Pragma #2 — Think Big, Win Big
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." — Norman Vincent Peale
How many people do you know making +$1M per month?
Probably not a lot.
But how many people do you know working intentionally to make +$1M per month?
Again, probably not a lot.
People are happy with less, or think that reaching those levels of income is not for them.
The Theory: Thinking Big
I like to see thinking big as an extreme growth mindset, sprinkled with a dose of overconfidence. Carol Dweck’s work on mindset shows that people with a "growth mindset" are more likely to achieve long-term success. This shift in perception from "I can’t" to "I can learn and improve" is key for pursuing high-level goals like building a $1M+ monthly business.
Decisions come in two flavours:
Decisions of action: what you choose to do.
Decisions of perception: what you choose to believe.
Decisions of perception underscore decisions of action. Beliefs drive behavior and thinking shapes execution. Again, self-efficacy whispers here. Research shows that people with high self-efficacy — those who believe in their ability to execute tasks — are more likely to persevere in the face of setbacks, which is critical when pursuing ambitious goals. If you don’t pay attention to your decisions of perception, your actions can lead you nowhere. Or worse: they can doom you to a life of mediocrity.
Thinking big is the first step to winning big in life and business. It’s the force that makes you stay the course no matter what. It doesn’t guarantee a brilliant execution, but helps you stay motivated along the journey.
The Practice
Not so long ago, my wealth plans consisted in accumulating around $1M and living a frugal life. “I don’t need more.” — I told myself. And that’s probably true, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t make more.
When I learned that one of my acquaintances was making $1M per month, everything changed. I thought these levels of wealth were only accessible to superstar, unicorn CEOs, celebrities, or elite athletes. But nope. A normal guy from my hometown made it possible.
Wanna think big?
Surround yourself with people who are winning big: Research on social comparison theory by Leon Festinger shows that we assess our abilities and success by comparing ourselves to others. By surrounding yourself with people who are killing it, you create a benchmark that challenges your own perceived limits.
Never stop learning new things: Constant learning boosts your cognitive flexibility, a trait correlated with greater success in problem-solving and adaptation. Engaging in ongoing education keeps your mind sharp and primed for identifying new opportunities.
Visualize your dream life, even if you don’t believe you’ll get there: Visualisation, or mental rehearsal, has been shown in studies on mental imagery to improve performance by helping individuals mentally prepare for real-life challenges, making big goals seem more attainable.
Commit to high-leverage activities: we get it, you’d like to open a bakery, but that won’t make you rich. With a local business you can only serve people in your neighbourhood. But if you write a book or sell online, your market becomes the entire world.
Love this! 🤩
Thanks for the shout out Alejandro!
And this is a great post on the mindset we MUST have if we want to succeed