This book reads like a manifesto of sorts. It is the culmination of 30 years worth of research and learning from author John C. Maxwell. This book is filled with many quotable quotes. It starts with what success really is, then turns to where do you want success to take you, how big can and should you dream, who should you take with on the journey and why the journey is important.
Chapter 1 - What is Success?
This chapter sets the stage for the roadmap. What is Success?
Quotable Quotes:
"Success is for Everyone"
"The picture of success isn't the same for any two people"
"You will never exhaust your capacity to grow toward your potential or run our of opportunities to help others"
"The answer to the question, when do I start, is now!"
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
What success is not:
-Wealth
-A Special Feeling
-Specific and Worthwhile Possessions
-Power
-Achievement
What should success be:
-Knowing your purpose in life
-Growing to reach your maximum potential
-Sowing the seeds that benefit others.
Chapter 2 - Dreaming Big for Maximum Potential
This chapter talks about dreaming, leading to your action by getting involved by creating your own dream.
Quotable Quotes:
"You need to identify and sail toward your destination"
"A person who has a dream knows what he is willing to give up in order to go up."
"Our dream, when pursued, is the most likely predictor of our future."
"Your ability to live your dream may be closer than you think."
"Any dream worth having is worth sharing with others."
"The greater the journey, the more committed you have to be to take it."
Dreaming is important:
-Gives us Direction
-Increases our Potential
-Helps us Prioritize
-Adds Value
-Predicts our Future
Develop your Dream using...
My Past:
-What are my greatest talents?
-What is my greatest character strength?
-What to others who have nothing to gain say that I'm good at?
-What have my unique life experiences prepared me to do?
-What is my greatest passion-the thing I love doing so much that I would gladly do it for free?
-What is so important to me that I would be willing to die for it?
My Present:
-What are all of my current resources?
-What current circumstances can I positively change to free up more resources or create more opportunities?
-What is unique to my current circumstances- my place in history, where I live, where I work, the people I know?
My Future:
-If I could be anything I wanted what would it be?
Chapter 3 - Attitude
This chapter focuses in on our attitude and how it impacts our success journey.
Quotable Quotes:
"When our attitudes outdistance our abilities, even the impossible becomes possible."
"How you think affects your approach to the success journey in a powerful way."
"When you believe in yourself, you're free to focus on improving yourself and reach your potential."
"Giving is the highest level of living."
"When you spend time with positive people, you help yourself to see things in a better light."
"You have to ACT yourself in changing."
Your Attitude:
-You are where you are because of it
-It is a choice
-Determines your approach to the journey
-Determine how far you will go
-Can guide you to success or to failure
Signs of a Great Attitude:
-Belief in self
-Willingness to see the best in others
-Ability to see opportunity everywhere
-Focus on solutions
-Desire to give
-Persistence
-Responsibility for your own life
How far can I go?
-Rights or Responsibilities...Think about your responsibilites rather than your rights
-People...Ask positive people how they remain that way.
-Stress...How can you relieve stress
-Humor...If you tell a joke, is the audience surprised? If so, you may be taking yourself too seriously.
-Attitude statement...Write down a positive creed for yourself, stating your intention to become a positive person.
Chapter 4 - Goals
This chapter talks about dreaming. Leading to your action by getting involved by creating your own dream.
Quotable Quotes:
"Life is not a dress rehearsal"
“On the success journey, the first part of the trip is just as important as the last part.”
“No matter where you are starting from on your journey, you have some things going for you.”
“You should plan to review and update goals on an almost continual basis.”
Goals:
-Create the route to success
-Draw out purpose
-Give you motivation
-Show you what to do
-Focus you on improvement not, activity
-Create mile markers of progress
How do I get there?
-Recognize your dream
-Observe the starting place
-Articulate your statement of purpose
-Define your goals
1. Written
2. Personal
3. Specific
4. Achievable
5. Measurable
6. Time-sensitive
-Move into action
-Adjust your plans
-Celebrate success
Chapter 5 - Growth
This chapter talks about growth and the importance of being a continual learner.
Quotable Quotes:
"Nothing in your past guarantees that you will continue growing toward your potential in the future."
“Growth is a decision that can really make a difference.”
“Self Development draws you toward your destiny.”
“People who reach their potential think in terms of improvement.”
“Give your time and energy only to the themes at the heart of your life.”
“Successful people develop positive daily habits that help them to grow and learn.”
“Complacency kills growth.”
“Dedication to growth motivates you.”
Growth:
-Means change
-Is a choice
1. Be teachable
2. Focus on self-development not self-fulfillment
3. Never remain satisfied for long periods
4. Be a continual learner
5. Concentrate on a few major themes
6. Develop your plan for growth
7. It takes sacrifice to grow
8. Apply what you learn
-Needs to be create in a controlled environment
-Develop relationships with growing people
What should I pack in my suitcase?
-A plan for growth
1. Based on your dreams and growth
2. Choose your areas to develop(not more than 5 at once)
3. Find resources(books, library, people, online)
4. Plan your growth time
-A climate for growth
1. Affirm those around you that display a desire for growth
2. Try something new out of your comfort zone
3. Consider benefits that your current growth plan may give you in the future
-Relationships with growing people
1. Find a mentor
2. Spend time with other growing people
3. Pick someone to mentor
Chapter 6 – Fear and Failure
This chapter talks about fear and failure and how to handle it during your journey. I can’t say I completely agree with this chapter, but below is the summary. I personally feel that mitigating risk using your resources before failing may be a better route to take, rather than embracing failure as a given.
Quotable Quotes:
“Keep moving forward on the journey, making the best of detours and interruptions, turning adversity into advantage.”
“Fear causes procrastination.”
“Fear is interest paid on a debt you may not owe.”
“You need to remember that what happens in you is more important than what happens to you.”
“You need to learn to fail forward.”
“Train yourself to think of failures as mileage markers.”
“Sometimes failure signals that it’s time for a change in direction.”
“It’s okay if you fall down as long as you learn something as you get up.”
Fear:
-Admit your fears
-Accept it as part of progress
-Focus on things you can control
-Feed faith not fear
Failure:
-Use it as a springboard
-Appreciate the value of failure
-Don’t take it personally
-Let it redirect you and use as a gauge for growth
-Keep a sense of humor
-Ask why not who
-Make it a learning experience to see the big picture
-Don’t let it keep you down and don’t give up.
How do I handle the detours?
-Overcome your fear and grow using action
-What stands in the way of your next step?
-List the things you can and cannot control concerning your fear and make a commitment to stop dwelling on things you cannot control.
-Write a credo to help you face and overcome your fears in the future.
-Think of a recent failure…make sure you are not taking it personally. Use the experience to analyze if you are handling fear to redirect you and learn something from it.
-Failure is my springboard to success.
Chapter 7 - Achievement
This chapter talks about achievement and excellence. Are you going to keep going after you see some success?
Quotable Quotes:
"Success landmarks are internal, not external."
"Affirmation from others is fickle and fleeting."
"Excellence is always a choice."
“Money often brings options, but it doesn’t necessarily add value to your life.”
“There is no success without sacrifice.”
“Your goal is to finish the race–to do the best you’re capable of.”
“Are you hungry for success?”
Landmark trade-offs:
-Achievement over Affirmation
-Excellence over Acceptability
-Personal growth over immediate pleasure
-Future potential over financial gain
-A narrow focus over scattered interests
-Significance over security
Continually trading up:
-Develop character
-Focus on the big picture
-Get rid of excuses
-Understand the odds
-Stay hungry
Are we there yet?
-Develop your persistence
-Identify your next level and move towards it
-What sacrifices must you make to move to the next level?
Chapter 8 - Family
This chapter talks about family and the importance of good relationships during your success journey.
Quotable Quotes:
"Make your home a supportive environment."
"Traditions have the added value of creating continuity within the family."
"Be creative about finding reasons to talk to each other."
“Common values strengthen a family.”
“There is definitely a correlation between family success and personal success.”
Building a Strong Family:
-Express appreciation
-Understand how personalities affect your family dynamic
-Structure your lives to spend time together
-Deal with crisis in a positive way.
-Communicate continually
-Share the same values
-Build your marriage
Is it a Family Trip?
-Get to know each other better
-Identify your value systems and consolidate your values into family values, then live by them
-Spend time with your spouse at least once a month
-Improve your communication(stop the TV watching cycle)
-Adjust your calendar and have fun together
Chapter 9 - People
This chapter talks about people to take with you on the journey and their importance to your success.
The Right People:
-They determine your success
-They make things happen
-They see and seize opportunities
-They influence others
-They add value
-They attract other leaders
-They equip others
-They provide inspiring ideas
-They live up to their commitments
-They have loyalty
Who else should I take with me?
-Write names of people who meet the above definitions
-Pick the top three people and write down their names next to those of your family for the journey.
Chapter 10 – Other Focus
This chapter talks about building up leaders that you develop along your journey for mutual benefit.
Quotable Quotes:
"Raising up others is successful person’s joy.”
“You should spend 80 percent of you time developing only the top 20 percent of the people around you.”
“Give for the sake of giving.”
“Be on the lookout for good material in others’ area of interest.”
“Take others with you and help them change their lives for the better.”
Why focus on others is hard:
-Insecurity
-Ego
-Inability to discern others success motivation
-Wrong concept of success
-Lack of training
How to move forward taking others for a life changing ride:
-Make people development your top priority
-Limit who you take along
-Develop relationships before starting out
-Give help unconditionally
-Let them fly with you for a while
-Put fuel in their tank
-Stay with them until they can solo successfully
-Clear the flight path
-Help them to repeat the process
What should we do along the way?
-Indentify development areas
-Make the development of other people part of your routine
-Plan monthly
Will you read this book again? Maybe, If I am in need of motivation. I definitely recommend reading it.
Would you suggest this book be added to a personal library? Yes, this is a great book to loan to people with this specific need and good to go back to for reference.
Reviewed By Mike W - Twin Cities, MN
