John C. Maxwell's Blog, page 22

how do you help kids turn a loss into a win?

If you’re a grandparent, what do your grandkids call you? It seems like that’s one of the first decisions that people make when expecting their first grandchild: What do we want to be called? In our case, Margaret knew right away that she wanted to be called Mimi. But I wasn’t sure about what I wanted them to call me. After a little discussion, we settled on Papa. And ever since 2000, when our oldest granddaughter was born, we’ve been Mimi and Papa.Now, nearly 16 years and four more grandange...

My Favorite Questions to Ask to Engage Others and Learn from Them

Larry King, who has made his living speaking to people as a television talk show host, believes that asking questions is the secret of good conversation. He says, I’m curious about everything, and if I’m at a cocktail party, I often ask my favorite question: “Why?” If a man tells me he and his family are moving to another city: “Why?” A woman is changing jobs: “Why?” Someone roots for the Mets: “Why?” On my television show, I probably use this word more than any other. It’s the greatest quest...

How Do You Define Success?

In 1986, when I was 39 years old, I began to notice a terrible trend among my colleagues, college buddies and friends: divorce. This was happening in a variety of marriages – from the shaky to the apparently strong. Margaret and I didn’t think our relationship was in any kind of danger, but then again, we knew that many of our friends had thought their relationships were indestructible too. At the same time, my career was really taking off. And while I was enjoying the new challenges, I knew...

¡Gracias a Paraguay!

This is what transformation looks like. In the photo above, I’m surrounded by the amazing team, led by Gaby and Tim Teasdale, that launched transformation in the nation of Paraguay last week. At the invitation of the president of this beautiful country in South America, I had the privilege of participating in the beginning of this transformational movement.In partnership with the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, over 250 of my certified John Maxwell Team coaches volunteered their time and...

Secrets of Success, Week Three – Relationships

Welcome to week three of my Secrets of Success blog series. If this is your first time reading, I won’t keep you in suspense: the secret of success is determined by your daily agenda. That means the key to your long-term success is found in your daily short-term decisions. When you choose to make wise decisions in key areas each day, you experience significant growth over time. That growth is what fuels your success.I’ve chosen to focus on three key areas where your daily decisions make the m...

The Secrets of Success, Week Two: Personal Growth

Have you ever noticed how small children spend a lot of time talking about “one day”?“One day, I’ll be big enough to ride that ride.”“One day, I’ll be able to make my own decisions.”“One day, I’m going to have a pony.”When you’re a small child, you want to be a big adult. You don’t pay attention to the details of adult life. You just see that adults – big people – get more privileges, get to have more fun.What we don’t understand until we’re adults is there’s a price to pay for growing up. Yo...

The Secrets of Success, Week One: Health

Why is it some people always seem to get ahead?How has that older couple kept the magic of their marriage alive all these years?What does the fitness instructor at the gym, the one with the perfect biceps, know that you don’t?It’s simple: the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.That guy who’s always getting promoted knows he has to make decisions every day to grow better in his job. That couple celebrating 50 years of marriage knows they have to choose each day to love a...

2016: Your Year of Living Intentionally

We’re officially one week into 2016, and I love this time of year. I’ve noticed that it’s the most productive time for many people: gyms are packed, motivational quotes are tacked to office walls, and people are constantly talking about their new diet or their new pledge to becoming a better person. As someone committed to a life of personal growth, it’s amazing to be surrounded by so many people on a journey towards improvement.It makes me a little sad to know that next week, the gym won’t b...

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities ... en Espanol

Happy New Year!I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. These past two weeks have been filled with my favorite time of reflection and planning, and now I feel ready to face all the challenges and opportunities of the new year.I’m especially looking forward to an upcoming opportunity: to communicate some of my principles to my Spanish-speaking friends. If you have friends, colleagues, or family members who speak Spanish, I’d love it if you would share with them about an event that I’m taking...

IT’S STILL THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

What is your favorite time of year? Is it Christmas? Is it when you celebrate your birthday? Or when flowers bloom in the spring? Maybe it’s your summer vacation. Or when the children go back to school. Or the beginning of football season. Or when the leaves change. When is it?I can tell you mine. It’s right now: the week after Christmas. Every Christmas Day in the afternoon, after the grandchildren have finished opening all their presents and all the hoopla has died down, I can hardly contai...