop an understanding attitude. Many people will bark, but it's a rare one who bites.

4. Practice doing what your conscience tells you is right. This prevents a poisonous guilt complex from developing. Doing what's right is a very practical rule for success.

5. Make everything about you say, "I'm confident, really con- fident." Practice these little techniques in your day-to-day activities:

Be a front seater.

Make eye contact. Walk 25 percent faster. Speak up. Smile big

1. Determine your five chief assets. Invite some objective friend to help possibly your wife, your superior, a profes- sor-some intelligent person who will give you an honest opinion. (Examples of assets frequently listed are educa- tion, experience, technical skills, appearance, well-adjusted home life, attitudes, personality, initiative.)

2. Next, under each asset, write the names of three persons you know who have achieved large success but who do not have this asset to as great a degree as you

PHRASES THAT CREATE SMALL, PHRASES THAT CREATE BIG, NEGATIVE MIND IMAGES POSITIVE MIND IMAGES

1. It's no use, we're whipped.

2. I was in that business once and failed. Never again.

3.

I've tried but the product won't sell. People don't want it.

We're not whipped yet. Let's keep trying. Here's a new angle.

I went broke but it was my own fault. I'm going to try again.

So far I've not been able to sell this product. But I know it is good and I'm going to find the formula that will put it over.

PHRASES THAT CREATE SMALL, PHRASES THAT CREATE BIG,

NEGATIVE MIND IMAGES

4. The market is saturated. Imagine, 75 percent of the potential has already been sold. Better get out.

5. Their orders have been small. Cut them off.

6. Five years is too long a time to spend before I'll get into the top ranks in your com- pany. Count me out.

7. The competition has all the advantage. How do you expect me to sell against them?

8. Nobody will ever want that product.

9. Let's wait until a recession comes along, then buy stocks.

10. I'm too young (old) for the job.

11. It won't work, let me prove it. The image: dark, gloom, disappointment, grief, failure.

POSITIVE MIND IMAGES

Imagine, 25 percent of the mar- ket is still not sold. Count me in. This looks big!

Their orders have been small. Let's map out a plan for selling them more of their needs.

Five years is not really a long time. Just think, that leaves me thirty years to serve at a high level.

Competition is strong. There's no denying that, but no one ever has all the advantages. Let's put our heads together and figure out a way to beat them at their own game.

In its present form, it may not be salable, but let's consider some modifications.

Let's invest now. Bet on pros- perity, not depression. Being young (old) is a distinct advantage.

It will work, let me prove it. The image: bright, hope, suc- cess, fun, victory.

1.

Practice adding value to things.

2. Practice adding value to people.

3. Practice adding value to yourself.

SITUATION

Expense accounts

1.

1. Figures out

Conversation

2.

ΤHE PEΤΤΥ THINKER'S APPROACH

ways to increase income through chiseling on expense accounts.

Talks about the negative qualities of his friends, the economy, his company, the competition.

THE BIG THINKER'S APPROACH

Figures out ways to increase income by selling more merchan- dise.

2. Talks about the positive qualities of his friends, his company, the competition.

SITUATION

Progress

Future

Work

Competition

Budget problems

Goals

Goals vision

Security

Companionship

3.

THE PETTY THINKER'S APPROACH

Believes in retrenchment or at best the status quo.

4. Views the future as limited.

5. Looks for ways to avoid work.

6. Competes with the average.

7.

Figures out ways to save money by cutting down on necessary items.

8. Sets goals low.

9. Sees only the short run.

10. Is preoccupied with security problems.

11. Surrounds him- self with petty thinkers.

THE BIG THINKER'S APPROACH

3. Believes in expansion.

4. Sees the future as very promising.

5. Looks for more

6.

7.

ways and things to do, especially helping others.

Competes with the best.

Figures out

ways to increase

income and buy

more of the

necessary items.

8. Sets goals high.

9. Is preoccupied with the long run.

10. Regards security as a natural com- panion of success.

11. Surrounds him-

self with persons with large, pro- gressive ideas.

Mistakes

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12. Magnifies minor

errors. Turns

them into big

issues.

T

12. Ignores errors

of little conse-

quence.

REMEMBER, IT PAYS IN EVERY WAY

TO THINK BIG!

1. Don't sell yourself short. Conquer the crime of self-depre- cation. Concentrate on your assets. You're better than you think you are.

2. Use the big thinker's vocabulary. Use big, bright, cheerful words. Use words that promise victory, hope, happiness, pleasure; avoid words that create unpleasant images of fail- ure, defeat, grief.

3. Stretch your vision. See what can be, not just what is. Practice adding value to things, to people, and to yourself.

4. Get the big view of your job. Think, really think your pres- ent job is important. That next promotion depends mostly on how you think toward your present job.

5. Think above trivial things. Focus your attention on big objectives. Before getting involved in a petty matter, ask yourself, "Is it really important?"

Grow big by thinking big!

Believe it can be done. That's basic to creative thinking. Here are suggestions to help you develop creative power through belief:

1. Eliminate the word impossible from your thinking and speaking vocabularies. Impossible is a failure word. The thought "It's impossible" sets off a chain reaction of other thoughts to prove you're right.

2.

"Think of something special you've been wanting to do but felt you couldn't. Now make a list of reasons why you can do it. Many of us whip and defeat our desires simply because we concentrate on why we can't when the only thing worthy of our mental concentration is why we can.

1. Become receptive to ideas.

2. Be an experimental person.

3.

If your work is in distribution, develop an interest in production, accounting, finance, and the other elements of business. This gives you breadth and prepares you for larger responsibilities.

Be progressive, not regressive.

1. Don't let ideas escape

2. Next, review your ideas.

3.

Cultivate and fertilize your idea.

USE THESE TOOLS AND THINK CREATIVELY

1. Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.

Eliminate "impossible," "won't work," "can't do," "no use trying" from your thinking and speaking vocabularies.

2. Don't let tradition paralyze your mind. Be receptive to new ideas. Be experimental. Try new approaches. Be progressive in everything you do.

3. Ask yourself daily, "How can I do better?" There is no limit to self-improvement. When you ask yourself, "How can I do better?" sound answers will appear. Try it and see.

4.

Ask yourself, "How can I do more?" Capacity is a state of mind. Asking yourself this question puts your mind to work to find intelligent shortcuts. The success combination in business is: Do what you do better (improve the quality of your output), and: Do more of what you do (increase the quantity of your output).

5. Practice asking andlistening. Ask and listen, and you'll obtain raw material for reaching sound decisions. Remember: Big people monopolize the listening; small people monopolize the talking.

6. Stretch your mind. Get stimulated. Associate with people who can help you think of new ideas, new ways of doing things. Mix with people of different occupational and social interests

How you think determines how you act.

How you act in turn determines:

How others react to you.

A person who thinks his job is important Receives mental signals on how to do his job better; And a better job means

More promotions, more money, more prestige, more hap- piness.

Here are two suggestions for getting others to do more for you:

1. Always show positive attitudes toward your job so that your subordinates will "pick up" right thinking.

2. As you approach your job each day, ask yourself, "Am I worthy in every respect of being imitated? Are all my habits such that I would be glad to see them in my subordi- nates

HOW AM ITHINKING? CHECKLIST

SITUATION

1. When I worry

2. An idea

3. My appearance

4. My language

5. What I read

6. Conversation

ASK YOURSELF

this?

Would an important person worry about

Would the most successful person I know be disturbed about this? What would an important person do if he had this idea?

Do I look like someone who has maxi- mum self-respect?

Am I using the language of successful people?

Would an important person read this? Is this something successful people would discuss?

SITUATION

7. When I lose my temper

8. My jokes

ASK YOURSELF

Would an important person get mad at what I'm mad at?

Is this the kind of joke an important per- son would tell?

How does an important person describe his job to others?

In a nutshell, remember:

9. My job

Cement in your mind the question "Is this the way an important person does it?" Use this question to make you a big- ger, more successful person.

1. Look important; it helps you think important. Your appear- ance talks to you. Be sure it lifts your spirits and builds your confidence. Your appearance talks to others. Make certain it says, "Here is an important person: intelligent, prosper- ous, and dependable."

2. Think your work is important. Think this way, and you will receive mental signals on how to do your job better. Think your work is important, and your subordinates will think their work is important too.

3. Give yourself a pep talk several times daily. Build a "sell- yourself-to-yourself" commercial. Remind yourself at every opportunity that you're a first-class person.

4. In all of life's situations, ask yourself, "Is this the way an important person thinks?" Then obey the answer.

First group: Those who surrendered completely.

Second group: Those who surrendered partially.

1. Do circulate in new groups.

2. Do select friends who have views different from your own.

3. Do select friends who stand above petty, unimportant things.

1. Do I spread rumors about other people?

2. Do I always have good things to say about others?

3. Do I like to hear reports of a scandal?

4. Do I judge others only on the basis of facts?

5. Do I encourage others to bring their rumors to me?

6. Do I precede my conversations with "Don't tell anybody"?

7. Do I keep confidential information confidential?

The right answers are obvious.

8. Do I feel guilty about what I say concerning other people?

MAKE YOUR ENVIRONMENT MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL

1. Be environment-conscious. Just as body diet makes the body, mind diet makes the mind.

2. Make your environment work for you, not against you. Don't let suppressive forces the negative, you-can't-do-it people-make you think defeat.

3. Don't let small-thinking people hold you back. Jealous people want to see you stumble. Don't give them that satis- faction.

4. Get your advice from successful people. Your future is important. Never risk it with freelance advisors who are living failures.

5. Get plenty of psychological sunshine. Circulate in new groups. Discover new and stimulating things to do.

6. Throw thought poison out of your environment. Avoid gossip. Talk about people, but stay on the positive side.

7. Go first class in everything you do. You can't afford to go any other way.

Grow these three attitudes. Make them your allies in every- thing you do.

1. Grow the attitude of I'm activated.

2. Grow the attitude of You are important.

Now let's see how.

3. Grow the attitude of Service first.

Money seeds, of course, grow money. Plant service and harvest money.

Spend some time each day answering this question: "How can I give more than is expected of me?" Then apply the

answers.

Put service first, and money takes care of itself.

In quick recap, grow attitudes that will carry you forward

to success.

1. Grow the "I'm activated" attitude. Results come in propor- tion to the enthusiasm invested. Three things to do to acti- vate yourself are:

Dig into it deeper. When you find yourself unin- terested in something, dig in and learn more about it. This sets off enthusiasm.

Life up everything about you: your smile, your handshake, your talk, even your walk. Act alive.

Broadcast good news. No one ever accomplished anything positive telling bad news.

2. Grow the "You are important" attitude. People do more for you when you make them feel important. Remember to do these things:

3.

Show appreciation at every opportunity. Make people feel important. Call people by name.

Grow the "Service first" attitude, and watch money take care of itself. Make it a rule in everything you do: give people more than they expect to get.

1. Learn to remember names. Inefficiency at this point may indicate that your interest is not sufficiently outgoing

2. Be a comfortable person so there is no strain in being with you. Be an old-shoe kind of individual.

3. Acquire the quality of relaxed easy-going so that things do not ruffle you.

4. Don't be egotistical. Guard against the impression that you know it all.

5. Cultivate the quality of being interesting so people will get something of value from their association with you.

6. Study to get the "scratchy" elements out of your personal- ity, even those of which you may be unconscious.

7. Sincerely attempt to heal, on an honest basis, every mis- understanding you have had or now have. Drain off your grievances.

8. Practice liking people until you learn to do so genuinely.

9. Never miss an opportunity to say a word of congratulation upon anyone's achievement, or express sympathy in sor- row or disappointment.

10. Give spiritual strength to people, and they will give genu- ine affection to you.

Here are six ways to win friends by exercising just a little initiative:

1. Introduce yourself to others at every possible opportu- nity-at parties, meetings, on airplanes, at work, every- where.

2. Be sure the other person gets your name straight.

3. Be sure you can pronounce the other person's name the way he pronounces it.

4.

Write down the other person's name, and be mighty sure you have it spelled correctly; people have a fetish about

the correct spelling of their own names! If possible, get his address and phone number, also.

Drop a personal note or make a phone call to the new friends you feel you want to know better. This is an impor- tant point. Most successful people follow through on new friends with a letter or a phone call.

6. And last but not least, say pleasant things to strangers. It warms you up and gets you ready for the task ahead

1. Recognize the fact that no person is perfect.

2. Recognize the fact that the other fellow has a right to be differ- ent.

3. Don't be a reformer.

1. Conversation generosity wins friends.

Let me illustrate.

2. Conversation generosity helps you learn more about peo- ple.

Remember Benjamin Fairless when things go wrong. Just do two things:

1. Ask yourself, "What can I do to make myself more deserv- ing of the next opportunity?"

2. Don't waste time and energy being discouraged. Don't berate yourself. Plan to win next time.

IN A CAPSULE, PUT THESE PRINCIPLES TO WORK 1. Make yourself lighter to lift. Be likable. Practice being the kind of person people like. This wins their support and puts fuel in your success-building program.

2. Take the initiative in building friendships. Introduce your- self to others at every opportunity. Make sure you get the other person's name straight, and make certain he gets your name straight too. Drop a personal note to your new friends you want to get to know better.

3. Accept human differences and limitations. Don't expect anyone to be perfect. Remember, the other person has a right to be different. And don't be a reformer.

4.

Tune in Channel P, the Good Thoughts Station. Find quali- ties to like and admire in a person, not things to dislike. And don't let others prejudice your thinking about a third person. Think positive thoughts towards people and get positive results.

5. Practice conversation generosity. Be like successful people. Encourage others to talk. Let the other person talk to you about his views, his opinions, his accomplishments.

6. Practice courtesy all the time. It makes other people feel better. It makes you feel better too.

7.

Don't blame others when you receive a setback. Remember, how you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win.

1. Use the mechanical way to accomplish simple but some- times unpleasant business and household chores. Rather than think about the unpleasant features of the task, jump right in and get going without a lot of deliberation.

2. Next, use the mechanical way to create ideas, map out plans, solve problems, and do other work that requires top mental performance. Rather than wait for the spirit to move you, sit down and move your spirit.

GROW THE ACTION HABIT

Practice these key points:

1. Be an activationist. Be someone who does things. Be a doer, not a don't-er.

2. Don't wait until conditions are perfect. They never will be. Expect future obstacles and difficulties and solve them as they arise.

3. Remember, ideas alone won't bring success. Ideas have value only when you act upon them.

4. Use action to cure fear and gain confidence. Do what you fear, and fear disappears. Just try it and see.

5. Start your mental engine mechanically. Don't wait for the spirit to move you. Take action, dig in, and you move the spirit.

6. Think in terms of now. Tomorrow, next week, later, and similar words often are synonymous with the failure word, never. Be an "I'm starting right now" kind of person.

7. Get down to business pronto. Don't waste time getting ready to act. Start acting instead.

8. Seize the initiative. Be a crusader. Pick up the ball and run. Be a volunteer. Show that you have the ability and ambi- tion to do.

Get in gear and go!

IN QUICK REVIEW

The difference between success and failure is found in one's atti- tudes toward setbacks, handicaps, discouragements, and other disappointing situations.

Five guideposts to help you turn defeat into victory are:

1. Study. setbacks to pave your way to success. When you lose, learn, and then go on to win next time.

2. Have the courage to be your own constructive critic. Seek out your faults and weaknesses and then correct them. This makes you a professional,

3. Stop blaming luck. Research each setback. Find out what went wrong. Remember, blaming luck never got anyone where he wanted to go.

4. Blend persistence with experimentation. Stay with your goal but don't beat your head against a stone wall. Try new approaches. Experiment.

5. Remember, there is a good side in every situation. Find it. See the good side and whip discouragement.

AN IMAGE OF ME, 10. YEARS FROM NOW: 10 YEARS' PLANNING GUIDE

A. Work Department: 10 years from now:

1. What income level do I want to attain?

2. What level of responsibility do I seek?

3. How much authority do I want to command?

4. What prestige do I expect to gain from my work?

B. Home Department: 10 years from now:

1. What kind of standard of living do I want to provide for my family and myself?

2. What kind of house do I want to live in?

3. What kind of vacations do I want to take?

4. What financial support do I want to give my children in their early adult years?

C. Social Department: 10 years from now:

1. What kinds of friends do I want to have?

2. What social groups do I want to join?

3. What community leadership positions would I like to hold?

4. What worthwhile causes do I want to champion?

Destroy them. They're dangerous.

1. Self-depreciation

2. "Security-itis.

3. Competition

4.

Parental dictation.

5. Family responsibility.

THIRTY-DAY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE

Between now and I will

A. Break these habits: (suggestions)

1. Putting off things.

2. Negative language.

3. Watching TV more than 60 minutes per day.

4. Gossip.

B. Acquire these habits: (suggestions)

1. A rigid morning examination of my appearance.

2. Plan each day's work the night before.

3. Compliment people at every possible opportunity.

C. Increase my value to my employer in these ways: (sugges- tions)

1. Do a better job of developing my subordinates.

2. Learn more about my company, what it does, and the customers it serves.

3. Make three specific suggestions to help my company become more efficient.

D. Increase my value to my home in these ways: (sugges- tions)

1. Show more appreciation for the little things my wife does that I've been taking for granted.

2. Once each week, do something special with my whole family.

3. Give one hour each day of my undivided attention to my family.

E. Sharpen my mind in these ways: (suggestions)

1. Invest two hours each week in reading professional magazines in my field.

2. Read one self-help book.

3. Make four new friends.

4. Spend 30 minutes daily in quiet, undisturbed thinking.

LET'S TAKE ACTION

Now in a quick recap, put these success-building principles to work:

1. Get a clear fix on where you want to go. Create an image of yourself ten years from now.

2. Write out your ten-year plan. Your life is too important to be left to chance. Put down on paper what you want to accomplish in your work, your home, and your social departments..

3. Surrender yourself to your desires. Set goals to get more energy. Set goals to get things done. Set goals and discover the real enjoyment of living.

4. Let your major goal be your automatic pilot. When you let your goal absorb you, you'll find yourself making the right decisions to reach your goal.

5. Achieve your goal one step at a time. Regard each task you perform, regardless of how small it may seem, as a step toward your goal.

6. Build thirty-day goals. Day-by-day effort pays off.

7. Take detours in stride. A detour simply means another route. It should never mean surrendering the goal.

8. Invest in yourself. Purchase those things that build mental power and efficiency. Invest in education. Invest in idea start- ers.

These four leadership rules or principles are:

1. Trade minds with the people you want to influence.

2. Think: What is the human way to handle this?

3. Think progress, believe in progress, push for progress.

4. 'Take time out to confer with yourself and develop your supreme thinking power.

Practicing these rules produces results. Putting them to use in everyday situations takes the mystery out of that gold-plated word, leadership.

PRACTICE TRADING MINDS EXERCISES

SITUATION

1. Giving someone work instruc-

tions

FOR BEST RESULTS, ASK YOURSELF

"Looking at this from the view- point of someone who is new to this, have I made myself clear

SITUATION

2. Writing an advertisement

3. Telephone manners

4. Gift

5. The way I give orders

6. Child discipline

7. My appearance

8. Preparing a speech

9. Entertainment

FOR BEST RESULTS, ASK YOURSELF

"If I were a typical prospective buyer, how would I react to this ad?"

"If I were the other person, what would I think of my telephone voice and man- ners?"

"Is this gift something I would like, or is it something he will like?" (often there is an enor- mous difference)

"Would I like to carry out orders if they were given to me the way I give them to others?"

"If I were the child-considering his age, experience, and emo- tions-how would I react to this discipline?"

"What would I think of my superior if he were dressed like me?"

"Considering the background and interests of the audience, what would I think of this remark?"

"If I were my guests, what kinds of food, music, and entertain- ment would I like best?"

Put the trading minds principle to work for you

1. Consider the other person's situation. Put yourself in his shoes, so to to speak. Remember, his interests, income, intelli gence, and background may differ considerably from yours.

2. Now ask yourself, "If I were in his situation, how would I react to this?" (Whatever it is you want him to do.)

3. Then take the action that would move you if you were the other person.

Practice praising people. Rub people the right way. Be human.

There are two special things you can do to develop your progressive outlook:

1. Think improvement in everything you do.

2. Think high standards in everything you do.

Am I a Progressive Thinker? Checklist

A. Do I Think Progressively Toward My Work?

1. Do I appraise my work with the "how can we do it bet- ter?" attitude?

2. Do I praise my company, the people in it, and the prod- ucts it sells at every possible opportunity

3. Are my personal standards with reference to the quan- tity and quality of my output higher now than three or six months ago?

4. Am I setting an excellent example for my subordinates, associates, and others I work with?

B. Do I Think Progressively Toward My Family?

1. Is my family happier today than it was three or six months ago?

2. Am I following a plan to improve my family's standard of living?

3. Does my family have an ample variety of stimulating activities outside the home?

4. Do I set an example of "a progressive," a supporter of progress, for my children?

C. Do I Think Progressively Toward Myself?

1. Can I honestly say I am a more valuablé person today than three or six months ago?

2. Am I following an organized self-improvement program

to increase my value to others?

3. Do I have forward-looking goals for at least five years in the future?

4. Am I a booster in every organization or group to which I belong?

D. Do I Think Progressively Toward My Community?

1. Have I done anything in the past six months that I hon- estly feel has improved my community (neighborhood, churches, schools, etc.

2. Do I boost worthwhile community projects rather than object, criticize, or complain?

3. Have I ever taken the lead in bringing about some worth-

while improvement in my community?

4. Do I speak well of my neighbors and fellow citizens?

SUMMARY

To be a more effective leader, put these four leader- ship principles to work

1.

Trade minds with the people you want to influence. It's easy to get others to do what you want them to do if you'll see things through their eyes. Ask yourself this question before you act: "What would I think of this if I exchanged places with the other person?"

2. Apply the "Be-Human" rule in your dealings with others. Ask, "What is the human way to handle this?" In everything you do, show that you put other people first. Just give other people the kind of treatment you like to receive. You'll be rewarded.

3.

Think progress, believe in progress, push for progress. Think improvement in everything you do. Think high standards in everything you do. Over a period of time subordinates tend to become carbon copies of their chief. Be sure the master copy is worth duplicating. Make this a personal resolution: "At home, at work, in community life, if it's progress I'm for it."

4. Take time out to confer with yourself and tap your supreme thinking power. Managed solitude pays off. Use it to release your creative power. Use it to find solutions to personal and business problems. So spend some time alone every day just for thinking. Use the thinking technique all great leaders use: confer with yourself.

HOW TO USE THE MAGIC OF THINKING BIG IN LIFE'S MOST CRUCIAL SITUATIONS

There is magic in thinking big. But it is so easy to forget. When you hit some rough spots, there is danger that your thinking will shrink in size. And when it does, you lose.

Below are some brief guides for staying big when you're tempted to use the small approach.

Perhaps you'll want to put these guides on small cards for even handier reference.

A. When Little People Try to Drive You Down, THINK BIG 'To be sure, there are some people who want you to lose, to expe- rience misfortune, to be reprimanded. But these people can't hurt you if you'll remember three things:

1. You win when you refuse to fight petty people. Fighting little people reduces you to their size. Stay big.

2. Expect to be sniped at. It's proof you're growing.

3. Remind yourself that snipers are psychologically sick. Be Big. Feel sorry for them:

Think Big Enough to be immune to the attacks of petty people.

B. When That "I-Haven't-Got-What-It-Takes" Feeling Creeps Up on You, THINK BIG

Remember: if you think you are weak, you are. If you think you're

inadequate, you are. If you think you're second-class, you are.

Whip that natural tendency to sell yourself short with these tools:

1. Look important. It helps you think important. How you

look on the outside has a lot to do with how you feel on the inside.

2. Concentrate on

your yourself commercial and use it. Learn to supercharge yourself. Know your positive self.

3. Put other people in proper perspective. The other person is just another human being, so why be afraid of him?

Think Big Enough to see how good you really are!

C. When an Argument or Quarrel Seems Inevitable, THINK BIG.

Successfully resist the temptation to argue and quarrel by:

1. Asking yourself, "Honestly now, is this thing really important enough to argue about?"

2. Reminding yourself, you never gain anything from an argument but you always lose something.

Think Big Enough to see that quarrels, arguments, feuds, and fusses will never help you get where you want to go.

D. When You Feel Defeated, THINK BIG.

It is not possible to achieve large success without hardships and setbacks. But it is poss