Big Thinking

Thinking big is essential to extraordinary results. Success requires action, and action requires thought. But here’s the catch – the only actions that become springboards to succeeding big are those informed by big thinking to begin with. (Gary Keller, The ONE Thing)

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Fragments from imaginary dialogues

“Powerful ideas change you.”

“If you’re ready for them.”

“True.

Some change you on representational level, by altering your model of reality.

Some change you on perceptual level, by altering your perception of reality.

Some change you by expanding your horizon of possibility.

For me, the idea of thinking big from Gary Keller’s beautiful book The ONE Thing [<link] was one such idea.”

“In which of the three categories was it?”

“The last one.

When I read it, I immediately saw potential, and – implementation-focused as I am – set about exploring it.

I captured the essence of the idea with a mental model, which I called Big Thinking.

Big-Thinking is a very powerful tool.”

“What does it do?”

“Firstly, it primes your mind to operate on a higher-order level, by having the whole / big-picture / macro in view at all times.

Whole / Holistic, Big-picture, and Macro here are mental models, each offering a (subtly) different perspective.”

“So it’s a priming tool.”

“Yes.

This could mean, for instance, constantly bringing to mind your mortality, that there is an end, as a means to recalibrate, and – through a contrasting effect – to appreciate life more.

Secondly, it helps you to break through mental barriers, freeing you to dream big and allow yourself to explore the limits of the possible.

We all have implicit mental limits – some culturally conditioned, others self-imposed – which narrow our possibility horizon. By breaking through these limits, we allow ourselves to (creatively) mobilize more of our resources.

Applied to Questioning (The Art of Asking Questions), Big Thinking produces Big Questions.

A few examples:

How can I turn this obstacle upside down?
How can I turn EVERY obstacle upside down?

How can I achieve Creative Flow more consistently?
How can I achieve PERPETUAL Creative Flow?

How can I learn faster?
How can I EXPONENTIALLY speed up my learning?

How can I beautify this moment?
How can I beautify ANY moment?

How can I find a better job?
How can I TRANSCEND the job-system?

How can I master x?
How can I become WORLD-CLASS at x?

Or let’s take Meditation.

The normal practice is familiar: I’m going to meditate for x minutes, and call it a day.

With Big-Thinking, the practice becomes Macro-Meditation [<link; short read].

MY LIFE is my meditation. I NEVER stop meditating.“

“What is the anchor point of your Macro-Meditation, the focal point you keep returning to?”

“Love.”

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