John C. Maxwell, or John Calvin Maxwell, is an American pastor, speaker, and great author who has written many books focusing primarily on leadership and success. May these famous John Maxwell quotes give you insights that will inspire you and help you get the positivity to achieve your goals and succeed in life.
1. “A successful person finds the right place for himself. But a successful leader finds the right place for others.” – John Maxwell
2. “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.” – John Maxwell
3. “The sum of all your thoughts comprises your overall attitude.” – John Maxwell
4. “The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.” – John Maxwell
5. “To collaborative team members, completing one another is more important than competing with one another.” – John Maxwell
6. “If you wouldn't follow yourself, why should anyone else?” – John Maxwell
7. “A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” – John Maxwell
8. “Real leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.” – John Maxwell
9. “One of the major keys to success is to keep moving forward on the journey, making the best of the detours and interruptions, turning adversity into advantage.” – John Maxwell
10. “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.” – John Maxwell
11. “Most people have a desire to look for the exception instead of the desire to become exceptional.” – John Maxwell
12. “When the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.” – John Maxwell
13. “Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others.” – John Maxwell
14. “True success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.” – John Maxwell
15. “The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.” – John Maxwell
16. “If you don't have peace, it isn't because someone took it from you; you gave it away. You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you.” – John Maxwell
17. “Don't ever be impressed with goal setting; be impressed with goal getting. Reaching new goals and moving to a higher level of performance always requires change, and change feels awkward. But take comfort in the knowledge that if a change doesn't feel uncomfortable, then it's probably not really a change.” – John Maxwell
18. “Life is now in session. Are you present?” – John Maxwell
19. “If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” – John Maxwell
20. “Your success stops where your character stops. You can never rise above the limitations of your character.” – John Maxwell
21. “If you do the things you need to do when you need to do them, then someday you can do the things you want do when you want to do them.” – John Maxwell
22. “Learn to say 'no' to the good so you can say 'yes' to the best.” – John Maxwell
23. “Happiness simply cannot be relied upon as a measure of success.” – John Maxwell
24. “You see, when our attitudes outdistance our abilities, even the impossible becomes possible.” – John Maxwell
25. “A leader who produces other leaders multiples their influences.” – John Maxwell
26. “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” – John Maxwell
27. “Most people who decide to grow personally find their first mentors in the pages of books.” – John Maxwell
28. “If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.” – John Maxwell
29. “A dream worth pursuing is a picture and blueprint of a person's purpose and potential.” – John Maxwell
30. “Your attitude is like the minds paintbrush. It can paint everything in bright, vibrant colors-creating a masterpiece.” – John Maxwell
More John Maxwell quotes on Leadership, Empowerment, and Success
31. “Everything begins with a decision. Then, you have to manage that decision for the rest of your life.” – John Maxwell
32. “It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others's successes.” – John Maxwell
33. “Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.” – John Maxwell
34. “Stay focused instead of getting offended or off track by others.” – John Maxwell
35. “A dream becomes a reality as a result of your actions, and your actions are controlled, to a large extent, by your habits.” – John Maxwell
36. “You have to live with the people to know their needs, and you have to live with God to know how to solve them.” – John Maxwell
37. “People don't care what you know until they know what you care.” – John Maxwell
38. “Relational skills are the most important abilities in leadership.” – John Maxwell
39. “Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date.” – John Maxwell
40. “We feel unhappy and confused with our life when we don't do the focus or calling that God has on our life.” – John Maxwell
41. “Comparing yourself to others is really just a needless distraction. The only one you should compare yourself to is you. Your mission is to become better today than you were yesterday. You do that by focusing on what you can do today to improve and grow.” – John Maxwell
42. “Great leaders always seem to embody two seemingly disparate qualities. They are both highly visionary and highly practical.” – John Maxwell
43. “The longer you wait to do something you should do now, the greater the odds that you will never actually do it.” – John Maxwell
44. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John Maxwell
45. “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” – John Maxwell
46. “If you focus on goals, you may hit goals but that doesn’t guarantee growth. If you focus on growth, you will grow and always hit goals.” – John Maxwell
47. “The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.” – John Maxwell
48. “Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.” – John Maxwell
49. “The first time you say something, it’s heard. The second time, it’s recognized, and the third time it’s learned.” – John Maxwell
50. “The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.” – John Maxwell
51. “To add value to others, one must first value others.” – John Maxwell
52. “The difference between success and failure might just be a few tweaks to our attitudes and beliefs.” – John Maxwell
53. “In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand.” – John Maxwell
54. “People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.” – John Maxwell
55. “If you don’t change the direction you are going, then you’re likely to end up where you’re heading.” – John Maxwell
56. “People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life.” – John Maxwell
57. “The size of our success is determined by the strength of our desire; the size of our dream; and how we handle disappointment along the way.” – John Maxwell
58. “It seems the older you get, the more life comes into focus.” – John Maxwell
59. “Failed plans should not be interpreted as a failed vision. Visions don’t change, they are only refined. Plans rarely stay the same, and are scrapped or adjusted as needed. Be stubborn about the vision, but flexible with your plan.” – John Maxwell
60. “All of the people in my life whom I consider to be close friends or colleagues are good thinkers.” – John Maxwell
Share these John Maxwell quotes on Character, Growth, and Purpose with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.
1. “A successful person finds the right place for himself. But a successful leader finds the right place for others.” – John Maxwell
2. “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.” – John Maxwell
3. “The sum of all your thoughts comprises your overall attitude.” – John Maxwell
4. “The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.” – John Maxwell
5. “To collaborative team members, completing one another is more important than competing with one another.” – John Maxwell
6. “If you wouldn't follow yourself, why should anyone else?” – John Maxwell
7. “A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” – John Maxwell
8. “Real leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.” – John Maxwell
9. “One of the major keys to success is to keep moving forward on the journey, making the best of the detours and interruptions, turning adversity into advantage.” – John Maxwell
10. “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.” – John Maxwell
11. “Most people have a desire to look for the exception instead of the desire to become exceptional.” – John Maxwell
12. “When the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.” – John Maxwell
13. “Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others.” – John Maxwell
14. “True success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.” – John Maxwell
15. “The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.” – John Maxwell
16. “If you don't have peace, it isn't because someone took it from you; you gave it away. You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you.” – John Maxwell
17. “Don't ever be impressed with goal setting; be impressed with goal getting. Reaching new goals and moving to a higher level of performance always requires change, and change feels awkward. But take comfort in the knowledge that if a change doesn't feel uncomfortable, then it's probably not really a change.” – John Maxwell
18. “Life is now in session. Are you present?” – John Maxwell
19. “If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” – John Maxwell
20. “Your success stops where your character stops. You can never rise above the limitations of your character.” – John Maxwell
21. “If you do the things you need to do when you need to do them, then someday you can do the things you want do when you want to do them.” – John Maxwell
22. “Learn to say 'no' to the good so you can say 'yes' to the best.” – John Maxwell
23. “Happiness simply cannot be relied upon as a measure of success.” – John Maxwell
24. “You see, when our attitudes outdistance our abilities, even the impossible becomes possible.” – John Maxwell
25. “A leader who produces other leaders multiples their influences.” – John Maxwell
26. “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” – John Maxwell
27. “Most people who decide to grow personally find their first mentors in the pages of books.” – John Maxwell
28. “If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.” – John Maxwell
29. “A dream worth pursuing is a picture and blueprint of a person's purpose and potential.” – John Maxwell
30. “Your attitude is like the minds paintbrush. It can paint everything in bright, vibrant colors-creating a masterpiece.” – John Maxwell
More John Maxwell quotes on Leadership, Empowerment, and Success
31. “Everything begins with a decision. Then, you have to manage that decision for the rest of your life.” – John Maxwell
32. “It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others's successes.” – John Maxwell
33. “Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.” – John Maxwell
34. “Stay focused instead of getting offended or off track by others.” – John Maxwell
35. “A dream becomes a reality as a result of your actions, and your actions are controlled, to a large extent, by your habits.” – John Maxwell
36. “You have to live with the people to know their needs, and you have to live with God to know how to solve them.” – John Maxwell
37. “People don't care what you know until they know what you care.” – John Maxwell
38. “Relational skills are the most important abilities in leadership.” – John Maxwell
39. “Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date.” – John Maxwell
40. “We feel unhappy and confused with our life when we don't do the focus or calling that God has on our life.” – John Maxwell
41. “Comparing yourself to others is really just a needless distraction. The only one you should compare yourself to is you. Your mission is to become better today than you were yesterday. You do that by focusing on what you can do today to improve and grow.” – John Maxwell
42. “Great leaders always seem to embody two seemingly disparate qualities. They are both highly visionary and highly practical.” – John Maxwell
43. “The longer you wait to do something you should do now, the greater the odds that you will never actually do it.” – John Maxwell
44. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John Maxwell
45. “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” – John Maxwell
46. “If you focus on goals, you may hit goals but that doesn’t guarantee growth. If you focus on growth, you will grow and always hit goals.” – John Maxwell
47. “The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.” – John Maxwell
48. “Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.” – John Maxwell
49. “The first time you say something, it’s heard. The second time, it’s recognized, and the third time it’s learned.” – John Maxwell
50. “The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.” – John Maxwell
51. “To add value to others, one must first value others.” – John Maxwell
52. “The difference between success and failure might just be a few tweaks to our attitudes and beliefs.” – John Maxwell
53. “In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand.” – John Maxwell
54. “People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.” – John Maxwell
55. “If you don’t change the direction you are going, then you’re likely to end up where you’re heading.” – John Maxwell
56. “People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life.” – John Maxwell
57. “The size of our success is determined by the strength of our desire; the size of our dream; and how we handle disappointment along the way.” – John Maxwell
58. “It seems the older you get, the more life comes into focus.” – John Maxwell
59. “Failed plans should not be interpreted as a failed vision. Visions don’t change, they are only refined. Plans rarely stay the same, and are scrapped or adjusted as needed. Be stubborn about the vision, but flexible with your plan.” – John Maxwell
60. “All of the people in my life whom I consider to be close friends or colleagues are good thinkers.” – John Maxwell
Share these John Maxwell quotes on Character, Growth, and Purpose with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.