“Great minds have purposes; others have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them.”
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John C. Maxwell
“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.”
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John C. Maxwell
“the strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link.”
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John C. Maxwell
“One of the most striking scenes of the 1970s was Hubert Humphrey’s funeral. Seated next to Hubert’s beloved wife was former President Richard M. Nixon, a long-time political adversary of Humphrey, and a man disgraced by Watergate. Humphrey himself had asked Nixon to have that place of honor. Three days before Senator Humphrey died, Jesse Jackson visited him in the hospital. Humphrey told Jackson that he had just called Nixon. Reverend Jackson, knowing their past relationship, asked Humphrey why. Here is what Hubert Humphrey had to say, From this vantage point, with the sun setting in my life, all of the speeches, the political conventions, the crowds, and the great fights are behind me. At a time like this you are forced to deal with your irreducible essence, forced to grapple with that which is really important. And what I have concluded about life is that when all is said and done, we must forgive each other, redeem each other, and move on. Do”
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John C. Maxwell
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
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John C. Maxwell
“As Michel de Montaigne observed, “No wind favors him who has no destined port.”
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John C. Maxwell
“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal.”
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John C. Maxwell
“A visionary company is like a great work of art. Think of Michelangelo’s scenes from Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or his statue of David. Think of a great and enduring novel like Huckleberry Finn or Crime and Punishment. Think of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony or Shakespeare’s Henry V. Think of a beautifully designed building, like the masterpieces of Frank Lloyd Wright or Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. You can’t point to any one single item that makes the whole thing work; it’s the entire work—all the pieces working together to create an overall effect—that leads to enduring greatness.”
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John C. Maxwell
“The reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.”
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John C. Maxwell
“How Do You Write the Word “Attitude”? Directions: 1. Write the word attitude on the left line with your “writing” hand. 2. Write the word attitude on the right line with your other hand. The word attitude written with your writing hand. The word attitude written with your other hand. Application: When you look at the word attitude written by the hand you do not write with, you see a picture of the kind of attitude we usually have when we are trying to do something new. As one person said, “Nothing should ever be done for the first time.”
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John C. Maxwell
“When you know your purpose and priorities and you have ordered your day, week, or year according to them, you have a clarity of thought that strengthens everything you do.”
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John C. Maxwell
“The key to working smarter is knowing the difference between motion and direction. In the final analysis, results are what matter; attendance and activity don’t.”
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John C. Maxwell
“If you are to become more sensitive, you must be willing to take a risk. Take the initiative to find a need and take action.”
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John C. Maxwell
“God prepares leaders in a crockpot, not a microwave. More important than the awaited goal is the work God does in us while we wait. Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective, and broadens our understanding. Tests of time determine whether we can endure seasons of seemingly unfruitful preparation, and indicate whether we can recognize and seize the opportunities that come our way.”
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John C. Maxwell