The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz: What It Teaches, Who It’s For, Who Should Skip It
3 min read
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Nobody paid to be on this page — no author, no publisher. This is our plain-language overview of what the book argues, who it suits and who should skip it, so you can decide in two minutes whether it deserves a place on your shelf.
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Published in 1959, still selling, because the core advice has not stopped being true.
What the book argues
The size of your success is set by the size of your thinking. Schwartz argues that belief, action over excuses, managing your environment and treating people well compound into results, and he offers plain, repeatable practices for each.
Three ideas you can use this week
- Excusitis is the failure disease: health, intelligence, age and luck excuses can all be dismantled.
- Action cures fear; wait to feel ready and you will wait forever.
- Go first class in your environment: people, reading and standards shape your thinking.
Who it is for
Young professionals, salespeople and anyone who needs an old-fashioned, warm shove toward higher standards.
How to turn it into a routine
Each evening, write one excuse you used today and the action you will take tomorrow instead.
Who should skip it
The examples are mid-century America and some gender roles are of their era. If you want research, this is motivation, not science.
Verdict
Dated on the surface, sound underneath. One of the better classics to read once a decade.
Click hereto see it→Click to see The Magic of Thinking Big
If you liked the sound of this
Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin
What really separates world-class performers from everybody else: deliberate practice, not gifts.
The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry
How to be brilliant at a moment’s notice: a system for sustaining creative output under constant demand.
Tools that put the book to work
Reading is the easy part. Three simple tools that turn the idea into a daily routine:
Pocket Notebook
Ideas arrive on their schedule. Be ready or lose them. Read our review.
Decision Journal
Write the decision and the reasons before the outcome. The only way to learn whether you think well. Read our review.
Flashcard Box with Dividers
The Leitner box: review what you forget, skip what you know. Learning on autopilot. Read our review.
Links are affiliate links; the price to you is identical. Nothing here is medical, financial or professional advice. Filed under Mindset & Beliefs.
More picks, with pictures
Three tools and three books that fit the same goal. Each has its own full review here, including who should skip it.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Images are our own review cards, not product photos.
Launch list
Be there on day one.
One email when the book opens on Kickstarter. Nothing else. Already reading the book? Your Cheat Sheet is at wisdomdeck.com/free.
Coming soon on 
The book itself — 40 laws in ten parts, 320 pages, each ending with The Work — is funded first on Kickstarter.
