Three years ago, Priya sat in a cafe with her friend Rekha, complaining about money.
“I’ll never be rich,” she said. “Some people are just wired for wealth. I’m not one of them.”
Today, Priya has: – ₹8.4 lakhs in her investment portfolio – ₹2.2 lakhs in an emergency fund – A side freelancing income of ₹8,000/month – A salary that’s grown from ₹58,000 to ₹92,000 through two strategic job switches
She’s not “rich” by Instagram standards. But she’s building wealth. Real, compounding, life-changing wealth.
What changed?
Not her salary (at least not at first). Not her luck. Not some secret investing formula.
What changed was how she thought.
And The Magic of Thinking Big was the catalyst.
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The Transformation You’ve Just Read
Over the past 12 articles, you’ve followed the journeys of Priya, Arjun, Rekha, and Ravi as they applied David Schwartz’s principles to money.
Let’s recap what they learned—and what it cost them not to know it earlier:
**Article 1: Believe You Can Succeed**
The lesson: Your belief about what’s possible determines what you attempt.
Before: Priya believed ₹1 crore was impossible for someone like her. After: She ran the math, saw it was possible, and started building toward it.
Cost of not knowing: Years of staying stuck at ₹50,000 in a savings account.
**Article 2: Cure Yourself of Excusitis**
The lesson: Excuses protect you from failure—but also from success.
Before: Arjun had a different excuse every month for not starting his SIP. After: He called out his excuses and started with ₹3,000/month anyway.
Cost of not knowing: Six months of missed compounding = ₹40,000 in lost gains.
**Article 3: Build Confidence Through Action**
The lesson: Confidence comes from doing, not from waiting to feel ready.
Before: Rekha was terrified to start investing. After: She started with ₹2,000/month. The fear faded through repetition.
Cost of not knowing: The paralysis that keeps most people at ₹0 in investments forever.
**Article 4: Think Big**
The lesson: Big goals create better questions and bigger actions.
Before: Ravi set a “realistic” goal of ₹10 lakhs in 10 years. After: He set a ₹40 lakh goal, which forced him to think differently about earning and investing.
Cost of not knowing: Settling for mediocrity when excellence was possible.
**Article 5: Think and Dream Creatively**
The lesson: “I can’t afford to save” is a statement that closes doors. “How can I afford to save?” is a question that opens them.
Before: Priya spent ₹11,750/month on waste while claiming she had no money to invest. After: She found creative solutions (meal prep, freelancing, cutting subscriptions) and freed up ₹11,000/month.
Cost of not knowing: ₹11,000/month × 12 months × 10 years at 12% CAGR = ₹25 lakhs in lost wealth.
**Article 6: You Are What You Think You Are**
The lesson: Your money identity determines your financial behavior.
Before: Ravi identified as a “saver” who avoided risk. After: He adopted an “investor” identity and started deploying money into growth assets.
Cost of not knowing: The ₹2.65 crore difference between a lifetime of FDs vs. equity investing.
**Article 7: Manage Your Environment**
The lesson: Your financial future is the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Before: Rekha’s friends mocked her for investing and encouraged her to “just enjoy life.” After: She protected her environment, joined investing communities, and surrounded herself with growth-minded people.
Cost of not knowing: The ₹10 lakh mistake of listening to people who think small.
**Article 8: Make Your Attitudes Your Allies**
The lesson: Your attitude toward volatility determines whether crashes destroy you or enrich you.
Before: Arjun panicked during market dips and stopped his SIP. After: He saw corrections as discount shopping opportunities and kept investing.
Cost of not knowing: ₹60,000 in missed gains from units bought during the dip.
**Article 9: Think Right Toward People**
The lesson: Relationships are wealth multipliers. Your network determines your net worth.
Before: Ravi treated networking as collecting business cards. After: He built genuine relationships by giving first, which led to referrals, side income, and career jumps.
Cost of not knowing: The ₹90 lakh difference over 10 years between no network and a strong network.
**Article 10: Get the Action Habit**
The lesson: ₹5,000 today beats ₹50,000 “someday.” Action beats planning.
Before: Priya spent 8 months researching and planning, but investing ₹0. After: She started with ₹5,000/month immediately, adjusted as she learned.
Cost of not knowing: ₹75,000 less in portfolio from 8 months of delay.
**Article 11: Turn Defeat into Victory**
The lesson: Setbacks are inevitable. Your response determines your future.
Before: Arjun would’ve panicked during his layoff and taken any job desperately. After: He used his emergency fund strategically to upgrade his career, not just survive.
Cost of not knowing: The difference between desperation and opportunity.
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The Common Thread
Every principle in The Magic of Thinking Big boils down to one insight:
Your thinking creates your reality.
Not your salary. Not your background. Not your luck.
How you think about money determines how much of it you build.
Think small → stay small. Think big → grow big.
Think “I can’t” → you won’t. Think “How can I?” → you will.
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The Uncomfortable Question
You’ve read 13 articles. You’ve seen the math. You’ve followed the journeys.
Here’s the question that matters:
What are you going to do differently starting tomorrow?
Because here’s the truth David Schwartz would want you to hear:
The magic isn’t in this series. The magic is in what you do next.
Reading about Priya building ₹8.4 lakhs doesn’t build your wealth.
Reading about Arjun’s SIP discipline doesn’t create your portfolio.
Reading about Rekha’s environment protection doesn’t change your circle.
You have to do the work.
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The Three Paths from Here
You’re standing at a fork in the road. Three paths ahead.
**Path 1: Do Nothing**
You close this article. You think, “That was interesting.”
You go back to your regular life. Maybe you’ll “start investing someday.” Maybe you won’t.
Five years pass. You’re still at ₹50,000 in savings. Still making excuses. Still stuck.
You remember this series occasionally and think, “I should’ve listened.”
This is the path most people take.
**Path 2: Half-Commit**
You start a SIP. ₹3,000/month. You feel good for two months.
Then the market dips 5%. You panic. You stop.
Or you keep it running but never increase it. Never step it up. Never push yourself.
Five years pass. You have ₹2.8 lakhs in your portfolio. Better than nothing, but not life-changing.
You wonder, “Why isn’t this working faster?”
This is the path many people take.
**Path 3: Full Commitment**
You finish this article and take immediate action.
Tomorrow morning: – Open your banking app – Start a SIP (₹2,000, ₹5,000, ₹10,000—whatever you can manage) – Set a 10-year goal (₹20 lakhs, ₹50 lakhs, ₹1 crore) – Join one investing community – Tell one person your goal (accountability)
This week: – Track your expenses – Find ₹3,000 of waste – Cut two subscriptions – Increase your SIP by whatever you freed up
This month: – Read one book on investing (Let’s Talk Money, The Psychology of Money) – Have coffee with one person who’s building wealth – Review your portfolio (once, not daily)
This year: – Step up your SIP every quarter – Build a 6-month emergency fund – Upskill to increase your income – Stay disciplined through volatility
Five years pass. You have ₹12 lakhs in your portfolio. You’re on track for ₹50 lakhs in 10 years.
You think back to this moment and realize: “That was the turning point.”
This is the path few people take. But it’s the one that changes everything.
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The 90-Day Challenge
If you’re serious about this, here’s your roadmap:
**Days 1-7: Foundation**
– [ ] Start a SIP (any amount, any fund—just start) – [ ] Set a 10-year financial goal – [ ] Join r/IndiaInvestments or a WhatsApp investing group – [ ] Read the first 50 pages of The Psychology of Money
**Days 8-30: Build the Habit**
– [ ] Track every rupee you spend for 30 days – [ ] Identify ₹5,000 of monthly waste – [ ] Cut ₹3,000 of that waste – [ ] Increase your SIP by ₹3,000
**Days 31-60: Expand**
– [ ] Set up automatic emergency fund contribution (₹3,000-5,000/month) – [ ] Have coffee with one person who invests successfully – [ ] Research one new skill that could increase your income – [ ] Review your portfolio (once this month, not daily)
**Days 61-90: Accelerate**
– [ ] Apply for one higher-paying job (even if you’re not actively looking) – [ ] Take on one freelance project or side gig – [ ] Step up your SIP by 10% – [ ] Share your progress with your accountability partner
At Day 90, you’ll have: – A running SIP habit – ₹30,000-50,000 invested – Momentum that carries you forward – Proof that you can do this
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The Letter Priya Wrote to Her Past Self
Three years into her journey, Priya wrote this letter. She never sent it—you can’t email the past. But writing it clarified everything.
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Dear Past Priya,
I know you think ₹1 crore is impossible. I know you believe you’re “bad with money.” I know you’re scared.
I’m writing from three years in the future to tell you: you were wrong.
Not about the math—the math was always right. You were wrong about yourself.
You’re not bad with money. You just haven’t learned yet.
You’re not incapable. You just haven’t tried yet.
You’re not doomed to struggle. You just haven’t believed yet.
In three years, you’ll have ₹8.4 lakhs in investments. You’ll have a side income. You’ll have switched jobs twice and increased your salary by 60%. You’ll be on track for ₹50 lakhs in 10 years.
But none of that happens if you keep waiting.
Start the SIP. Start it scared. Start it small. Just start.
The magic isn’t in the book you’re about to read. The magic is in what you do after you close it.
Stop reading. Start doing.
Love, Future You
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The Final Question
David Schwartz ends The Magic of Thinking Big with a challenge:
“Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it.”
So here’s my final question for you:
Do you believe you can build ₹50 lakhs? ₹1 crore? Financial freedom?
If the answer is “no,” go back to Article 2 and read it again.
If the answer is “maybe,” you’re halfway there.
If the answer is “yes,” then there’s only one thing left to do:
Prove it.
Not by reading more articles. Not by making more plans. Not by waiting for perfect conditions.
Prove it by opening your banking app right now and starting a SIP.
₹1,000. ₹2,000. ₹5,000. Whatever you can manage.
The number doesn’t matter. The action does.
Because the magic isn’t in this book.
The magic isn’t in David Schwartz’s wisdom.
The magic isn’t even in compound interest or SIPs or mutual funds.
The magic is in you.
It always has been.
You just needed permission to believe it.
Consider this your permission.
Now go build your wealth.
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One Last Thing
If this series changed how you think about money, do me one favor:
Share it with one person who needs it.
Not everyone. Just one.
That friend who’s “waiting for the right time” to invest. That cousin who’s stuck at ₹50,000 in savings. That colleague who keeps making excuses.
Send them Article 1. Tell them your story.
Because the magic of thinking big isn’t just about you getting rich.
It’s about all of us thinking bigger together.
And that starts with one conversation.
Your move.
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Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. The author is a SEBI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor (ARN 351164). Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
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Acknowledgments
This 13-part series was inspired by The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, a book written in 1959 that remains as relevant today as ever.
If you haven’t read the original book, I highly recommend it. While this series focused on personal finance applications, Schwartz’s principles apply to every area of life—career, relationships, health, and personal growth.
Thank you for reading. Now stop reading and start doing.
– Rahul SEBI Registered Mutual Fund Distributor ARN 351164 rahulmoney.com