7 Secrets of Big Picture Thinkers

By Nancy Marmolejo

From CEOs and independent professionals, to work at home moms and entrepreneurs, Big Picture Thinkers inspire others and lead the way in their fields. Without their visionary insights and actions, our world would be lacking in innovation, new ideas, and fresh approaches.

Now there is a way for you to connect with your larger vision and see it through to success. You can bring out the creative thinker in you by following these 7 tips to empower the Big Picture Thinker within you. Whatever direction you're headed, these strategies will help you move forward and make the most of your natural strengths.

Catch your ideas

No matter how outrageous or silly, catch your ideas and revisit them from time to time. You might have a diamond in the rough that you can't yet see. Write it down, tell it to someone, draw a picture, pace the floor… whatever technique helps you remember and develop your ideas, use it!

Talk about your ideas

Share your ideas with positive people, not the ones who say, "Oh that will never work."

We all need a tribe of kindred spirits around us, those who won't steer us the other way when we share our brainstorms. Who are the people that you trust enough to share your great ideas with? Who are your personal cheerleaders? Who are the ones whose constructive criticism you respect? Find them, get them excited about what you're doing, and they'll help you more than 1000 naysayers.

Listen

What do you hear people asking for? What needs aren't being met? Open your ears, ask good questions, and then LISTEN. Find out what people are asking for (and more importantly, what they're NOT asking for).

Great listening starts with open ended questions. The next time you interact with people, try to pepper your conversation with these question starters and then apply your listening skills. What do you think would happen if…? How do you see it? What do you think the next step would be? Tell me more…

Develop your intuition

Learn to trust your hunches and listen for inner nudges. Your next great idea may already be inside of you just yearning to get out.

How to do this:

• Set aside at least 5 minutes a day for quiet meditation. The time out helps open you up to intuitive messages. Trust the messages that pop up in your head.

• When you're pressed to make a quick decision, imagine a stoplight and ask yourself what you should do. If you see red, then stop; green means go.

Avoid overwhelm

Keep things in perspective by taking life one day at a time. Make this easy by finding great helpers to assist with the details.

Big picture thinkers don't make headlines for sweating the small stuff. Take a look at your weekly tasks and decide which ones can be let go and which ones can be delegated. From housework to office tasks, there is always room to delegate.

The next big piece of this is to know when to say "No". Accepting too many responsibilities will burn you out, blur your focus, and zap all your Big Picture Thinker gifts.

Understand your strengths

Not everyone can do everything. Concentrate your efforts on what comes to you easily and effortlessly. This will be really easy since you've already noted what needs to get delegated. Answer the following question to help focus you on this:

If I could devote my life to serving others — and still have the money and lifestyle I need — what would I do? How would it look?

Give your mind time to wander

If you're sitting in front of a computer frustrated because a solution isn't presenting itself, then change your location. Take a walk. Get out and play.

How to do this:

• Get out and do something (anything!) other than what you SHOULD be doing.

• Big picture thinkers have the natural gift to see the potential in just about anything. When you sharpen your visionary skills, you too can enjoy success and joy in all aspects of life. •

© 2005 Nancy Marmolejo

12/5/05