Inspirational Quotes by John C. Maxwell
“I believe He meant we can do nothing that lasts, nothing that proves to be fulfilling or worthy of our life investment. If we spend our lives on things that have no eternal value and we exist for our egos, then our efforts will prove to be worth nothing. In the end, everything temporal will burn.Only God can turn our lives into something with true meaning, which means that their impact lasts beyond the mere physical.”
“In the last chapter we looked at self-talk and the importance of conversing with our internal voice. And often you can use solitude to do just that. But there’s also something helpful about shutting up and listening. As you begin, you might find that you need something to guide your thoughts. If so, I routinely go back to these two prayer-like formats. 1. Heavenly Father, what do you want for me today? I want . . . I need . . . 2. I surrender . . .”
“Like water in a bucket, vision evaporates and must be constantly replenished—that is, communicated.”
“In a hypercritical, cynical world, one that is often known for what it’s against, let’s be a group of people known for who and what we’re FOR.”
“EMBODY THE VALUES To live in a fashion consistent with your stated values. The principle behind the practice: More of leadership is caught rather than taught. In other words, people watch the leader and learn from his or her example. Single-word focus: Credibility Key Questions • What values or beliefs do I want to drive the behavior of my organization? • How can I communicate these values? • Which of these values do I most consistently model? • Which of these values do I need to work on? • What are my actions communicating? Caution: If the leader doesn’t embody the values, the trust of his or her followers will erode, and ultimately the leader will forfeit the opportunity to lead. Food for Thought • What have I learned about leadership during this journey? • Why does it matter? • What do I do with all that I’ve learned? • What am I willing to do today to improve my leadership? • What one thing can I put into practice this week? • Who can I ask to help me? THE ULTIMATE QUESTION Am I a serving leader or a self-serving leader? Self-Assessment Are You a Serving Leader? Rate each statement using the following scale: 5 = Completely agree 4 = Partially agree 3 = Neither agree nor disagree”
“Truett was more interested in the business growing people than he was in people growing the business. And that’s exactly how his business grew. When you are FOR the people in and around your business, the people in and around your business become FOR you.”
“Someone saw potential in me, invested in my life, and helped me understand that the rewards of becoming a serving leader were far greater than being a self-serving one. I guess you could say I had a change of heart.”
“Failures, repeated failures, are finger-prints on the road to achievement. .”
topics: leadership-development
“A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential.”
“It takes just about the same amount of time to be a nice guy as it does to be a jerk.”
“Love is the commitment to treat a person with dignity and kindness regardless of how you feel about him or her.”
“When people feel that their contributions are unappreciated, they will stop trying. And when that happens, innovation dies.”
“Those of us who have been blessed with worldly success have an even greater responsibility to make an impact with our time, talents, and resources;”
“If we are surrounded by flawless individuals, it can make our own mistakes seem magnified. And if a problem appears overlarge, it becomes more intimidating to attempt to overcome it.”
“if you do the following three things, you will be successful in major college basketball. If you don’t do them, it will be most difficult.” He didn’t say it would be impossible—typical of John Wooden—but he said it would be difficult. I was scrambling for my pen when he said, “Those three things are fairly simple: Number one, make certain, Dale, you always have better players than anybody you play. Now, with that locked up, make sure you always get the better players to put the team above themselves. And number three—this is very important, Dale Brown,” he said, “don’t try to be some coaching genius, or give the guys too much information, or too much stuff; always practice simplicity with constant repetition.”
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail . . . Never mistake activity for achievement . .”
“There is also the professional mentor, a person whose success in his or her career can be a source of practical wisdom and inspiration. This success might be mea sured in material gain or far-reaching influence, or in lives touched and relationships fostered. These mentors can offer a model for good business, ethical practices, and effective work habits, and they often provide the motivation we need to seize whatever opportunities come our way.”
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John C. Maxwell (born 1947) is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and pastor who has written more than 50 books, primarily focusing on leadership.
His organizations have trained 2 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations.
John C. Maxwell was born in Garden City, Michigan. His father, Melvin, was a minister in a local Wesleyan church. Maxwell followed his father into the ministry, completing a Bachelor's degree at Ohio Christian University in 1969, a Master of Divinity degree at Azusa Pacific University, and a Doctor of Ministry degree at Fuller Theological Seminary. Maxwell has received five honorary doctorates of divinity (including ones from the California Graduate School of Theology and Liberty University).