The Magic of Thinking Big (or 3)

Oh, those fab Philosopher’s Notes! A dose of these a day really gets my thinking into the right gear (thanks Brian!)…

Our youngest son, TheO, celebrates his 4th birthday tomorrow and, aware of treasuring those precious childhood moments while they’re actually here, I’ve been watching him all week getting excited about it all… and still being 3.

Blissfully unaware of any possible limitations, he thinks Big naturally. He climbed onto the biggest rock at the beach (and then couldn’t get down), he insisted on joining in with his older brother’s music class though he’s two years too young to go, and he takes charge of us regularly, even though he’s the youngest and smallest member of the family, telling us all where to sit or what to do and taking care of everyone.

Of course, he gets himself into trouble quite a bit, but in general his spirit and energy make him a joy to be around. And, as his mother, who also happens to be a coach who spends most of her day helping adults get over their own limiting beliefs, if there’s one thing I want to encourage and nurture and see truly flourish in him, it’s this wonderful fearless attitude. David J. Schwartz, in the 1959 book of the same name, describes it as ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’.

For TheO, it truly is magic -his attitude enables him to try everything he wants to try, even if others are saying no. At the music school, they are now providing a special 10 minute class just for him, all down to his own persistence and enthusiasm. And even when the outcomes aren’t as great as that, he seems satisfied simply to have tried. It never seems to prevent him from trying again – he boldly steps forwards, usually with a cheeky smile, a determined expression and the 3 year old’s mantra – ‘I can do it all by myself!’. How Big is that?

And of course it’s contagious – he spreads it around! He consistently fills even the largest room with his laughter and singing and bubbly energy. When I watch his older brother observing TheO as he tries these things, I can literally see the brain cogs changing up a gear – Hal’s mind sparking into new and fresh ideas – until they’re both on a roll and the lounge is transformed into a whole different universe.

Do you think Big? Ready to explore and experiment and step forward, even if you have no idea what will happen? Can you take action towards what you want persistently and with the confidence of a 3 year old? Are you creating your own magical universe? Try it out today, or as Brian says, Get your wisdom on!

Get Your WIsdom on at… Philosophers Notes.com