What do you think?
Rate this book
Sé todo lo que puedas ser
'The only person that can stop you from being what God you wants you to be...is you!'In a conversational style, Dr. John Maxwell shows the possibilities that are within us and it offers simple plans to transform the possibilities into reality. His practical methods for a successful life, proven in his own life and ministry, will help you be all what you can be.
202 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
238 people are currently reading
1458 people want to read
About the author
John C. Maxwell
1,001 books5,808 followersJohn Calvin Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. Titles include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Some of his books have been on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 27, 2009
I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the exhortation and teaching from Maxwell. This is the first book I have read by him. This is a little and powerful book. Don’t let the cheesy cover deceive you.
Poignant Quotes:
“Success means a person is reaching the maximum potential available to him at any given moment.” – Ted Engstrom
“Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success” – Proverbs 15:22
You will never succeed beyond the purpose to which you are willing to surrender.
Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them. There’s no such thing as a man who was born great.
Some of us have to be racing for our lives before we’re motivated to stretch. What motivates you? What makes you want to be your best for the glory of God?
If we have no goals, we won’t recognize failure, but if we’re stretching for success, we will fail from time to time.
The most important time to affirm people is when they stretching.
When you stop stretching, you become boring.
Few people stretch all their lives, but those few people inspire the rest of us.
I have found that you do one of two things in life. You either pay the price now and enjoy later, or you enjoy now and pay the price later. But you will always pay the price.
Average doesn’t look so good when you realize it’s the worst of the best and the best of the worst. When I counsel people, I find that their number-one problem is that they’ve lost their dreams.
Victory becomes ours when we think right about our problems, feel right about our problems, and then act right about our problems. We need more than just a positive mental attitude.
P.U.R.P.O.S.E. – John C. Maxwell
Pray more than the ordinary person
Unite more than the ordinary person
Risk more than the ordinary person
Plan more than the ordinary person
Observe more than the ordinary person
Sacrifice more than the ordinary person
Expect more than the ordinary person
In addition to criticism, you should count on some loneliness
Every person who has never killed a giant will tell you that it’s impossible
As a leader, I will listen to anybody. There’s no one who can’t teach me something. But the only ones I’m really going to take seriously are those who have an investment in my cause and are willing to charge the hill with me. When they give me their advice, they’re putting their lives on the line with me. There are all kinds of people who are willing to stay in the background and tell you how to do it – but they’re not willing to be part of it themselves.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting success under our belts. We’ve got to have some victories. It is winning that gives us confidence.
P.L.A.N.A.H.E.A.D. – John C. Maxwell
Predetermine your course of action
Lay out your goals
Adjust your priorities
Notify key personnel
Allow time for acceptance
Head into action
Expect problems
Always point to success
Daily review your plan
When leaders fail to conquer their own problems, their followers never become victorious
We ought to pray that God will give us a seemingly insurmountable barrier so that our people can see the power of God at work in us to defeat giants
We fail, not because of big problems, but because of small purposes
We usually have to charge Goliaths by ourselves
Small successes lead to greater successes
Success for most people comes after someone else has done the impossible
A vision will help us pay the price. It provides the motivation for us to give up good things now for better things later.
A big vision will help you overcome any problem, but a small vision or no vision at all will cause the smallest of problems to trip you up and keep you from becoming what you should be.
Vision always comes before victory.
It’s seeing the dream consume us and seeing the commitment that makes us act on that dream that causes others to follow it. Commitment is contagious. People will only catch what has caught you.
Fear of failure probably keeps more people from positive action than anything else.
S.E.C.U.R.E. That Dream! – John C. Maxwell
State dreams
Examine motives
Consider options
Utilize resources
Remove nonessentials
Embrace essentials
The secret to handling conflicts successfully is to live according to the 101 percent principle. If there is someone under your umbrella of leadership who tends to be obstinate, find the 1 percent on which the two of you agree, and give it all you’ve got – 100 percent of your effort and ability. Let that 1 percent shred of agreement be the tie that binds you together.
Love people more than opinions. Anyone who loves his opinions more than he does his friends will defend his opinions and destroy his friends.
Give others the benefit of the doubt.
The greater the man, the more flexible he is. Good leaders learn how to say “I’m sorry” more quickly than followers.
I decided that leaders will always be hurt. Don’t let anybody sell you on the idea that everybody’s going to love you all the time. If you are out front leading people, you will be hurt. The issue is not will you or won’t you but in what way will you be hurt? I decided that I would be hurt because I trust people and make myself vulnerable to them.
Cultivating Good Relationships
Know them. ABCs of beginning effective relationships. Acknowledge your need for others. Believe in the value of others. Concentrate people, not programs.
Timing is more important than time in a relationship. Walking into the lives of people when they really need you is more important than being with them all the times when they don’t really need you. Timing is essential.
As a leader, be reliable so your people can always feel comfortable coming to you.
Our relationships with people will determine the success of our leadership.
If you are going to be a successful leader, you are going to experience a great amount of discomfort.
The great goal of becoming what one is capable of becoming can be achieved only by those who are willing to pay the price, and the price always involves sacrifice, discomfort, unpleasantness, and even pain.
Paul would tell us to never get comfortable. He understood that if comfort is our highest aim, we will miss out on the riches of the kingdom of God.
The Apostle Paul didn’t have to survive; he was committed beyond the point the survival
Never fall into a maintenance mind-set.
Dissatisfaction is a tool God can use to motivate us to greater things.
You show me a person that is in a strategic leadership position and I’ll show you a person who will be disrupted.
People who are schedule oriented, who have their to-do lists, and who have strong goals will always have some tension over disruptions.
Don’t try to survive.
Do the circumstance of your day have to be smooth and easy for you to have a good day? Some people’s only happiness comes on vacation – so they can only be happy two weeks out of the year. It’s a sad thing when people can’t enjoy the problems of life.
What conditions do you set on your service to God before you’ll be happy in ministry? I would encourage you to put down the book as you finish this chapter and spend some time answering that question. Write down what you need to have before you’ll be happy. Is it a place where you must live? Is it a salary you must receive? What conditions must be met?
The happiest people on earth are people who have learned to appreciate the possibilities for growth that problems bring.
The first similarity is that all fail. There’s not one person who does not experience failure. The second similarity is that we all fail often. We don’t just fail once and walk gingerly through life so that we’ll never fail again. Failure is something that we experience every day. And third, we will continue to fail until we die. Death itself is the only thing that’s going to keep us from failing. Sometimes I have a feeling that people are trying to tiptoe safely to the grave without goofing up somewhere along the way.
How can I allow failure to make me a better person?
The second observation I want you to see is that too many people treat their failures as enemies. They look at a flop and see a foe. This kind of thinking; in itself, is a mistake; failure should be treated as a friend.
We successfully fail when it stirs us to keep trying.
We successfully fail when we see our mistakes and are willing to change. The greatest mistake we make is not correcting the first mistake. When we see where we went wrong, we should make every effort to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
Leaders bring people to a point of decision.
Anticipate problems. Don’t let problems take you by surprise. List them. Write down all the problems you’re aware of. Address them. Examine each problem thoroughly and think of a solution. Outsmart them. If plan A doesn’t work, be ready with plan B.
The wrong decision at the wrong time = disaster
The wrong decision at the right time = a mistake
The right decision at the wrong time=unacceptance
The right decision at the right time=success
A leader’s ability to make decisions and see them work means the difference between success and failure. Remember, success is not for the chosen few, but for the few who choose.
If our number one goal is to survive, we’re no longer free to make the best decisions.
Also, if we desire to survive, we are encouraged to excuse our lack of effectiveness. We talk a lot about being faithful in the church; we talk very little about being fruitful. A fruitful person has to die first, so since most of us haven’t died, we would rather talk about faithfulness. We may not really accomplish much, be at least we’re consistent.
There’s something common to all these people who tried to survive: they lost what they tried to keep. Whatever the survivor holds tightest he loses. It’s a paradox evident in the teachings of Jesus. “Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Luke 9:24)
Let me give you four characteristics of “I don’t have to survive” people.
They have faith in god, not in themselves.
They change people, nations, and generations.
They are willing to stand alone.
They possess unusual powers.
But if you can become secure in God, you will gain a freedom that people can never give you.
He was telling me that if I’m to be successful for Him, He needs my listening ability, not my preaching ability.
If you are running in the reputation race, you need to decelerate and get off the track. I’d like to suggest five courses of action that will help you do this.
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Fear God more than man.
Make room for innovators, entrepreneurs, to work. We need to make room for people who don’t fit the average mold, people who are daring enough to risk failure. We need to be their cheering section.
When we feel satisfied with ourselves, we lack the compassion needed to reach out to others. It’s hard to care for others when you don’t understand need. When we are satisfied and full, it’s hard to help people who are hungry and hurting.
You show me a satisfied person or a satisfied church, and I will show you one that is not able to make right decisions, because the right decisions are the hard decisions, and the hard decisions are going to cost them something.
Before you accomplish anything great for God, I promise you, the issue of survival will arise in your life.
If I’m to be like Jesus, I too have to give up all my rights. The first step in “becoming of no reputation” and relinquishing our rights is in coming to the clear understanding that everything we are and everything we can ever hope to be can only be due to the power and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me give you three characteristics of people who have been willing to die for a greater cause than themselves.
A purpose worth the price.
A vision that is bigger than life.
A power that is greater than theirs.
The greatest days of your life are the days when you sense your commitment to its highest degree.
Our concept of God in crisis situations will determine our commitment. If we think God will fail us, flee, or be fickle, we’ll never make strong commitments. We would be foolish to commit ourselves to someone who is irresponsible. But if our concept of God tells us He’s sure, steadfast, true, and faithful, then we can make those commitments confidently.
…God expects us to do right regardless of the consequences.
Our problem is not a lack of display of the power of God, the miracles of God, or the anointing of God; God is ready to His part. He’s just waiting for somebody to get into the furnace.
There is relationship between our willingness to die for God and His willingness to deliver us.
All great men have a fiery furnace in their lives. The second thing is that the degree of their commitment is what really made them great. They weren’t smarter, they weren’t faster, and they weren’t better educated; they were more committed.
Commitment starts with the little things in our lives.
The battle is won before the battle is begun.
Application:
Love God – dream big and don’t think I must survive. Relish in the freedom to fail and learn from mistakes which are normative.
Poignant Quotes:
“Success means a person is reaching the maximum potential available to him at any given moment.” – Ted Engstrom
“Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success” – Proverbs 15:22
You will never succeed beyond the purpose to which you are willing to surrender.
Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them. There’s no such thing as a man who was born great.
Some of us have to be racing for our lives before we’re motivated to stretch. What motivates you? What makes you want to be your best for the glory of God?
If we have no goals, we won’t recognize failure, but if we’re stretching for success, we will fail from time to time.
The most important time to affirm people is when they stretching.
When you stop stretching, you become boring.
Few people stretch all their lives, but those few people inspire the rest of us.
I have found that you do one of two things in life. You either pay the price now and enjoy later, or you enjoy now and pay the price later. But you will always pay the price.
Average doesn’t look so good when you realize it’s the worst of the best and the best of the worst. When I counsel people, I find that their number-one problem is that they’ve lost their dreams.
Victory becomes ours when we think right about our problems, feel right about our problems, and then act right about our problems. We need more than just a positive mental attitude.
P.U.R.P.O.S.E. – John C. Maxwell
Pray more than the ordinary person
Unite more than the ordinary person
Risk more than the ordinary person
Plan more than the ordinary person
Observe more than the ordinary person
Sacrifice more than the ordinary person
Expect more than the ordinary person
In addition to criticism, you should count on some loneliness
Every person who has never killed a giant will tell you that it’s impossible
As a leader, I will listen to anybody. There’s no one who can’t teach me something. But the only ones I’m really going to take seriously are those who have an investment in my cause and are willing to charge the hill with me. When they give me their advice, they’re putting their lives on the line with me. There are all kinds of people who are willing to stay in the background and tell you how to do it – but they’re not willing to be part of it themselves.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting success under our belts. We’ve got to have some victories. It is winning that gives us confidence.
P.L.A.N.A.H.E.A.D. – John C. Maxwell
Predetermine your course of action
Lay out your goals
Adjust your priorities
Notify key personnel
Allow time for acceptance
Head into action
Expect problems
Always point to success
Daily review your plan
When leaders fail to conquer their own problems, their followers never become victorious
We ought to pray that God will give us a seemingly insurmountable barrier so that our people can see the power of God at work in us to defeat giants
We fail, not because of big problems, but because of small purposes
We usually have to charge Goliaths by ourselves
Small successes lead to greater successes
Success for most people comes after someone else has done the impossible
A vision will help us pay the price. It provides the motivation for us to give up good things now for better things later.
A big vision will help you overcome any problem, but a small vision or no vision at all will cause the smallest of problems to trip you up and keep you from becoming what you should be.
Vision always comes before victory.
It’s seeing the dream consume us and seeing the commitment that makes us act on that dream that causes others to follow it. Commitment is contagious. People will only catch what has caught you.
Fear of failure probably keeps more people from positive action than anything else.
S.E.C.U.R.E. That Dream! – John C. Maxwell
State dreams
Examine motives
Consider options
Utilize resources
Remove nonessentials
Embrace essentials
The secret to handling conflicts successfully is to live according to the 101 percent principle. If there is someone under your umbrella of leadership who tends to be obstinate, find the 1 percent on which the two of you agree, and give it all you’ve got – 100 percent of your effort and ability. Let that 1 percent shred of agreement be the tie that binds you together.
Love people more than opinions. Anyone who loves his opinions more than he does his friends will defend his opinions and destroy his friends.
Give others the benefit of the doubt.
The greater the man, the more flexible he is. Good leaders learn how to say “I’m sorry” more quickly than followers.
I decided that leaders will always be hurt. Don’t let anybody sell you on the idea that everybody’s going to love you all the time. If you are out front leading people, you will be hurt. The issue is not will you or won’t you but in what way will you be hurt? I decided that I would be hurt because I trust people and make myself vulnerable to them.
Cultivating Good Relationships
Know them. ABCs of beginning effective relationships. Acknowledge your need for others. Believe in the value of others. Concentrate people, not programs.
Timing is more important than time in a relationship. Walking into the lives of people when they really need you is more important than being with them all the times when they don’t really need you. Timing is essential.
As a leader, be reliable so your people can always feel comfortable coming to you.
Our relationships with people will determine the success of our leadership.
If you are going to be a successful leader, you are going to experience a great amount of discomfort.
The great goal of becoming what one is capable of becoming can be achieved only by those who are willing to pay the price, and the price always involves sacrifice, discomfort, unpleasantness, and even pain.
Paul would tell us to never get comfortable. He understood that if comfort is our highest aim, we will miss out on the riches of the kingdom of God.
The Apostle Paul didn’t have to survive; he was committed beyond the point the survival
Never fall into a maintenance mind-set.
Dissatisfaction is a tool God can use to motivate us to greater things.
You show me a person that is in a strategic leadership position and I’ll show you a person who will be disrupted.
People who are schedule oriented, who have their to-do lists, and who have strong goals will always have some tension over disruptions.
Don’t try to survive.
Do the circumstance of your day have to be smooth and easy for you to have a good day? Some people’s only happiness comes on vacation – so they can only be happy two weeks out of the year. It’s a sad thing when people can’t enjoy the problems of life.
What conditions do you set on your service to God before you’ll be happy in ministry? I would encourage you to put down the book as you finish this chapter and spend some time answering that question. Write down what you need to have before you’ll be happy. Is it a place where you must live? Is it a salary you must receive? What conditions must be met?
The happiest people on earth are people who have learned to appreciate the possibilities for growth that problems bring.
The first similarity is that all fail. There’s not one person who does not experience failure. The second similarity is that we all fail often. We don’t just fail once and walk gingerly through life so that we’ll never fail again. Failure is something that we experience every day. And third, we will continue to fail until we die. Death itself is the only thing that’s going to keep us from failing. Sometimes I have a feeling that people are trying to tiptoe safely to the grave without goofing up somewhere along the way.
How can I allow failure to make me a better person?
The second observation I want you to see is that too many people treat their failures as enemies. They look at a flop and see a foe. This kind of thinking; in itself, is a mistake; failure should be treated as a friend.
We successfully fail when it stirs us to keep trying.
We successfully fail when we see our mistakes and are willing to change. The greatest mistake we make is not correcting the first mistake. When we see where we went wrong, we should make every effort to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
Leaders bring people to a point of decision.
Anticipate problems. Don’t let problems take you by surprise. List them. Write down all the problems you’re aware of. Address them. Examine each problem thoroughly and think of a solution. Outsmart them. If plan A doesn’t work, be ready with plan B.
The wrong decision at the wrong time = disaster
The wrong decision at the right time = a mistake
The right decision at the wrong time=unacceptance
The right decision at the right time=success
A leader’s ability to make decisions and see them work means the difference between success and failure. Remember, success is not for the chosen few, but for the few who choose.
If our number one goal is to survive, we’re no longer free to make the best decisions.
Also, if we desire to survive, we are encouraged to excuse our lack of effectiveness. We talk a lot about being faithful in the church; we talk very little about being fruitful. A fruitful person has to die first, so since most of us haven’t died, we would rather talk about faithfulness. We may not really accomplish much, be at least we’re consistent.
There’s something common to all these people who tried to survive: they lost what they tried to keep. Whatever the survivor holds tightest he loses. It’s a paradox evident in the teachings of Jesus. “Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Luke 9:24)
Let me give you four characteristics of “I don’t have to survive” people.
They have faith in god, not in themselves.
They change people, nations, and generations.
They are willing to stand alone.
They possess unusual powers.
But if you can become secure in God, you will gain a freedom that people can never give you.
He was telling me that if I’m to be successful for Him, He needs my listening ability, not my preaching ability.
If you are running in the reputation race, you need to decelerate and get off the track. I’d like to suggest five courses of action that will help you do this.
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Fear God more than man.
Make room for innovators, entrepreneurs, to work. We need to make room for people who don’t fit the average mold, people who are daring enough to risk failure. We need to be their cheering section.
When we feel satisfied with ourselves, we lack the compassion needed to reach out to others. It’s hard to care for others when you don’t understand need. When we are satisfied and full, it’s hard to help people who are hungry and hurting.
You show me a satisfied person or a satisfied church, and I will show you one that is not able to make right decisions, because the right decisions are the hard decisions, and the hard decisions are going to cost them something.
Before you accomplish anything great for God, I promise you, the issue of survival will arise in your life.
If I’m to be like Jesus, I too have to give up all my rights. The first step in “becoming of no reputation” and relinquishing our rights is in coming to the clear understanding that everything we are and everything we can ever hope to be can only be due to the power and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me give you three characteristics of people who have been willing to die for a greater cause than themselves.
A purpose worth the price.
A vision that is bigger than life.
A power that is greater than theirs.
The greatest days of your life are the days when you sense your commitment to its highest degree.
Our concept of God in crisis situations will determine our commitment. If we think God will fail us, flee, or be fickle, we’ll never make strong commitments. We would be foolish to commit ourselves to someone who is irresponsible. But if our concept of God tells us He’s sure, steadfast, true, and faithful, then we can make those commitments confidently.
…God expects us to do right regardless of the consequences.
Our problem is not a lack of display of the power of God, the miracles of God, or the anointing of God; God is ready to His part. He’s just waiting for somebody to get into the furnace.
There is relationship between our willingness to die for God and His willingness to deliver us.
All great men have a fiery furnace in their lives. The second thing is that the degree of their commitment is what really made them great. They weren’t smarter, they weren’t faster, and they weren’t better educated; they were more committed.
Commitment starts with the little things in our lives.
The battle is won before the battle is begun.
Application:
Love God – dream big and don’t think I must survive. Relish in the freedom to fail and learn from mistakes which are normative.
May 13, 2019
This book is touted as one which can help you rise above an average existence and attain a life of fulfillment. The author is John C. Maxwell, who is widely known among the Christian community as a leadership expert and is the author of numerous books on the subject.
If you find yourself in a rut at work, or if you go to work and wonder if this is all there is, or if you feel like you could be doing greater things, or if you feel like you are wasting your life, or if you feel like you have settled for a life of mediocrity, then this book is intended for you. Maxwell asserts that we could all achieve more in life, especially more things of substance, if we truly want to. The biggest obstacle to having a life of high achievement and accomplishment is ourselves.
The book covers subject matter such as: having fun and having a positive attitude; setting goals; making a commitment; planning; perseverance; relying on Christ; not dwelling on failure; visualization; and others. Perhaps the biggest theme is that you need to act. You cannot be successful if you just dream. At some point, you need to actually perform actions.
The book has 13 chapters and is only 190 pages long, so there isn’t a lot of detail. It is chock full of catchy one-liners, but there are very few examples that the reader could concretely apply to their own situation. To me, I find the book more motivational than instructive. This book can be read in five minute bursts, if you want. It is convenient if you are travelling or waiting at the doctor’s office. The writing style is simple but engaging. It is a very quick and easy read.
The editing was terrible. There are numerous misplaced graphics, misspellings and grammatical errors.
If you are ready to quit your job as a dental assistant and start a career as a CEO of Fortune 500 company, this book won’t help you much. However, if you feel like you need something to help you get out of a rut, this may be a starting point.
If you find yourself in a rut at work, or if you go to work and wonder if this is all there is, or if you feel like you could be doing greater things, or if you feel like you are wasting your life, or if you feel like you have settled for a life of mediocrity, then this book is intended for you. Maxwell asserts that we could all achieve more in life, especially more things of substance, if we truly want to. The biggest obstacle to having a life of high achievement and accomplishment is ourselves.
The book covers subject matter such as: having fun and having a positive attitude; setting goals; making a commitment; planning; perseverance; relying on Christ; not dwelling on failure; visualization; and others. Perhaps the biggest theme is that you need to act. You cannot be successful if you just dream. At some point, you need to actually perform actions.
The book has 13 chapters and is only 190 pages long, so there isn’t a lot of detail. It is chock full of catchy one-liners, but there are very few examples that the reader could concretely apply to their own situation. To me, I find the book more motivational than instructive. This book can be read in five minute bursts, if you want. It is convenient if you are travelling or waiting at the doctor’s office. The writing style is simple but engaging. It is a very quick and easy read.
The editing was terrible. There are numerous misplaced graphics, misspellings and grammatical errors.
If you are ready to quit your job as a dental assistant and start a career as a CEO of Fortune 500 company, this book won’t help you much. However, if you feel like you need something to help you get out of a rut, this may be a starting point.
December 26, 2021
Remarkable. Life altering. Loved it.
July 5, 2024
I’ll admit that I underestimated this book a little since it came free with my Audible subscription—but it delivered powerfully. Honestly, it’s super refreshing to see John Maxwell combine his leadership expertise with biblical principles and pastoral guidance—his years in ministry really shine through with this book. Very insightful and spiritually enriching read!
August 26, 2014
This book has made me reflect a lot about my life, my attitude, the choices I make in my daily life and the things that really matter the most. Highly recommend it to people who are going through some life changes and are trying to figure out how to be more confident in making the right decisions..
April 3, 2018
As I'm not a religious person I couldn't have a good connection with some parts of this book, but about the rest, sometimes you need to be reminded of things you already know! or look into yourself and review the way you are preceding in your life. this book can perfectly do that.
April 25, 2014
Never stop learning.
January 29, 2025
John Maxwell uses the Bible as backup for his own obsession with vision. No I’ll take it further, his WORSHIP OF VISION. Sure, there are some good quotes and stuff that might get you off the couch, but this book isn't going to turn you towards God. Maxwell keeps saying he's going to talk about God and what God says, but really, it's mostly his own opinions on how to live, and honestly, a lot of it feels totally different from how Jesus lived.
Take Chapter 9, for example. He's going on about these "great men" – and yeah, they were great in some ways – and he says their secret sauce was dedication to their vision and sharing the gospel. He even quotes one guy saying something about finding a place to evangelize because that's the best heaven he can imagine. Ouch. It's like he's idolizing doing stuff for God, not God himself. (Seriously, C.S. Lewis nails this in The Great Divorce – go read it).
That's the heart of my problem with this book. It feels like Maxwell is kneeling at Jesus' feet, but facing the wrong way, worshipping this little idol called Vision.
And oh my gosh, the cheesy quotes! "We all hear about vitamin B and C, but the best vitamin is vitamin V – the vision vitamin! When people take vitamin V, they're revitalized, age is no issue because they have a goal, a dream, a vision!" Agh!
The crazy thing is, Jesus has clearly used Maxwell despite these massive misinterpretations. Talk about grace! It's amazing how God can use even people who are so off the mark.
But, and this is a big but, I'm worried. I used to be all about vision and progress instead of Jesus, and I'm scared this book will just create more vision-worshippers who are missing the point. He keeps saying a vision will solve all your problems, not Jesus.
Maxwell's keeps on saying biblical characters "saw their goal and went for it." Where is he getting this? He's completely missing the point. It's because they were looking at God, they where obeying God, often without having any idea of where God was leading them, that’s why the amazing things happened, not because they caught the vision, were so inspired by it and decided to dedicate their lives to it. John wasn’t inspired by the vision of the new world Jesus was building, he wanted to love the Lord by doing what Jesus wanted him to do, and so he blindly followed wherever he was directed! Moses didn't free the Jews because he had this goal in mind (as Maxwell seems to think). God called him through a burning bush! God led him painful step by painful step! Moses was a mess, a stuttering, scared guy who would have not even started if God hadn’t pushed him – Moses was not the picture of purpose driven, vision inspired power Maxwell paints.
Jesus uses the weak to humble the strong, He doesn’t call the powerful people who are inspired by their own visions. In fact I would argue that a key step in learning to follow Jesus is giving up your vision, saying Lord these are the things I desire, of gaining them will bring you glory then grant them to me, if they are not according to your will then I will gladly give them up. Sure, Maxwell throws in a line or two about the vision maybe coming from God, but it's easy to miss in all the "what do you want?" and "fix your eyes on your goal" stuff.
This is one of the most dangerous books I’ve read, if you want garbage self help books go read Eckhardt Tolle, he at least won’t make you think that you’re worshiping God when it’s actually vision you’re worshipping.
Take Chapter 9, for example. He's going on about these "great men" – and yeah, they were great in some ways – and he says their secret sauce was dedication to their vision and sharing the gospel. He even quotes one guy saying something about finding a place to evangelize because that's the best heaven he can imagine. Ouch. It's like he's idolizing doing stuff for God, not God himself. (Seriously, C.S. Lewis nails this in The Great Divorce – go read it).
That's the heart of my problem with this book. It feels like Maxwell is kneeling at Jesus' feet, but facing the wrong way, worshipping this little idol called Vision.
And oh my gosh, the cheesy quotes! "We all hear about vitamin B and C, but the best vitamin is vitamin V – the vision vitamin! When people take vitamin V, they're revitalized, age is no issue because they have a goal, a dream, a vision!" Agh!
The crazy thing is, Jesus has clearly used Maxwell despite these massive misinterpretations. Talk about grace! It's amazing how God can use even people who are so off the mark.
But, and this is a big but, I'm worried. I used to be all about vision and progress instead of Jesus, and I'm scared this book will just create more vision-worshippers who are missing the point. He keeps saying a vision will solve all your problems, not Jesus.
Maxwell's keeps on saying biblical characters "saw their goal and went for it." Where is he getting this? He's completely missing the point. It's because they were looking at God, they where obeying God, often without having any idea of where God was leading them, that’s why the amazing things happened, not because they caught the vision, were so inspired by it and decided to dedicate their lives to it. John wasn’t inspired by the vision of the new world Jesus was building, he wanted to love the Lord by doing what Jesus wanted him to do, and so he blindly followed wherever he was directed! Moses didn't free the Jews because he had this goal in mind (as Maxwell seems to think). God called him through a burning bush! God led him painful step by painful step! Moses was a mess, a stuttering, scared guy who would have not even started if God hadn’t pushed him – Moses was not the picture of purpose driven, vision inspired power Maxwell paints.
Jesus uses the weak to humble the strong, He doesn’t call the powerful people who are inspired by their own visions. In fact I would argue that a key step in learning to follow Jesus is giving up your vision, saying Lord these are the things I desire, of gaining them will bring you glory then grant them to me, if they are not according to your will then I will gladly give them up. Sure, Maxwell throws in a line or two about the vision maybe coming from God, but it's easy to miss in all the "what do you want?" and "fix your eyes on your goal" stuff.
This is one of the most dangerous books I’ve read, if you want garbage self help books go read Eckhardt Tolle, he at least won’t make you think that you’re worshiping God when it’s actually vision you’re worshipping.
September 30, 2023
I have read this author's another book and I loved that so much, so when I saw this book I just decided that I will read this one too!
I must say like that book, this one is just so amazing!
The readers can understand a little bit about the book by seeing the title of the book, but let me say, it's much more than that. This book is can your Bible for self development, self improvement.
I just loved how the author explained all the things with proper examples and the best part is that the author has used the verses and quotes from Bible too to explain things, and it's amazing!
I loved the noon so much. And I'm trying to explain the best concept of the book, the part that I liked the most, from this book, below:
We all have a dream, no matter how big or small it seems, it's important for us!
But the question is how many of us are really "SEIZE IT"!!
There are reasons why some of us think of achieving that dream but at some point because of some reason we step back from it. The reasons can be:
1) Fear of failure
2) Fear of the risk behind it
3) The amount of time it could take
4) Self doubts
5) Lack of commitment
But what we actually need to achieve the dream!? It can be a formula that is called "SECURE"
S- State Your dreams
E- Examine motives
C- Consider options
U- Utilize the resources
R- Remove non essentials
E- Embrace your challenges
I wish you will definitely 'SECURE' it!
I must say like that book, this one is just so amazing!
The readers can understand a little bit about the book by seeing the title of the book, but let me say, it's much more than that. This book is can your Bible for self development, self improvement.
I just loved how the author explained all the things with proper examples and the best part is that the author has used the verses and quotes from Bible too to explain things, and it's amazing!
I loved the noon so much. And I'm trying to explain the best concept of the book, the part that I liked the most, from this book, below:
We all have a dream, no matter how big or small it seems, it's important for us!
But the question is how many of us are really "SEIZE IT"!!
There are reasons why some of us think of achieving that dream but at some point because of some reason we step back from it. The reasons can be:
1) Fear of failure
2) Fear of the risk behind it
3) The amount of time it could take
4) Self doubts
5) Lack of commitment
But what we actually need to achieve the dream!? It can be a formula that is called "SECURE"
S- State Your dreams
E- Examine motives
C- Consider options
U- Utilize the resources
R- Remove non essentials
E- Embrace your challenges
I wish you will definitely 'SECURE' it!
February 8, 2019
The first third was pretty helpful. The second third was pretty heavy on scriptural accounts in terms of leadership, vision, etc., but I wasn't too impressed with his interpretations. The third third was a lot of nuanced explanations of being a leader and living up to your potential. It got repetitive because it just becomes an on-going model of look for things, when you have things know what you have, when things are done make sure to use it to make the most of new things, and then finally to teach others how to effectively measure things and fix things, too. It was a lot of basic generalities to self-development.
September 30, 2021
This is not like Maxwell's later books. This is written while he is still in the pastorate and is directed to Christian leaders. When he addresses ministry philosophy, it's very church-growthy Wesleyan (that's not good from where I stand). When he handles Scripture, it's horrifying. But when he talks about leadership, it's usually good; sometimes gold. This book is a great little read for pastors and leaders who want to sharpen their leadership skills. If you're like me, some of it will seem obvious. Other stuff will be really helpful.
December 9, 2019
In Be All You Can Be, the author uses scriptural references to explain and highlight various leadership skills. All the qualities and attributes mentioned in the book are important though nothing new to anyone who has ever studied the topic. Yet, the book is still a worthwhile read if for no other reason than to be reminded of what we already know and perhaps at time see it in a different light and deepen our understanding.
August 9, 2022
A minister's view on how to be our best. Although he is of a different faith than I am it was refreshing to have him reference the scriptures and doing our best for God.
Great takeaway for me is don't let fear of failure control you. All successful people fail but keep on going. Another takeaway was to do things for the right reasons, not for money or fame.
I recommend this author.
Great takeaway for me is don't let fear of failure control you. All successful people fail but keep on going. Another takeaway was to do things for the right reasons, not for money or fame.
I recommend this author.
October 10, 2023
I have always admired John Maxwell for his leadership books and being such a people-builder. This book is nothing different but so much more. “The only person who can stop you from becoming what God intends you to become is you” as said in this book. Every page in this book screams .. “You can, You definitely can”. Every Christian who wants to grow in the Lord should read this book.
July 23, 2018
EST: "Anna endast parim" ehk ole oma parim versioon.
Kuidas saavutada oma potentsiaal? Mida ohverdada edukaks saamiseks? Mis on kõige väärtuslikum meie eludes? Need ja paljud teised küsimused leiavad arutamist.
Loe kui tahad inspiratsiooni või oled lootuselt ummikus. Klassik.
Kuidas saavutada oma potentsiaal? Mida ohverdada edukaks saamiseks? Mis on kõige väärtuslikum meie eludes? Need ja paljud teised küsimused leiavad arutamist.
Loe kui tahad inspiratsiooni või oled lootuselt ummikus. Klassik.
September 4, 2018
This book has inspired me a lot spiritually and so far it is one of the best books I've read. It truly is a challenge to stretch one's potential. It still motivates me to be the best version of myself.Be All You Can Be
May 10, 2021
Este libro tiene verdades poderosas que todos necesitamos oír, aprender, practicar y recordar. Llegar a ser, quienes realmente deseamos ser, requiere rendición, entrega y sacrificio. Somos más cuando damos más.
February 16, 2018
Be All You Can Be
You will be amazed on what you could do with God’s power within you. Thanks to John.. it’s worth reading
You will be amazed on what you could do with God’s power within you. Thanks to John.. it’s worth reading
August 4, 2018
This was a very excited book. I would recommend it to my friends
February 16, 2019
This book will challenge you!
I had to hold myself back from highlighting the entire book. EVERY chapter has a few principles that will take you further as a person and leader.
I had to hold myself back from highlighting the entire book. EVERY chapter has a few principles that will take you further as a person and leader.
February 18, 2019
loved it
January 6, 2021
This was a very good book- lots of advice about being in God’s will.
April 27, 2022
Good book
April 16, 2024
Es como escuchar los buenos consejos de una persona admirable. Muy buen libro.
December 28, 2024
This is a good book for all aspects of life and how they are rooted in scripture and God's will.
March 16, 2018
Good book highly encouraging one to reach their potential. I will definitely recommend it to my associates.
October 1, 2024
If we are unchallenged, we are unchanged. Leaders stretch with challenges. Followers struggle with challenges. Losers shrink from challenges. Most of our problesm are in our heads. It’s not what happens to us; it’s what happens in us. Joy and happiness become real only as we put the right priniciples into practice.
Fruitfulness is exhibiting positive, active attitudes on a daily basis in our lives. When that happens, we begin to sense real joy and to see positive things happen in our lives. You’re going to find that you receive reactions that are positive when you begin to have these active, positive attitudes. You’ll receive positive reinforcement. Life is like a mirror; what you show is what you see; what you put in is what you get out.
The only one who can stop you from becoming the person God intends you to be is you. To fail to become all that God created you to become limits not only yourself but also those under your influence. Success is continual. It’s not an event but a journey, an ongoing process. It’s not an accolade that we receive for a race won or a job well done. Success is the positive result of steady forward movement.
Determinismm and free will are both a part of life, but it is better to make the most of what we can do than to bemoan what we cannot do. When you play somebody better, you stretch; when you play somebody worse, you shrink.
So if you want to unlock your hidden potential, spend your time with people who will stretch you. Find somebody who thinks faster, run faster, and aims higher. Those are the people who will lift you up. You will find that you, too, will have to give up something good if you want something better. You’ll never find anybody who achieves great success in life without a give-up story. Nothing comes free.
Like rubber bands, our personalities, talents, and gifts are different; we’re also not effective unless we’re stretched. If you’re not stretching in your own personal walk with God and in your leadership abilities, then you’re not going to be able to be as effective for God as you really need to be.
Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them.
Fruitfulness is exhibiting positive, active attitudes on a daily basis in our lives. When that happens, we begin to sense real joy and to see positive things happen in our lives. You’re going to find that you receive reactions that are positive when you begin to have these active, positive attitudes. You’ll receive positive reinforcement. Life is like a mirror; what you show is what you see; what you put in is what you get out.
The only one who can stop you from becoming the person God intends you to be is you. To fail to become all that God created you to become limits not only yourself but also those under your influence. Success is continual. It’s not an event but a journey, an ongoing process. It’s not an accolade that we receive for a race won or a job well done. Success is the positive result of steady forward movement.
Determinismm and free will are both a part of life, but it is better to make the most of what we can do than to bemoan what we cannot do. When you play somebody better, you stretch; when you play somebody worse, you shrink.
So if you want to unlock your hidden potential, spend your time with people who will stretch you. Find somebody who thinks faster, run faster, and aims higher. Those are the people who will lift you up. You will find that you, too, will have to give up something good if you want something better. You’ll never find anybody who achieves great success in life without a give-up story. Nothing comes free.
Like rubber bands, our personalities, talents, and gifts are different; we’re also not effective unless we’re stretched. If you’re not stretching in your own personal walk with God and in your leadership abilities, then you’re not going to be able to be as effective for God as you really need to be.
Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them.
February 23, 2014
Great message but average delivery
This book is full of great wisdom and advice. It is especially helpful for those in leadership positions or those who desire to be in leadership positions. I especially enjoyed the lessons of leadership drawn from shepherd parables - know them, grow them, and show them. However, the author would sometimes full the chapter with too much information. He will have a chapter that explains four concepts, and have six or seven explanations of each concept, with some of those c concepts having for our five concepts of its own. Other times, a paragraph would be filled with sentences that don't make sense and do not even seen to relate to search other. Still, I believe the book is worth reading, and you can take a lot back from it.
This book is full of great wisdom and advice. It is especially helpful for those in leadership positions or those who desire to be in leadership positions. I especially enjoyed the lessons of leadership drawn from shepherd parables - know them, grow them, and show them. However, the author would sometimes full the chapter with too much information. He will have a chapter that explains four concepts, and have six or seven explanations of each concept, with some of those c concepts having for our five concepts of its own. Other times, a paragraph would be filled with sentences that don't make sense and do not even seen to relate to search other. Still, I believe the book is worth reading, and you can take a lot back from it.
August 16, 2020
John C Maxwell really know how to impart wisdom while keeping one interested. This book is packed with important tools for anyone who wants to do anything for God...which should be all of us. For every minute invested in this book you will gain much insight that might just keep you from making a mistake that would set you back years. Well worth the read!!!
March 12, 2015
This book had only momentary lapses beyond mediocrity. Unfortunately Maxwell often uses one of my greatest pet peeves: acrostics. I would recommend this book to someone who has not read much on the subject or is casually interested in the subject of leadership and tying-in biblical stories. Frankly I had to force myself to read most of it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews