“I have to live with myself, and so I want to be fit for myself to know, I want to be able, as days go by, Always to look myself straight in the eye; I don’t want to stand, with the setting sun, And hate myself for things I have done. I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf A lot of secrets about myself, And fool myself, as I come and go, Into thinking that nobody else will know The kind of man I really am; I don’t want to dress up myself in sham. I want to go out with my head erect, I want to deserve all men’s respect; But here in the struggle for fame and pelf I want to be able to like myself. I don’t want to look at myself and know That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show. I can never hide myself from me; I see what others may never see; I know what others may never know, I never can fool myself, and so, Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Do not take the agenda that someone else has mapped out for your life.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“NO NOTES. This was truly an oral event. Storytellers didn’t read their stories; they told them, which allowed for eye contact.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“many people are more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions.
―
John C. Maxwell
“How do you identify someone who needs encouragement? That person is breathing.
―
John C. Maxwell
“people with a positive attitude focus their time and attention on solutions, not problems.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“If you pair excellence with humility, people not only won’t run over you, they will respect you.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“I got to the top the hard way—fighting my own laziness and ignorance every step of the way.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Asking and hearing people’s opinions has a greater effect on them than telling them, ‘Good job.’ ”
―
John C. Maxwell
“1. Experience: People who have been down the road of life and understand it. 2. Heart for God: People who place God first and uphold His values. 3. Objectivity: People who see the pros and cons of the issues. 4. Love for people: People who love others and value them more than things. 5. Complementary gifts: People who bring diverse gifts to the relationship. 6. Loyalty to the leader: People who truly love and are concerned for the leader. The Maxwell Leadership Bible”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them day after day.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“application phase of the thinking process, land your ideas first with… Yourself: Landing an idea with yourself will give you integrity. People will buy into an idea only after they buy into the leader who communicates it. Before teaching any lesson, I ask myself three questions: “Do I believe it? Do I live it? Do I believe others should live it?” If I can’t answer yes to all three questions, then I haven’t landed it. Key Players: Let’s face it, no idea will fly if the influencers don’t embrace it. After all, they are the people who carry thoughts from idea to implementation. Those Most Affected: Landing thoughts with the people on the firing line will give you great insight. Those closest to changes that occur as a result of a new idea can give you a “reality read.” And that’s important, because sometimes even when you’ve diligently completed the process of creating a thought, shaping it, and stretching it with other good thinkers, you can still miss the mark.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“A successful person finds the right place for himself. But a successful leader finds the right place for others.
―
John C. Maxwell
