It was so special to have Michael Port on my call. Aside from being a best-selling author of Book Yourself Solid, Beyond Book Yourself Solid, The Contrarian Effect, and The Think Big Manifesto..and beyond being a famous business guru (he hates that phrase, but sorry, he just kind of is one), he is a real, incredibly smart  and as you will see,very generous guy.

So sorry, tech issue, no mp3 this week.  But you can dial in for the replay and it’s well worth it.  Trust me, you will want to catch it all. Replay: 1-712-432-3131 / recording ID: 76623356. (use 1 to pause, 2 to rewind 1 minute, and 3 to forward 1 minute.)

Every point was a gem. So, check the recording,  but meanwhile, here is a sampling:

Michael says, “Thinking Big” is not about scale. It’s different for everyone. There is no exact formula, but there are some principles that apply:

Stand for something.  This hits home for me, as it might for you. This site and weekly call is what I stand for. People contributing their greatest, unique impact. Michael stands for people being fully expressed and thinking bigger about who they are and what they offer the world. You don’t need to stand for something that rings like a rhyme or is a catchy tagline. You just need to know what you stand for at your core. It’s your foundation.

Overthrow the judge.  Oh, this is a good one. Your little critic and gremlin can have a loud voice and keep you playing small when you could be stepping into your greater self. Shout louder and step over the little sucker.

Trust and get comfortable with discomfort.  If your shoes pinch then they DO fit. When you are thinking bigger you’ll have to get comfortable with discomfort. Respect yourself, then trust yourself. Once you do the, you can trust others, and they will trust you.  Relationships grow, careers grow, and ease can come in even “uncomfortable” growth curves.

Promise and fulfill.  This is one of the most critical principles for success in anything.  Make plans, set discrete goals and one promise or project at a time, commit and deliver.  It’s much easier to start, but unless you finish you’ll get nowhere.  I know this can be the hardest for me, but when I really try it is so productive. Constrain yourself to focus on only your key goals, and commit to completion.

Live in integrity.  This isn’t about being honest.  This is about being in service to yourself and not selling yourself short. When you are in service to yourself, you can be the best you can be to those you serve.

Stop waiting for someone else.  In Godot, the famous tragicomedy by Samuel Beckett, two men spend the whole play waiting for Godot.  They complain about their miserable lot, almost hang themselves, and wait for Godot to come and bring them enlightenment. Godot, the mystery character, never appears.  Stop waiting for someone else to lead you by the nose and show you the way. No one will do it for you. Start where you are.  You know what to do.

On the way to thinking big, there are some things we know for sure:

There will always be uncertainty and risk.  We never really know what an outcome will be.  Know what you want to create, set goals, and yet be open to the different ways to get there.  Sometimes controlling things may not be your best strategy. Be flexible, accept your own highs and lows, and adjust your tack for your day if you need to.  In business, minimize risks by doing scenario planning, running a pilot, adjusting after feedback, and having a group of advisors.

People who own their own businesses don’t own thinking big.  For some it may not be the time to leave a job to start something, or it may never be for you. You can think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world right where you are. Just be sure you are doing work that is a bigger game for you, and lets you be fully expressed.

We can do more with others than we can do ourselves.  Collaborations, partnerships, masterminds and mentoring groups can be a key to success.  In the best collaborations, each party should feel like they got the better end of the deal.  And of course, surround yourself with other big thinkers.

It takes time to build something great. Developing yourself will enable you to develop bigger things in your career or business.  As an entrepreneur, Mastery of Business Development is the foundation. Once you masters aspects of this, you can figure out your specifics such as niche, target market, product and marketing channel choices, etc. Michael takes people through this mastery in his hands-on mentoring program, The Alliance.

Narrowing your focus actually broadens your reach.  No matter what kind of promise you are making to a buyer or client, you’ll have an easier time delivering on that promise, when it is to a specific group.  You’ll know where to do your marketing, your market knows you are dedicated to them, and they’ll spread the word about you in their established channels.  When you deliver specific promises to specific target market, you can create remarkable results.

I got carried away in what I called a “sampling” and as I said there is more in the recording above. And there you get the full mood and message of our thinking big topic:

It often takes the right and consistent small steps to create your own big outcomes. Whatever big means to you.

So, what strikes a cord with you?  What will you take action on to move forward, and think bigger about who you are what you offer the world?