“The younger you are, the more likely you will give your attention to many things. That’s good because if you’re young you’re still getting to know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses. If you focus your thinking on only one thing and your aspirations change, then you’ve wasted your best mental energy. As you get older and more experienced, the need to focus becomes more critical. The farther and higher you go, the more focused you can be—and need to be.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“In ancient China the people wanted security against the barbaric hordes to the north, so they built the great wall. It was so high they believed no one could climb over it and so thick nothing could break it down. They settled back to enjoy their security. During the first hundred years of the wall’s existence, China was invaded three times. Not once did the barbaric hordes break down the wall or climb over it. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right through the gates. The Chinese were so busy relying on the walls of stone that they forgot to teach integrity to their children.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Every successful person is someone who failed, yet never regarded himself as a failure.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The goal of confrontation should be to help, not to humiliate.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“If you pair excellence with humility, people not only won’t run over you, they will respect you.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“There are two types of people in the business community: those who produce results and those who give you reasons why they didn’t.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! 15“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Leadership is a moving target, and it always will be. If you desire to become a better leader, get comfortable with change. And if you want to lead up, learn to think like a leader. Think people, think progress, and think intangibles.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“In my first leadership position, I mistakenly thought that being named the leader meant that I was the leader. Back then I defined leading as a noun—as the position I was appointed to—not a verb—as what I was doing. Though I had been hired as the senior pastor, I quickly discovered the real leader of the church was a down-to-earth farmer named Claude, who had been earning his leadership influence through many positive actions over many years. He later explained it to me, saying, “John, all the letters”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Learning to write is learning to think. You don’t know anything clearly unless you can state it in writing.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The effectiveness of your work will never rise above your ability to lead and influence others. You cannot produce consistently on a level higher than your leadership. In other words, your leadership skills determine the level of your success-and the success of those who work around you.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“people who are busy rowing seldom have time to rock the boat.”
―
John C. Maxwell
