Dr. Buddhi Malla
The size of your success is determined by the size of your thinking. When you think small, you achieve small, when you think big, success grows bigger.
The world is full of contrasts. Some people struggle to find their next meal, while others enjoy unimaginable wealth. Even within the same city, village, neighborhood, or company, one person may earn millions every month while another struggles to make a few thousand. The environment may be the same but, success differs. Why? Because the way people think is different. Those who think big achieve big success; those who think small limit themselves to small outcomes.
Here is a story that explains this truth.
A very poor young man once wandered through the city searching for work. Exhausted, he sat down in a waiting shelter. Hungry, he opened his tiffin box. Inside was just one piece of bread. Yet the way he ate it surprised everyone around him. He tore the bread, dipped it into the empty box, and ate as if he were mixing it with something delicious. One of the curious people asked why he was eating that way. Smiling, the boy replied, “Sir, I imagine there is pickle inside the tiffin, and I am eating it with the bread.”
“Can you really taste the pickle?” the man asked.
“Yes,” the boy answered confidently.
The man laughed and said, “If you’re going to imagine, why stop at pickle? Imagine delicious meat or paneer. If you must imagine, imagine something big.”
This poor boy’s story reflects the mindset of most people. Social conditioning, environment, and upbringing often prevent us from thinking big. This limitation usually begins at home. Parents sometimes compare their children with others, labeling them weak or incapable when they score fewer marks. Such comparisons crush confidence. Instead of discouraging children, we should encourage them to think bigger, dream higher, and believe in themselves.
Many of us unconsciously believe that people with white skin are smarter, or that those who speak English fluently are more intelligent. This mindset makes us underestimate ourselves and prevents us from dreaming big. There is a Nepali saying: “If you aim at the sun and throw a stone, you will at least hit a tall tree.” Big goals naturally lead to smaller achievements along the way, but small goals never lead to greatness. We must stop seeing ourselves as inferior and start believing in our potential.
The life of Jim Carrey is a powerful example of big thinking. Born in Canada in 1962, he grew up in extreme poverty. At just 15, he cleaned toilets to help pay his school fees. Despite hardships, he dreamed of becoming a great actor. In 1990, while struggling in Hollywood, he wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars, dated five years into the future, and kept it in his wallet. Every day, he looked at it to remind himself of his goal. At that time, for a poor young man to dream of earning 10 million dollars was almost unthinkable. But Jim wasn’t ordinary, his thinking was extraordinary. In 1995, his dream came true when Dumb and Dumber movie became a blockbuster, earning him exactly what he had imagined.
Jim Carrey’s story teaches us that big goals lead to big success but, only when combined with hard work, persistence, and self-belief. Motivation is essential, but self-motivation is even more powerful. Every great achievement begins with a bold dream.
Great motivators often say: Set your goal so big that people call you crazy. If no one doubts your dream, it probably isn’t big enough. History proves this. When Imran Khan spoke about changing Pakistan through politics, many laughed. Today, he stands as the Former Prime Minister. When Sir Edmund Hillary announced his plan to climb Mount Everest, people thought it was like a suicide. With limited technology and resources, he still succeeded and made history with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.
Big success requires big goals, but you don’t need to start big. You can begin small and grow steadily. Nepal’s Bhatbhateni Supermarket, founded by Min Bahadur Gurung, Alibaba Group, founded by Jack Ma, and Shrestha Tailoring, started by Babukaji Shakya, are perfect examples of ventures that began with very little money. Consistency transforms small beginnings into massive success.
What feels like a big goal depends on the individual. If we are junior employees, we should aim to become managers. If we are managers, we should aim to become owners. Whatever field we are in, we should strive for the top but, setting a goal is not enough; we must chase it.
We should think like the person we want to become, act like them, and believe like them. We should always aim to move one step higher than where we are today. Bigger goals demand stronger belief, better planning, and greater effort, but they also deliver greater rewards.
Think big. Dream big. Achieve big.
