How Successful People Think

A book review of How Successful People Think.

“Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches, or pounds, or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking.” ~David Schwartz

How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell is a personal development book I recently picked up.

Maxwell has written several books in the personal development niche and is arguably one of the best authorities on the topic as well, selling over 24 million copies of his catalog.

Coming in at just 127 pages, How Successful People Think is great for anyone who has minimal time for reading, but is invested in personal growth even amidst a busy schedule. It took me just a few hours to finish this book, but all of the content in it is solid.

You’ll want to underline everything.

Of being a good thinker, he says, “No matter what your circumstances, you can learn to be a good thinker. All you must do is be willing to engage in the process every day.” (p. xx)

I love this quote, because it shows that thinking is the one thing we can control and the way we think is the #1 factor that controls the probability of our future.

A lot of people limit themselves because they believe not having enough money is holding them back from the life of their dreams, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

It is 100% your mindset that holds you back, not your circumstances.

How To Become A Better Thinker

In his introduction to How Successful People Think, Maxwell gives tips on ways the reader can become a better thinker:

Expose yourself to good input.
Expose yourself to good thinkers.
Choose to think good thoughts.
Act on your good thoughts.
Allow your emotions to create another good thought.
Repeat the process.

Maxwell then breaks down the 11 types of thinking he believes shape our lives.

11 Types of Thinking

Cultivate Big-Picture Thinking

A person who engages in big-picture thinking considers the world around them and is committed to life-long learning by seeing new places and meeting new people. They long for new experiences to expand their knowledge.

Engage in Focused Thinking

Maxwell quotes philosopher Bertrand Russell, “To be able to concentrate for a considerable time is essential to difficult achievement.”

This method of thinking is great for goal-setting and achieving said goals. You must block out distractions and keep your focus on the specific thing you are working towards. This type of thinking requires discipline if you are to achieve the results you desire.

Harness Creative Thinking

Maxwell says of creative thinking, “Creativity is being able to see what everybody else has seen and think what nobody else has thought so that you can do what nobody else has done.” (p. 27)

To tap into your creative thinking is to think and dream without the fear of failure. Break outside the box of your limitations and try it!

Employ Realistic Thinking

Realistic thinking is implemented to establish a foundation based on facts, accept reality for what it is, and weigh the pros and cons. It covers the “what-ifs.”

You could call it the backbone to the dreams you are cultivating. When you desire to achieve a specific goal, addressing the facts as they stand before pursuing that goal will keep you grounded and aware of the possibility of failure.

Utilize Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinkers have a plan and they stick to it. They have everything micro-managed and have an answer for every probability. Every day is planned out with specific purpose.

Explore Possibility Thinking

Possibility thinkers draw possibilities to them just by this way of thinking! This is one of my favorite types of thinking covered in this book, and I encourage you to dive deeper into this one if you’re like me-on a mission to achieve big dreams.

With possibility thinking, you’ll find possibilities in every situation. It will keep you from giving up, and will give you energy to pursue great things.

Learn from Reflective Thinking

Reflective thinking asks you to reflect on your day, on a moment, on a year, on your life, and ask yourself questions. What did you learn? How did you grow as a person? What were your takeaways?

Maxwell states that this type of thinking does three things: it provides perspective, connects you with your journey, and gives counsel and direction for the future. (p. 79)

Question Popular Thinking

Popular thinking is described as average, and often “not thinking” at all.

Maxwell states, “We must always remember there is a huge difference between acceptance and intelligence.” (p. 85)

When I think of popular thinking, my first thought that comes to mind is high school. You have the popular crowd who does all the “right” things and those who desperately want to be them. They’ll do whatever is “in” and “cool” to fit in.

But what’s trendy isn’t always smart-remember that.

Benefit from Shared Thinking

Shared thinking places value on the ideas of others, and brings about ideas faster as a whole when multiple people come together to brainstorm.

This is great for a team atmosphere. It’s like that old saying goes, “two heads are better than one.”

Practice Unselfish Thinking

Unselfish thinking asks you to drop your motives at the door and let go of pride. You must consider others to reach maximum potential.

It also asks you to give with humility and without seeking recognition.

Rely on Bottom-Line Thinking

Bottom-line thinking demands that you assess your priorities and be specific in what you’re after.

If you’ve read my article on goal-setting, you know that vague goals won’t get you the results you want. Bottom-line thinking encourages you to make the best decisions and focus on your future.