John C. Maxwell Journey Quotations

I vividly remember a conversation I had many years ago in 1974, which marked a turning point in my leadership journey. I was sitting at a Holiday Inn with my friend, Kurt Campmeyer, when he asked me if I had a personal growth plan. I didn't. In fact, I didn't even know you were supposed to have one.

The dream is free...but the journey will cost you something.

Every journey toward a dream is personal, and as a result, so is the price that must be paid for it.

I would rather be viewed by the reader as I'm just taking a journey with you, and here's what I'm learning, what are you learning? Oh, you do this better than me. Than to be viewed as kind of like an authority.

Dreams require down payments. Dreams are free, but the journey isn't. There is a price to pay. When you find your why you'll find your way. When you develop your will you will embark on your way. Many people start; few people finish. Many people have a dream; few people achieve their dreams.

If you travel alone, you can probably go faster. But the journey will never be as rewarding, and you probably won't be able to go as far.

If you don't love where you are right now, you won't love where you are going. Here is what I know: People who are passionate about what they do every day and love where they are in life are the fortunate ones. They have discovered their purpose. They are the difference makers who fully understand the gift of adding value, and yes, they can't help but love where they are going on their journey.

No matter where you are in your leadership journey, never forget that what got you to where you are won't get you to the next level.

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.

When contemplating the pursuit of a dream or the start of a new venture, too many people are hesitant to begin because they can't comprehend the entire journey. If that's where you find yourself right now, don't expect to understand what it takes to get to the top. Just take the next step. There's no shame in starting small; in fact, if you don't start small, you'll probably never start at all.

Too often when people think of their journey into leadership, they envision a career path. What they should be thinking about is their own leadership development!

Until I understand where I am, I can’t get to where I am going. This is the value of a compass when we are out walking or hiking and need to know we’re going in the right direction. But we also have an internal North Star. It’s that little nudge that tells us if we are on the right path to fulfilling our potential, or on the wrong path wasting energy traveling somewhere we don’t need to go. So my advice to you is, pull out that compass every once in a while and make sure you are navigating in the right direction on your journey.

COMMUNICATION: If I had to pick a first rule of communication-the one practice above all others that opens the door to connecting with others-it would be to look for common ground. Too often people see communication as the process of transmitting massive amounts of information to other people. But that's the wrong picture. Communication is a journey. The more that people have in common, the better the chance that they can take that journey together.

I always try to remember that I am a work in progress. It is life's journey that matters and the turns I take will determine how much progress I make. You see, I am unique in my gifts and the purpose I was created for. When I get to heaven at the end of my journey, I will not be asked what gifts He gave me, but what I did with them. Each one of us is a work in progress, with a mission and purpose to fulfill that is uniquely ours. Keep that in mind as you journey, won't you?

Leadership development is a lifetime journey, not a quick trip.

Good leaders understand that they are stewards. They must find the best people they can, giving them the opportunity to join in the journey developing them, and encouraging them to reach their potential. But they must hold on to people lightly. Those who start with you seldom finish with you.