John C. Maxwell's Blog, page 15

Live on the Other Side of “Yes”

Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash

One of my all-time favorite words is only three letters long. It’s a simple word to learn, but a difficult word to master because it has the power to create life as well as diminish it.

It’s the word, YES.

I love the word yes because of the possibilities it contains. Yes is permission. Yes is potential. Yes is momentum, and excitement, and the gateway to growth. The key is saying yes to things that are healthy.

Not too long ago I cast vision to a group of le...

Mark Cole: Insure Your Best Year Ever

Photo by Enrique Alarcon on Unsplash

I want to help you make this year your best year ever. Is that something you’d be interested in?

Here’s the catch: this message may not be for you.

This is for those who are expectant. I’m talking to people who already have a plan and are ready for 2019 to be the above-and-beyond year you’ve been anticipating! If that’s you, I want to help you create an insurance plan for the goals you’ve set this year.

Here are 7 things that will insure you to have a succ...

If You Want to Grow, Cultivate a Teachable Spirit

Photo by Neslihan Gunaydin on Unsplash

We’re now well into 2019 and I love the optimism that people have about their goals. There’s still plenty of talk about making those resolutions stick. Social media posts abound of people hitting the gym or making other changes to their daily routine in order to make this year different from last.

I love this time of year because people are so intentional about goals, and one of the greatest shifts any leader can make is moving from goals growth. In fact...

Mark Cole: How Can You Serve and Lead at the Same Time?

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

When you think of servanthood, what comes to mind?

Do you envision a person at the bottom of the totem pole performing a so-called “menial” task for someone else’s benefit?

If so, then you have the wrong impression. Servanthood is not about position or skill.

Servanthood is about attitude.

We’ve all encountered people in service positions with poor attitudes toward servanthood: the rude worker at the government agency, the waiter who can’t be bothered with taking...

Set a Clear Path in a Worthwhile Direction

Photo by Jordan Madrid on Unsplash

Like everyone else who blogs, I thought January would be a great time to share a post that will help you set your course for the coming year. But while others write of “must-dos” and “should-dos”, I’d like to encourage you to consider something different.

Meant-to-do.

As in, What are you meant to do?

It’s an out-of-the-box question for the first post of the new year, but it’s one that’s vitally important to everything else you have planned for 2019. You see,...

Mark Cole: Going to the Next Level

Photo by Natalya Letunova on Unsplash

What is the key to going to the next level as a leader? Great question, but one that some people might struggle to answer.

Perhaps let me state in a more familiar way—what is the greatest obstacle you will face once you have begun achieving your goals and tasting success?

I believe it is the ability to let go of what you have so that you can reach for something new.

That’s because, often, the greatest obstacle you will face as a leader might be your own a...

Mark Cole: Do For Others What They Can’t Do For Themselves

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I could list many reasons why, but the main reason that it is my favorite is because it is because it is built on giving. It’s built on generosity.

And it got me thinking about my own life and the people around me. How am I spreading generosity this Christmas season? I want to be known for living a life of generosity, not just giving gifts.

While you might be done giving presents this year, there’s still plenty of time to give the people around you a lit...

Your Greatest Gift as a Leader

Photo by Plush Design Studio on Unsplash

At 71 years old, I don’t need many gifts at Christmas. I have a good home, a good family, a good team, and my life has never been more fulfilling than it is right now. The opportunities I’m seeing for partnerships and transformation are greater now than at any other time in my life.

Now, I don’t share that to brag. I am where I am because of the people who help me, and together, we’re seeing incredible momentum around the world. And because of those pe...

Mark Cole: Busy is a Four-Letter Word

Photo courtesy of U. Leone via Pixabay.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right?

That time of year when people are busier than ever preparing for family visits, fighting crowds at the mall, wrapping presents, finishing projects, and setting goals, all while trying to bake fruitcakes for neighbors. Our lives are busy with so much still to be done.

And it got me thinking: “busy” should be added to the list of four-letter words that my mom wanted me to suppress.

I’m not sure how your mom...

Be a Giver

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

We’re nearing Christmas, and everywhere you look, there are advertisements encouraging you to think about the people on your gift list. Whether it’s your spouse, your children, a parent or a co-worker, there’s a lot of emphasis placed on giving just the right gift.

As a result, people are cheerfully—and busily—shopping to put a smile on someone else’s face.

‘Tis the season for generosity, and it’s that spirit of giving that makes Christmas so beautiful. While ma...