Think BIG

At Vendasta, one of our leadership principles is "Think BIG".

What does it mean to think big? This quote from Azim Premji is a good summary:

"If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small!" - Azim Premji

Azim is one of the wealthiest individuals in India and has signed the giving pledge. To date, he has given away over 20 billion of his wealth.

Thinking BIG ... It's scary though isn't it? To put out an idea or thought verbally or written that states some sort of big, hairy, audacious goal! What will people think? Do we even believe that we could ever do it? Sometimes we tell ourselves that we believe, but do we really believe?

One of my favorite big thinkers is Nikola Tesla. In addition to being a BIG thinker, many of his big thoughts came true by his own hand and by effort of others.

Check out this 1926 interview quote from Nikola.

"When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is…. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do this will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.?" - Nikola Tesla

Ummmm .... yeah. So pretty much bang on. Waaaaay ahead of Star Trek and the communicator!

Can you imagine what people thought when they read that or maybe heard Nikola say those words (above) at an event? Pure insanity, and yet, the Internet + smartphones are almost exactly what he described. Remember, thinking big doesn't mean having the solution at hand, it is about envisioning a potential reality.

How Do We Begin to Think BIG?

You might not remember (depending on your age), but you've already done it. Possibly bigger than you ever will again. You did it when you were a child.

The mind of a child knows no bounds. Think about flowers is no different than thinking about some sort of flower dragon that breathes beautiful rainbows of flower petals all over the land.

There are no cruel lessons (hopefully), and there are no real boundaries (e.g. peer pressure, structure work environment, schooling!).

So, the first step in thinking big for a lot of us might be clearing out the junk! What can we do to break down the barriers, fears and whatever else might be preventing us from thinking big? It might sound easier than it is.

For myself, I try to dedicate parts of my day and week for periods of thought and reflection that I can guide on my own. Of course there is always the risk of real-life creeping in, but with some practice, it doesn't take long to get into a state of focused thought and imagination.

Clearing out the Junk and Other Stuff (killing a few birds with one stone)

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water." - Bruce Lee

For the past 6 months or so, I have modified my morning routine for both mental and physical wellness. It looks something like this:

4:15AM - get up (this might not be an option for some of us, and it definitely wasn't when I was younger!)

5:00AM - crossfit (some friends recommended it, and I ended up loving it)

6:00AM - 20 minute swim

6:45AM - 15-20 minute bike ride to the office

7:00AM - sit down for some breakfast and thinking/writing in our office cafeteria

7:30AM - start the day with a company meeting called CP Start-up (this is where real-life jumps back in)

So I almost have 3 hours every morning to focus on my body and mind. I get a nice warm-up for my 7AM thinking and writing session, and I can decide if I'm going to spend that 30 minutes in thought (I often sketch or write while thinking), or share thoughts with peers passing by to get some interesting thought stimulation.

Maybe it's running, yoga, reading, meditation, cuddling up with a coffee first thing, or an inspiring shower. Use these times to clear out the junk so that you can dive into your THINK BIG center.

Dedicated Focus Time

Finding undistracted focus time can be a challenge. Especially if you have kids (been there, done that ... it's actually a think big lever ... we'll talk about that in a bit).

For me, thinking in the direct sunlight is probably my fave. Either in our sun room or out on the deck, the boat, canoe, etc. Fortunately, we have an abundance of sunshine in Saskatchatoon.

The important thing is to find an environment that puts you in a state that seems similar to calm (as far as you an tell), and begin to focus on those big (and even small) ideas that you think matter and can make a difference.

"The successful warrior, is the average man with laser-like focus." - Bruce Lee

Again, I find that writing my thoughts (or at least parts of them) down really accelerate my ability to further along the idea that I am working on. It is also nice to have to look back on to see how your big idea first started!

As far as finding the actual time, you will have to dial it in to your own personal schedule. Weekends are my go to for dedicated focus time. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to get an entire Saturday or Sunday to think, write and wander through my thoughts. Even an hour or two can be extremely energizing.

"Just get'er done" - Ancient Saskatchewan Proverb

People Might not Get It

Don't be discouraged if people do not immediately believe in your big thought or even understand it. Remember, it's a BIG THOUGHT. Most people have a bunch of junk, biases, stress, experiences, and much more competing with the comprehension of your big idea.

Do engage believers and champions. More than likely you will find individuals who are interested in your big idea, or even want to champion it. Build that relationship and get their input as well.

Here at Vendasta, we have a lot of big thinkers. One thinker that comes to mind is my friend Dylan. When you talk to Dylan, you immediately get the impression you are talking to someone that is passionate about their work and ideas. The particular example I am thinking of is something Dylan calls The Big Vendasta Model.

The model is a simulation, not a plastic '69 Chevelle replica type model. In this particular model, Dylan has setup levers, pulleys, gears, cogs and a lot of moving parts (in specialized software) that represent our sales processs right from a lead coming into our system, the journey through our sales team through to the point of subscription.

Along this journey there are many variables that can be altered, and with the model in place it is possible to test out some changes and see what the potential results might be. For example, what would happen to our sales close rate if we enabled our sales reps with better email templates.

Even more impactful than the focus of the model (which is pretty cool), it is the concept or big thought in general. Although Dylan did not invent modeling or the software that he is using to create the models, he did come up with some experiments on how to test the concept to real-life scenarios at Vendasta that could help the business. So in the end, the bigger thought is how can we apply this to anything and everything in Vendasta that it might help to improve!

This particular BIG thought is one that you have to wrap your mind around, and think about for a while.

Thinking Big Helps Others

A great example born right here in Saskatchewan is healthcare in Canada. Can you imagine the challenges that Tommy Douglas would have faced with these ideals?

"We are all in this world together, and the only test of our character that matters is how we look after the least fortunate among us." - Tommy Douglas

Recently, another friend of mine at Vendasta (who only sits a few desks away), started a mentorship initiative at Vendasta. Kim Coutts thought BIG and developed a mentorship program to connect experienced individuals at Vendasta with anyone interested in learning more and improving themselves.

Here's a great example of an idea that has vision and foresight. Mentoring within has many benefits for the individuals involved and the company as a whole. It will help those individuals today, but even moreso in the long run. For example, it is quite possible that mentees of the program will become mentors to the program in the future.

I have had the pleasure of participating in the program as a mentor, and I feel that I am possibly getting more out of it than the mentees! Thanks Kim.

The Think Big Masters

Earlier in this article I mentioned kids. If you have them, leverage their think BIG powers. Make sure to always encourage their big thinking and join in on the fun!

Some of my favorite memories are laying next to one of my children at bedtime or on a long drive and letting our minds wander and think big. Often, it was creating some sort of story with imaginery heroes and foes, different worlds, impossible situations and lots of fun.

If we're lucky, we might know some grown-up big thinkers and have access to them. Again, leverage those think BIG powers. Schedule a lunch or coffee and spend some quality questioning and listening time with these folks. I guarantee that a true BIG thinker will really enjoy talking with you about the subject.

Pro Tip: If you do schedule time with a BIG thinker, make sure you listen and question. Pay attention. If you aren't careful, you will be in a situation with the BIG thinker listening and questioning while you talk!!

Start Thinking Big

It's pretty easy really. Just do it!

We all have some ideas nestled into the back of our minds or on some sheets of paper somewhere. Dig out those ideas. Once you have those ideas in-hand, work on a plan to clear out the junk and find some focus time.

You might be surprised at how rewarding it is to Think BIG!

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If you want to join an enthusiastic group of BIG Thinkers, check out the Vendasta careers page. We would love to have you onboard!

-- Chris