John C. Maxwell Quotes

Do something you hate every day, just for the practice.

If you show people how much you care and ask questions in a non threatening way, you'll be amazed by how much they'll tell you.

Those who profit from adversity possess a spirit of humility and are therefore inclined to make the necessary changes needed to learn from their mistakes, failures, and losses. ... When we are focused too much on ourselves, we lose perspective. Humility allows us to regain perspective and see the big picture. ... Humility allows us to let go of perfection and keep trying.

When pastors ask me if their people will buy this vision, I ask them two questions: "Have they bought into your leadership?" If they haven't, don't ever try to pass on a vision. Second, "Have you processed this vision correctly?"

The road to success is long and up hill all the way

When a leader is upbeat in the face of discouraging circumstances, others admire that quality and want to be like her.

No matter where you are in your leadership journey, never forget that what got you to where you are won't get you to the next level.

SUCCESS is when I add value to MYSELF. SIGNIFICANCE is when I add value to OTHERS.

We tend to become what the most important person in our life thinks we will become. Think the best, believe the best, and express the best in others. Your affirmation will not only make you more attractive to them, but you will help play an important part in their personal development.

Encouragement is oxygen for the soul

Someone once defined hard work as the accumulation of the easy things you didn't do when you should have.

The difference between where we are and where we want to be is created by the changes we are willing to make in our lives. When you want something you've never had, you must do something you've never done to get it.

I started out in the ministry, went to college, started as a pastor, pastored for basically 25 years. That was a good time, I really enjoyed it.

A lot of people believe they are successful because they have everything they want. They have added value to themselves. But I believe significance comes when you add value to others and you can't have true success without significance.

Let God talk to you and minister to you, where you get honest with Him - here's what I do well and don't do well; here are my shortcomings, my strengths, and my gifts.

Some of my best thinking is done by others.

If you live life with the intention of making a difference in others' lives, your life will be full not empty.

Leadership is influence. It is the ability to obtain followers. When the leader lacks confidence, the followers have no commitment. A leader is great not because of his power, but because of his ability to empower others.

Transmit your vision emotionally by gaining credibility, demonstrating passion, establishing relationships and communicating a felt need. Transmit it logically by confronting reality, formulating strategy, accepting responsibility, celebrating victory and learning from defeat.

Confidence is a characteristic of a positive attitude. The greatest achievers and leaders remain confident regardless of circumstances.

Life is like riding in a taxi. Whether you are going anywhere or not, the meter keeps ticking.

Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.

We cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with our beliefs.

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done, and those who don't want to make mistakes.

The most successful people in life are the ones who settle their critical issues early and manage them daily.

You can change your tomorrow if you do something today. Few people understand how the way you live today impacts your tomorrow. Today is the only time we have within our grasp, yet many people let it slip through their fingers, recognizing neither its value nor potential. If we want to do something with our lives, then we must make today matter, because that's where tomorrow's success lies.

The secret of a person's success is discovered in their daily agenda.

Everybody can be somebody when somebody understands and believes in her.

Talented performers flock to the best and brightest leaders, and these leaders in turn lift the lids off their people and uncork the latent talent inside of them.

Reflective thinking is like the crock pot of the mind. It encourages your thoughts to simmer until they're done.

I wrote the book [Today Matters] because I have a passion to help people personally grow. Really what it is, it's a personal growth book.

You must develop yourself to be successful

Leadership has less to do with position than it does with disposition.

We tend to get in life what we are willing to tolerate.

Why did the achievers overcome problems while thousands are overwhelmed by theirs? They refused to hold on to the common excuses for failure. They turned their stumbling blocks into stepping stones. They realized that they couldn't determine every circumstance in life but they could determine their choice of attitude towards every circumstance.

Nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone. Look below the surface and you will find that all seemingly solo acts are really team efforts.

Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.

Delegate - work smarter not harder; do what you do best and drop the rest; get control of your calendar; do what you love because it will give you energy; work with people you like so your energy isn't depleted.

Success is not what you leave to but what you leave behind

I think that self-discipline has to be accompanied by passion.

I think passion gives you the energy to do what is right, and discipline makes sure you do what is right. So I look at them as kind of cousins maybe.

Facing difficulties is inevitable. Learning from them is optional.

A person who refuses to risk change fails to grow.

I guess I'd rather be loved than respected.

The law of the [Cub Scout] pack guides the boys to move in the direction of being helpful, friendly, courteous, trustworthy and promote qualities which parents and the community are looking for. The whole purpose of scouting is to help the children grow up making good decisions in life.

Make personal growth a daily priority.

What you are going to be tomorrow, you are becoming today.

God has put a dream inside you. It's yours, and no one else's. It declares your uniqueness. It holds your potential. Only you can birth it. Only you can live it. Not to discover it, take responsibility for it, and act upon it is to negatively affect yourself as well as all those who would benefit from your dream.