I have always admired people who can see the "big picture" of life, career and even love. I find it's much easier and even satisfying to relish in the minutia of life. Who needs a big picture? Leave me here, in the quagmire, where I can use plenty of excuses and rationalization techniques. Isn't that what living in the "now" is all about - not having to worry about the big picture?

I thought this tricky method was working for me. Or it was, until someone gave me a little book called: The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D. The first printing of the book was in 1959, but every idea is applicable today - maybe even more so than in 1959. Funny how that works, right? What goes around comes around. This little book opened my eyes to a new way of thinking. Don't worry; thinking BIG doesn't require complicated equipment, technology gigabytes or large amounts of caffeine. It just requires an open mind - yours. Isn't that refreshing!

I have taken some of the ideas in the book and tweaked them a bit for this month's challenge.

The Challenge: Start Thinking Big!

Thinking "BIG" requires a change in your mindset. Schwartz's main theme in the book is that people who are successful, who are "BIG" in attitude and personality, think about success. Sounds simple, right? People who are in this category train their minds to become something bigger than they are. And those who stick to it succeed. When the mind disbelieves or doubts, it attracts "reasons" to support the disbelief. The solution is simple: Think doubt and fail. Think victory and succeed. No one has reached his or her best. There is always room for improvement in our quest for greatness.

One aspect of Schwartz's book that I especially like is about moving ideas into action. Ideas are a wonderful way to broaden your mind. But, we are often guilty of the "IWNA" syndrome. That stands for "Ideas With No Action." So, here are a few ways to overcome this habit. And yes, we're all guilty. Admit it: How many times have you written a boatload of goals down? How many of the goals are still on the list?

1. Write ideas down.

Every day, we have lots of good ideas that dissolve into thin air simply because we don't nail them to paper. I carry a notebook with me EVERYWHERE. Author Brook Noel refers to it as the "CAN" (Catch All Notebook). This simple yet extremely useful daily journal has become my Bible. I use if for everything. Brook's book, The Change Your Life Challenge explains how to use the CAN. It's revolutionary. I was so excited about this when I discovered it that I chose my new CAN very carefully. I went to my local Barnes and Noble and tested all the journals selecting just the right design. Now, I will admit that I have been a devoted daily planner guru since my career began as a high level EA. I have used Daytimers, Franklin Covey systems and a plethora of other proven methods for TMS (time management success!). They all work great and I still keep a master calendar for appointments and engagements. But I have found the CAN meets a need in my life and career now that works magically. It's where I write anything and everything. Ideas get nailed to paper.

2. Read the ideas frequently.

Reading the ideas over and over helps me evaluate which ones are relevant and which might need to be scratched or at least put on the back burner. I have a special section in my CAN where these "not so great ideas now" get listed for future evaluation. Every evening, I take a few minutes to review the ideas I have jotted down that day, and flip back through the pages investigating all the angles. I use gold stars (yes, the cute little metallic gold stickers we loved to get in grade school). This is an idea I got from a presentation by Judi Moreo. When the time is ripe and right, I then add some tactical goals (how it's going happen) to put those ideas to work for my business and my future.

3. Cultivate the quality of being interesting.

This is a must for anyone who thinks big. Practice acquiring the ability to be relaxed and easy going. Work on studying how you project yourself and develop habits that eradicate what Schwartz calls the "scratchy" elements of your personality.

4. Never miss an opportunity to pass on a compliment or congratulations.

This is one sure guarantee for increased influence and credibility. When we sincerely offer compliments, we are demonstrating what John Maxwell calls "self-less" promotion. This propels us into a higher level of leadership, even if we don't have the title. For your challenge, commit to giving three (or more) sincere compliments every day for a week. You'll be amazed at what happens.

5. Know what you don't know.

This principle is powerful. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking we know as much as we need to know about our job. That's simply not true. Truthfully, most of us haven't mastered all the things we already know. Schwartz says, "There's not one job that can't be done better - a lot better." When we realize there's always more to learn and discover about ourselves, our jobs and others, it opens up so many wonderful opportunities for personal growth.

That's thinking big: Know what you don't know, and you will discover that what you DO know is just the beginning of thinking big! Put some of these ideas into practice this month and allow yourself to experience the life transformation of THINKING BIG. And be sure to share your experiences here with us!

Lisa Olsen provides OfficeArrow members with down-to-earth career advice from her extensive experience as a Career Consultant. An author, trainer, speaker and consultant, Lisa's dedication to building relationship chemistry and helping people power up their potential has been the catalyst for her own success. Learn more about Lisa and her services, including keynote addresses, resume revision, and on-site professional development training here.