A book published exactly 50 years ago is often quoted as “must reading” by many highly successful people. It’s The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz, who was an expert on motivation and a popular keynote speaker. According to the front-cover blurb: “You need not have great intellect or great talent to be a giant among men. But you do need the habit of thinking and acting in the manner that brings success.”

Simply by reading the Table of Contents, you can get a rough idea of what to do in order to attain greater success, more money, and a better lifestyle.

Below is some good advice on how to perform in a bigger way:

• Win success by believing you can succeed.
 
• Defeat disbelief and the negative power it creates.

• Get big results by believing big.

• Make your mind produce positive thoughts.

• Plan a concrete success-building program.

• Use your mind for thinking—not simply as a warehouse for facts.

• Overcome the problem of age—being “too young” or “too old.”

• Attract good luck.

• Overcome your fear of other people.

• Act confidently.

• Find out what assets you have.
 
• Add value to things, to people, and to yourself.

• Get the “thinking big” view of your job.
 
• Use creative thinking to find new and better ways to get things done.

• Fight mind-freezing traditional thinking.

• Do more and do it better by turning on your creative power.

• Harness and develop your ideas.

• Look important, because it helps you think important.

• Prevent small people from holding you back.

• Go First Class in everything you do.

• Get enthusiastic.

• Make more money by getting the “put-service-first” attitude.

• Think big, even when you lose or receive a setback.

• Get the action habit—you don’t need to wait until conditions are perfect.”