The Psychology of Winning Book Summary - The Psychology of Winning Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

The Psychology of Winning summary

Name: The Psychology of Winning
Rating: 4.4 (126 reviews)
Author: Denis Waitley

Denis Waitley

Ten Qualities of a Total Winner

4.4 (126 ratings)

21 mins

Brief summary

The Psychology of Winning by Denis Waitley is a self-help classic that teaches readers how to develop a winning mindset in order to achieve their goals. It offers practical strategies for building confidence, taking action, and embracing change.

Topics

Success Effectiveness Skills Confidence

Table of Contents

The Psychology of Winning
Summary of 10 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 10

What’s in it for me: Learn how to become a winner in life who's popular and happy

In today’s competitive world, the gap between “winners” and “losers” is becoming ever clearer. This gap does not merely refer to their success in life, but also their attitude toward life and how much they enjoy it. Losers retain so many losing habits that their lives are dominated by fear, regret and aimlessness.

Thankfully, The Psychology of Winning explains how anyone can become a winner.

Firstly, it is important to understand what winning really means: developing a positive lifestyle that benefits both winners and others around them.

To adopt this positive lifestyle and become a winner, you simply have to develop certain winning habits. For example, you must learn to change your self-image, as it will translate into real-life change as well.

Once you have these habits you will find yourself living a more successful and positive life. But still, you must constantly practice your winning habits to retain them and not slip back into a loser lifestyle.

Winning starts with self-projection: using the power of your mind to achieve what you envision.

When you were a child, did you ever dream about becoming, for example, a teacher, doctor, or astronaut?

Interestingly, we usually do go on to become the make-believe selves we fantasized about the most.

For example, since childhood Neil Armstrong dreamed of doing something important in the field of aviation, and he famously went on to become the first person on the moon.

The first step to becoming a winner is projecting the image of yourself that you want to attain. Practice this on a daily basis. Remember, if you feel good, you’ll look good and do good.

This is because our mind has tremendous power and can greatly influence our actions – more so than we think.

For example, one study showed that even the most effective people utilize less than ten percent of their mental capacity. Further studies concluded that the creative capacity of the human brain may ultimately be infinite.

Such findings indicate that we have at our disposal an untapped and limitless resource to become more creative, inventive and successful people.

This means that winning is also mostly about having the right attitude so you can tap into that potential.

Winners are not always the ones who have the best genetic features or live in a good neighborhood – instead, many of them spring up out of adversity.

For example, O.J. Simpson was a just child living on the street who’d been diagnosed with a crippling disease. Yet with his determination he managed to become a football star.

A winner is a person who manages to harmonize their mental state, their environment and their physiological state. The result is that they usually get what they want from life.

So the good news is that everybody can be a winner; the process starts in your mind.

Winners develop a positive lifestyle that helps them and the people around them.

Winning is a way of living that creates a better life for us. When an individual understands and applies the principles of winning in life to benefit both herself and those around her, she is bound to feel good, think constructively and look great. Great things will therefore happen to her.

Winning is about developing a new, positive lifestyle where so-called losers’ habits are replaced with winning ones.

Winners have clearly defined goals as well as a purpose in life, and they tend to get what they expect.

Most of us know people who seem to be adrift, lacking any clear path or direction. Winners, on the other hand, are like torpedos, homing in on their targets with merciless conviction.

Winners set clear goals for themselves and tend to consistently get what they want. If you ask them, winners are always able to tell you exactly what they are doing and where they want to be.

Winners motivate themselves by focusing on the positive impact of their actions.

When facing a challenge most of us tend to feel some inklings of self-doubt. But winners always make sure that their mind is full of positive thoughts.

This is because motivation is driven by your emotional state, and the two key emotions that dominate human motivation are fear and desire.

Winners succeed by understanding that they themselves determine how their lives turn out.

Have you ever heard someone mutter in a disheartened manner: “I’ll just see what happens”? This kind of attitude highlights a crucial difference between winners and losers: losers let it happen, winners make it happen.

Winners believe in their own power of self-determination – that they themselves can shape their own destinies.

Winners have excellent self-awareness and are able to easily empathize with others, making them very adaptable.

We all know people who lie to themselves.

But winners don’t do this; they are always honest with themselves. They understand and accept their potential, and are honest about the time and effort it will require to achieve what they want. A winner thinks, feels and acts in a manner consistent with who they are and what they want. This is honesty.

Winners have high self-esteem; start developing yours too.

The number one difference between a winner and a loser lies in their self-esteem.

Winners have developed a strong sense of self-esteem and have high self-confidence. This is confirmed by several studies: highly successful winners like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and Hellen Keller all had high self-esteem as their common denominator. This could be seen in the way they were comfortable with their own uniqueness and the way they understood that others should accept them just the way they were.

You can change your own self-image to change your behavior.

In order to understand human behavior you must understand the fundamental role that self-image plays in it.

Firstly, you must realize that people don’t actually act in accordance with reality, but with their perception of reality. Scientists agree that our nervous system cannot tell the difference between an actual experience and experience imagined vividly, emotionally and in detail.

Winners strengthen their self-discipline so they can stay committed to their winning habits.

By now, you’re probably eager to pick up some winning habits. But beware – without self-discipline it is impossible to learn or maintain them.

So how can you strengthen your self-discipline?

Winners succeed in every sphere of life, live in the present moment and create more winners around them.

The final thing to understand about being a winner is that as a winner you are not independent of others and your surroundings. Winners see the big picture and understand that they are a part of the universe.

What does this mean?

Want to see all full key ideas from The Psychology of Winning?

Key ideas in The Psychology of Winning

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is The Psychology of Winning about?

The Psychology of Winning (1985) reveals the secret to becoming a winner in life. The author argues that there are ten qualities that a person must possess if he wants to achieve this positive, confident lifestyle. Each of these qualities is explained with the help of tangible real-life examples and accompanied by techniques that can help anyone adopt them.

Who should read The Psychology of Winning?

Anyone who wants to be a winner in life
Anyone who has bad “loser” habits they’d like to get rid of
Anyone who wants to adopt a positive lifestyle

About the Author

Dr. Denis Waitley is a motivational speaker, consultant and author. He has written over a dozen books and sold over 10 million audio versions of his work. His other bestsellers include Being the Best, The Winner’s Edge and Seeds of Greatness.

Categories with The Psychology of Winning

Career & Success Psychology Personal Development

Book summaries like The Psychology of Winning

Winning Now, Winning Later

David M. Cote

How Companies Can Succeed in the Short Term While Investing for the Long Term

The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It

21 min

4.5

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do

Amy Morin

Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success

A Guide to Compassionate Living

The secret methods to getting what you want

The New Psychology of Success

Living Better Together, the African Way

Changing Habits for Good Using Self-Compassion and Understanding

The secrets of 40 millionaires' wealth, revealed

How to Work Less to Achieve More

20 min

4.4

The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control

Katherine Morgan Schafler

A Path to Peace and Power

A Common Sense Guide to the Economy

How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality

Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life

20 min

4.5

Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs

Karen Berman & Joe Knight with John Case

What You Really Need to Know about the Numbers

7 min

3.2

The Psychology of Selling

Brian Tracy

Increase your sales faster and easier than you ever thought possible

An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation

27 min

4.5

The Psychology of Money

Morgan Housel

Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness

22 min

4.4

How to Be a People Magnet

Leil Lowndes

Finding Friends – and Lovers – and Keeping Them for Life

16 min

4.4

Human + Machine

Paul R. Daugherty & H. James Wilson

Reimagining Work in the Age of AI

9 min

3.6

Resilient

Rick Hanson with Forrest Hanson

How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness

26 min

4.5

Start-up of You

Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha

Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career

What to Say to Get Your Way

The Science and Secrets Behind 7 Words That Motivate, Engage, and Influence

11 min

4.2

Happy Mind, Happy Life

Rangan Chatterjee

The New Science of Mental Well-Being

18 min

4.5

Leading an Inspired Life

Jim Rohn

Timeless Wisdom and Practical Strategies to Find True Fulfillment

18 min

4.5

Primed to Perform

Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor

How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation

16 min

4.1

Own Your Greatness

Lisa Orbé-Austin & Richard Orbé-Austin

Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life

20 min

4.6

It Didn't Start With You

Mark Wolynn

How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End The Cycle

A New Technique for Using Your Subconscious Power

How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

16 min

4.3

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

Julie Smith

Everyday Tools for Life’s Ups & Downs

The First Step to a Better Life

22 min

4.4

This Is Your Brain on Sports

L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers

The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn From the T-Shirt Cannon

How to Think and Act Like the Most Successful and Highest-Paid People in Every Field

The Small Changes That Change Everything

22 min

4.6

The Little Book of Talent

Daniel Coyle

52 Tips for Improving Your Skills

A Handbook for Living

Listening to Ignite the Human Mind

20 min

4.5

The Western Guide to Feng Shui

Terah Kathryn Collins

Room by Room

15 min

4.2

7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness

Jim Rohn

Power Ideas from America's Foremost Business Philosopher

12 More Rules for Life

37 min

4.5

Nonviolent Communication

Marshall B. Rosenberg

A Language of Life

24 min

4.5

Man’s Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl

The harrowing experiences of the author in a concentration camp

17 min

4.4

The Procrastination Cure

Damon Zahariades

21 Proven Tactics for Conquering Your Inner Procrastinator, Mastering Your Time, and Boosting Your Productivity!

Myths about genius and what it really means to be great

Everybody falls, but the key is knowing how to get up again

A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn't, and Get Stuff Done

23 min

4.4

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.