Skip to content

John C. Maxwell Quotes

John C. Maxwell Quote on Experience and How It Isn’t The Best Teacher

    “What I had been taught all my life was not true: experience is not the best teacher! Some people learn and grow as a result of their experience; some people don’t. Everybody has some kind of experience. It’s what you do with that experience that matters.”

    John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

    Beyond the Quote (305/365)

    “Experience is the best teacher” works when you’re talking about touching a hot stove. I can describe to you the feeling of getting burned with conviction, give you examples, and use sound logic until I’m blue in the face—it still won’t compare to what you come to understand when you touch the hot stove. The same is true when we’re talking about swimming. I can teach you all of the best strokes, floating strategies, and swimming techniques in the field—it still won’t compare to what you learn by actually being in the water.

    Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Experience and How It Isn’t The Best Teacher

    John C. Maxwell Quote on Greatness and How One Is Too Small A Number To Achieve It

      John C. Maxwell Quote on Greatness and How One Is Too Small A Number To Achieve It

      “One is too small a number to achieve greatness. No accomplishment of real value has ever been achieved by a human being working alone.”

      John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

      Beyond the Quote (234/365)

      Big accomplishments don’t just happen. They’re an accumulated result of many small happenings. This is true for most anything in life. Big accomplishments in health are a product of the accumulated effect of the daily meals and workouts. Big accomplishments in business are a product of the accumulated effect of the smaller component systems that are put into place. Big accomplishments in relationships are a product of the accumulated effect of the smaller conversations, actions, and efforts that went into them. If you want to accomplish something big, the focus should be on accumulating more and more of the small.

      Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Greatness and How One Is Too Small A Number To Achieve It

      John C. Maxwell Quote on Birthdays and What Each Passing Year Can Mark In A Person’s Life

        “Now more than ever I am aware that a person’s significant birthdays can either mark the passage of time, or they can mark changes they’ve made in their lives to reach their potential and become the person they were created to be.”

        John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

        Beyond the Quote (233/365)

        As I sit and reflect on completing my first full year of my thirties, the saying that keeps coming to the forefront of my mind that I would say has guided me more than any other saying in this past year has been: Control what you can control, let go of what you can’t, and take what time is needed to understand where all things in your life fall. Without this expression in my mind, 30 would have turned out completely different for me.

        Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Birthdays and What Each Passing Year Can Mark In A Person’s Life

        John C. Maxwell Quote on Leadership and How To Best Influence Other People

          “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. How do you gain influence from people? You invest in them. How do you invest in them? It starts with giving them time.”

          John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

          Beyond the Quote (162/365)

          Investing time into another person is undoubtedly one of the most powerful ways to influence them. For, time is our most precious resource and when somebody shares their most precious resource with you, it is a clear showing that you are precious to them. If you had a very precious diamond, you wouldn’t just share that with anybody would you? You would only share that with someone precious—someone close.

          Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Leadership and How To Best Influence Other People

          John C. Maxwell Quote on Leading By Example

            “People may teach what they know, but they reproduce what they are.”

            John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

            Beyond the Quote (160/365)

            Let’s say you are driving and a friend is following you in a separate car, but to the same destination. While driving, you suddenly realize that you’ve made a wrong turn. You quickly think to yourself that there’s still time for your friend behind you to make the proper turn, so you stick your hand out the window and try to point them in the proper direction. Yet, rather than make the proper turn they still follow you in the wrong direction.

            Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Leading By Example

            John C. Maxwell Quote on Setting Yourself Up For Success

              “Set the tone for your day by treating people better than you expect to be treated by them. Be the first to smile. Express your appreciation for them. Expect the best out of them. If you act first, you will set yourself up for success.”

              John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

              Beyond the Quote (146/365)

              One thing is for sure, the opposite certainly won’t set you up for success. You can treat people worse than you expect them to treat you. You can wait to smile until they smile at you. You can withhold any appreciation you might have towards others and express gratitude only when it would be rude not to. You can expect the worst out of them. The thing is, though, if you wait to act, you will be outsourcing part of your success onto them—to people and circumstances out of your control. And is success even possible if it’s out of your control?

              Read More »John C. Maxwell Quote on Setting Yourself Up For Success

                “The greatest of all miracles is that we need not be tomorrow what we are today. The greatest of all insights is that we cannot be tomorrow what we do not do today. That is why today matters.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                  “I’ve been told that certain species of fish will grow according to the size of their environment. Put them in a tiny aquarium, and they remain small even at adulthood. Release them into a huge natural body of water, and they grow into their intended size. People are similar. If they live in a harsh and limiting environment, they stay small. But put them someplace that encourages growth, and they will expand to reach their potential.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                    “By choosing to embrace and practice good values every day, you choose the higher course in life. And your life goes in a direction that you will always feel good about. You may not always get what you desire, but you will always be the person you desire to be.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                      “People give not from the top of their purses, but from the bottom of their hearts.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                        “A person’s level of income and their desire to give have nothing to do with one another.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                          “You can’t light another’s path without casting light on your own.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                            “I think many people believe the best way they can help others is to criticize them, to give them the benefit of their ‘wisdom.’ I disagree. The best way to help people is to see the best in them.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                              “If you want to make a positive impact, no matter how far-reaching, start at home. Treat your family members like treasures.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                                “Though you cannot go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, you can start now, and make a brand-new end.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                                   

                                  “Given the choice, would you rather save time or money?  Most people focus on dollars. But how you spend your time is much more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can often be corrected, but when you lose time, it’s gone forever.  Your priorities determine how you spend your time, and time is precious.  The following statements may help you put time in perspective:  To know the value of one year… Ask the student who failed the final exam.  To know the value of one month… Ask the mother of a premature baby.  To know the value of one week… Ask the editor of a weekly newsmagazine.  To know the value of one day… Ask the wage earner who has six children.  To know the value of one hour… Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.  To know the value of one minute… Ask the person who missed the plane.  To know the value of one second… Ask the person who survived the accident.  To know the value of one millisecond… Ask the Olympic silver medalist.  Your time is priceless.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                                    “You cannot buy or win happiness. You must choose it.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                                      “The most successful people in life are the ones who settle their critical issues early and manage them daily.” ~ John C. Maxwell, Today Matters

                                      Our BEST Insights… Emailed Weekly.

                                      Join 6,000+ readers getting our BEST quotes, picture quotes, articles, excerpts, insights, and more—sent straight to their inbox, every Sunday, for free…! 👇🏼