Key Messages
How To Foster Creativity And Follow Your Dreams: Learn From The Best Examples Of Revolutionary Thinking
If you’re looking to achieve success, you need to learn how to think your way there.
The most successful people all have one thing in common; they know how to think outside the box and carve out their own unique paths.
Unfortunately, the journey is often a lonely one.
Our social nature dictates that we fit in with those around us, which means embracing conventions and ideas without questioning them too deeply.
Going against the grain can be challenging but is necessary for true success.
Just think of Copernicus’ theory that the Earth isn’t at the center of the universe – his contemporaries must have thought him crazy, but he was right and we are forever in his debt for sticking to his guns.
This shows just how important creative thinking and tenacity are when it comes to success.
But creativity isn’t only for geniuses like Einstein or Galileo, everyone can learn how to think creatively by following some key techniques; this book will help you learn those techniques and practice so that you succeed!
Here’s a quick look into what you’ll find:
– why learning empathy will help you tackle success
– what Alfred Nobel did after reading his own obituary
– how Paul McCartney and John Lennon collaborated on music
So start learning today – read “How Successful People Think” by John C.
Maxwell – and get started on your journey towards success!
Gain A Big Picture Perspective By Learning To Be Empathetic In Your Relationships
Big picture thinkers recognize the importance of constantly learning and improving themselves, as well as how to relate to others.
The CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, understands this and encourages his employees to prioritize relationships with clients over individual sales for maximum success.
He knows that sometimes it is necessary to pause, take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
These big picture thinkers cultivate their skillset by staying on the go – they actively explore new places, meet new people and hone new skills.
To do this effectively, author John C Maxwell has a special technique – he spends a few minutes each morning planning out his day and mapping out what activities might give him an opportunity to learn something meaningful.
For example, when he met up with NFL coach Dave Wannstedt for dinner, Maxwell was alert and prepared – he asked pertinent questions about teamwork which allowed him to come away from the dinner level brimming with new ideas.
Learning in this way broadens your thinking so you can gain insight into how other people view the world around them: it enhances empathy between yourself and those around you (clients, spouse, children or friends), helping you understand their wants and needs better.
Big picture thinkers know how critical it is to appreciate the value in developing these abilities – staying open-minded means being able to think in terms of broader interests that incorporate those of other people.
Realistic Thinking Is Essential For Success: Learn The Facts And Follow Others’ Lead
When it comes to achieving success, it’s important to remember that reality is the difference between your desires and how the world actually is.
That means that if you want to reach your goals, you need to set clear targets and develop a well thought-out game plan so you can work towards them.
Realistic thinking promotes excellent leadership and simplifies things by stripping away all the unnecessary details and focusing on the facts.
The key here is to do your homework – research potential scenarios, get to know the facts in detail, and look at what other people have done in similar circumstances.
Taking sufficient time for background work will give you a firm foundation which will help ensure that your realistic thinking leads you down the right path.
Once you’ve established your plan of action, make sure that you stick with it – being an optimist is great for motivation but try not to let yourself be distracted by grandiose dreams or theories.
This will help ensure that your efforts lead towards real success!
Tap Into Your Creative Side For Professional Success And Personal Fulfillment
Embrace creative thinking and you’ll find yourself with more options in life and greater levels of attraction from the people around you.
Creativity is the hallmark of success, whether it’s coming up with original ideas or considering a greater number of alternatives for problem-solving.
Remember that creativity involves more than just brainstorming.
You can also take your current ideas and ask yourself what changes you could make to improve them; widen the net as much as possible to increase possibilities.
Moreover, people appreciate creativity and are attracted to it when it’s expressed through intelligence – an irresistible combination!
Take Swiss polymath Leonardo da Vinci, renowned for his diverse interests which included painting, architecture, music and engineering.
You don’t have to be the next Da Vinci or Einstein to put creative thinking into practice – explore your own field and watch its rewards come your way!
Unselfish Thinking Can Redefine Success And Bring Lasting Fulfillment
Think unselfishly and you’ll become a part of something bigger than yourself.
That’s a lesson we can learn from Merck and Company, a pharmaceutical corporation that did more than just aim to increase profitability.
In the mid-1980s, they felt inspired to make a positive impact on those who are in need by successfully developing a cure for river blindness, which afflicts millions in the developing world.
Knowing it was unrealistic for them to expect people to pay for the drug needed, they decided to give it away freely and thus exemplify their pledge that people come before profits.
Likewise, Alfred Nobel found himself facing a similar dilemma when reading his own obituary – one that mainly focused on how his invention of dynamite has caused so much death around the world.
This impassioned him to change his life’s course; instead of living for only selfish ends, he directed his efforts towards promoting peace through the establishment of The Nobel Prize in 1895 which celebrates outstanding achievements across different fields.
Hence with these two powerful examples at hand, it’s evident that if we choose to think unselfishly then there is no limit as to how great an impact such effort can have on everyone.
When done correctly, selfless thoughts will open pathways many hadn’t seen previously while simultaneously being part of something genuinely great and unparalleled.
Breaking Free From Popular Thinking To Achieve Success
Popular thinking isn’t always right.
In fact, it’s often downright wrongheaded.
This is evidenced by historical misconceptions such as the belief that the Earth was the center of the universe or even that medical instruments should never be washed.
It can also lead to dangerous outcomes, like travelling moments after a tragedy if everyone else is scared to do it.
In order to achieve the best back possible, you need to cultivate the habit of thinking through things on your own first before following what everyone else believes or accepts as true.
An excellent example of this is when the author took his family on a trip to New York just a month after 9/11, when usually people wouldn’t have considered going anywhere near the city due to security and other threats.
But because he disregarded what everybody else was doing and instead thought for himself, he and his family had an amazing trip at a fraction of the cost they would have otherwise paid!
So it pays off – if you want good outcomes, disregard popular thinking and make decisions based on your own judgement!
Why Working With Others Is Key To Successfully Acquiring New Skills
If you want to get ahead in the world, it pays to collaborate with others.
Even if that means learning from strangers or reaching out beyond your comfort zone, working together can help you boost your thinking process and achieve great things.
The key is to be open-minded – don’t discount an idea just because it’s coming from a person who may not be in an “expert” role.
Your taxi driver or your children could come up with the next big idea!
Accepting input from people outside of our own circles can lead to incredibly innovative breakthroughs.
Additionally, having a team mentality encourages collaboration over competition.
When you focus on completing ideas instead of trying to one-up them, it creates a richer environment for thought exchange and problem solving.
Combined forces are much more powerful than lone wolves in this case!
Ultimately, collaborating with others – whoever they are – can give you a major edge in making progress towards success projects and goals.
Keep your eyes and ears open, be accepting of new ideas and strive as much as possible for cooperative relationships – all these will contribute significantly to how far you go.
Wrap Up
The key message throughout How Successful People Think, is that success is all about attitude.
It’s not just about having a positive mindset, but also acting and thinking with purpose.
You need to focus on what you can do for and with others instead of just trying to get ahead yourself.
Also, it’s important to open yourself up to creativity and diverge from simply following the crowd.
To help ensure success, an actionable suggestion was given – Plan your life rather than planning your day.
To make sure that you accomplish everything in the long-term, take some time every month to review your calendar and objectives for the next 30 days.
This will ensure that you are able to prioritize tasks and balance out time for family and friends as well!
Following these suggestions should help anyone become more successful and happier in the long run!
