I came across Think Big by Grace Lordan after noticing Ali (apparently I am a fan) had recommended it on his website. I have read a number of self-help books over the years. But I had fallen into the trap of consuming more and not taking enough action. Self-help is hyped, but there are countless books in that segment that can help! (I am not kidding here).
People who read Self-Help, in the beginning, might progress if they take action, but as the material subsides, so will their active desire to act on the lessons they learn. It simply means all that reading was of no use. This is the reason retaining information like notes is primarily important. Then turning this information into a to-do list until it becomes a daily habit is key.
I, too, used to fall into this trap of reading more non-fiction, ironically thinking that reading more somehow makes up for action. That is not true! Reading one book but trying at least three insights from the book into practice is the key.
Think Big is a pragmatic book. This information can be found in other places, but Gordan does a wonderful job of presenting the book in such a way that everyone will grasp the concepts.
The book is broadly divided into 8 chapters.
Begin
This chapter talks about the different narratives that we tell ourselves. That voice that convinces us to live a mediocre life, the voice that finds excuses for every goal not met. This is more like understanding our self-talk. Steven Covey’s 7 Habits might be helpful if you haven’t read it before.
Goal
Here, goal setting is a little different. She discusses small steps we can take that will eventually help us reach our goal. This is true; we all have dreams, but the journey can be long and so we abandon the journey and try some other goal, hoping we will get there quickly. But it is a marathon and not a sprint.
Time
The most important asset we have is time. She talks about social media and how she plans her day to get the most out of her day.
Inside
The hurdles that we will face within ourselves are discussed in this chapter. She discusses the biases, loss aversion, and how we have become programmed to not ask more frequently.
Outside
This chapter is roughly about interpersonal skills. In this chapter, she talks about the right way to listen to advice and how to face life if someone says “No!” Cool Stuff.
Environment
The environment is an important factor when it comes to reaching your big goal.
It is essential to find a space (and earmark some time) for rest and relaxation.
Excerpt from Grace Lordan’s “Think Big”.
The way we keep our desks, the workplace, and our house will have a major impact on our lives.
Resilience
Resilience is having that toughness when life is not going as planned. Resilience is needed to have a successful life. Teddy Roosevelt pointed out that A strenuous life it is, and we have to have the resilience to fight it.
Journey
Like in any good book, the author is blunt about the advice and asks us to stay sane and pursue meaningful goals, and not be deluded into the quick-rich-scheme or any flashy path to success.
If you want to know more, read the book. As I already blurted earlier, if you can put one idea into action, that would suffice.
I would give this book a 4/5.