There is no successful individual, who has marked his environment and humanity, and who has not been able to think big. Martin Luther King dreamed of a society free from discrimination. Gandhi envisioned an independent India. Mandela visualized the end of apartheid. Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee dreamed of an end to the armed conflict in Liberia.
In more recent times, Juanes left Medellín and arrived alone and without contacts in Los Angeles, dreaming of becoming a renowned artist, and Elon Musk imagines reaching Mars. Philanthropist Abigail Disney dreams of a world with less injustice and more women leaders. Lady Gaga imagined herself as an actress since she was little. All of them are also thought to be able to realize the dream they are passionate about.
Thinking big, then, has to do, first of all, with a capacity for vision; to imagine what you want to make possible. It is about creating an image and sensations of how one’s own life and that of others would be if that vision became a reality. At this level, the vision coincides with a higher purpose to which one feels deeply connected. That is, there is an alignment between passion and purpose. For example, Elon Musk’s purpose for humanity to raise its collective consciousness coincides with his passion for innovation and mission to get to Mars.
Second, thinking big also means thinking you can. The quality of your internal dialogue, of your thoughts, of your beliefs, is the same quality of your vision. That is, there is an alignment between the size of your vision and the quality of your thoughts. Thinking big, then, also means having the confidence that your vision can be realized.
The self-esteem and confidence that are required to achieve a goal are not innate qualities. One is not born with this level of confidence or self-esteem. Instead, they are the fruit of inner work, of overcoming micro and macro traumas, of breaking down the barriers of fear, doubt, self-sabotage. It is about transforming beliefs and aligning values with your own mission.
In other words, thinking big is also evolving your inner core. It’s becoming the person you have to be to have the confidence to say, “I can.” Without this confidence and certainty, you will not be able to leverage your talent, knowledge, and skills to achieve your goals. Success is first of all a state of being, a mindset.
Third, achieving your goal is not a lonely journey. You don’t fulfill your dreams alone, but let yourself be accompanied. The path to success, as well as that of life, is a collective journey. There is no high-performance athlete who has achieved gold without the support of his team.
Thinking big, then, is also knowing how to choose who you surround yourself with because we are the reflection of our environment. The size of your dream must also influence the quality of the people who accompany you. Thinking big, then, is not just an intellectual activity; it is a lifestyle.