Last Updated on: June 19, 2023 by Sonia Allan | Fact Checked
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John C. Maxwell is a renowned author, coach and speaker on leadership. He has written over 100 books on the topic, which have been translated into 50 languages. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of his best quotes on leadership.
Whether you’re a current leader or aspiring to lead in the future, these quotes will help you grow as a leader. Stay tuned for more from John C. Maxwell!
1. “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” ― John C. Maxwell
2. “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”― John C. Maxwell
3. “If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.”― John C. Maxwell
4. “Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.”― John C. Maxwell
5. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”― John C. Maxwell
6. “If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.”― John C. Maxwell
7. “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”― John C. Maxwell
8. “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”― John C. Maxwell
9. “The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement.”― John C. Maxwell
10. “Image is what people think we are; integrity is what we really are.”― John C. Maxwell
11. “Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others.”― John C. Maxwell
12. “A successful person finds the right place for himself. But a successful leader finds the right place for others. ”― John C. Maxwell
13. “When the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.”― John C. Maxwell
14. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”― John C. Maxwell
15. “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.”― John C. Maxwell
16. “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.”― John C. Maxwell
17. “Fail early, fail often, but always fail forward.”― John C. Maxwell
18. “Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.”― John C. Maxwell
19. “To grow yourself, you must know yourself.”― John C. Maxwell
20. “The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying.”― John C. Maxwell
21. “A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.”― John C. Maxwell
22. “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”― John C. Maxwell
23. “Real leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.”― John C. Maxwell
24. “Goals may give focus, but dreams give power.”― John C. Maxwell
25. “Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.”― John C. Maxwell
26. “A leader who produces other leaders multiples their influences.”― John C. Maxwell
27. “Live to learn and you will really learn to live.”― John C. Maxwell
28. “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.”― John C. Maxwell
29. “If we are growing, we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.”― John C. Maxwell
30. “We cannot become what we need by remaining what we are.”― John C. Maxwell
31. “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”― John C. Maxwell
32. “Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.”― John C. Maxwell
33. “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 C. Maxwell
34. “Teamwork gives you the best opportunity to turn vision into reality.”― John C. Maxwell
35. “The true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”― John C. Maxwell
36. “The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.”― John C. Maxwell
37. “Your attitude determines your actions, and your actions determine your accomplishment.”― John C. Maxwell
38. “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”― John C. Maxwell
39. “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”― John C. Maxwell
40. “Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.”― John C. Maxwell
41. “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 C. Maxwell
42. “Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone.”― John C. Maxwell
43. “The only one you should compare yourself to is you. Your mission is to become better today than you were yesterday.”― John C. Maxwell
44. “Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”― John C. Maxwell
45. “Pay now, play later; play now, pay later.”― John C. Maxwell
46. “Reflective thinking turns experience into insight.”― John C. Maxwell
47. “Diligent follow-up and follow-through will set you apart from the crowd and communicate excellence.”― John C. Maxwell
48. “If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.”― John C. Maxwell
49. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”― John C. Maxwell
50. “The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.”― John C. Maxwell
51. “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”― John C. Maxwell
52. “Doing the right thing daily, compounds over time.”― John C. Maxwell
53. “If we are growing we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.”― John C. Maxwell
54. “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”― John C. Maxwell
55. “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.”― John C. Maxwell
John C. Maxwell has a lot of great quotes on leadership and success. We’ve shared some of our favorites in this post, but there are many more where that came from.
If you want to learn more about how to be a successful leader, head over to his website or check out one of his books. And don’t forget – if you need help putting these principles into practice, reach out to us! We’d be happy to help you achieve your goals. What was your favorite John C. Maxwell quote?
Sonia Allan
Hello, I'm Sonia! With a passion for all things SEO, I have dedicated my career to helping businesses increase their online visibility and drive organic traffic to their websites. As an SEO Strategist, I stay up to date with the latest industry trends and techniques to optimize websites for search engines. I love crafting effective strategies that bring tangible results and working closely with clients to help them achieve their business goals through improved search engine rankings. You can find my other work on ImageStation.com, and Affiliatebay