In order to be big, you have to think big. If you think small, you're going to be small.

Lagasse’s line frames ambition as a prerequisite for achievement: the scale of one’s outcomes is constrained by the scale of one’s imagination and self-expectations. “Think big” functions less as abstract optimism than as a practical directive—set larger goals, picture yourself operating at a higher level, and you’ll be more likely to take the risks, invest the effort, and persist through setbacks required to reach them. Conversely, “thinking small” becomes a self-fulfilling limitation, narrowing choices and discouraging bold action. The aphorism fits the motivational rhetoric common in entrepreneurial and celebrity-chef culture, where personal drive and vision are presented as key ingredients of success.