Gather successful people from all walks of life — what would they have in common? The way they think! Now you can think as they do and revolutionize your work and life!
A Wall Street Journal bestseller, How Successful People Think is the perfect, compact read for today’s fast-paced world. America’s leadership expert John C. Maxwell will teach you how to be more creative and when to question popular thinking. You’ll learn how to capture the big picture while focusing your thinking. You’ll find out how to tap into your creative potential, develop shared ideas, and derive lessons from the past to better understand the future. With these eleven keys to more effective thinking, you’ll clearly see the path to personal success.

The 11 keys to successful thinking include:

• Big-Picture Thinking – seeing the world beyond your own needs and how that leads to great ideas
• Focused Thinking – removing mental clutter and distractions to realize your full potential
• Creative Thinking – thinking in unique ways and making breakthroughs
• Shared Thinking – working with others to compound results
• Reflective Thinking – looking at the past to gain a better understanding of the future.

Well-regarded pastor and popular speaker John C. Maxwell shares a wealth of knowledge and experience in leadership and management in many of his books. But this time he turns toward personal development and offers 15 principles that can help you grow as a person so you can attain your full potential. Maxwell explains that change fuels “intentional personal growth,” but to achieve positive change, you must do one thing differently every day. “If you do the things you need to do when you need to do them, then someday you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them.” While probably too sweet for anyone with a drop of cynicism, Maxwell’s writing overflows with aphorisms and quotable gems. Give him an ear, and he may well help you change in a more positive direction.

• The measure of a life well lived is not how much you accomplish, but how much you help others.
• Your life’s purpose includes attaining your full potential.
• Reaching it requires “intentional personal growth.”
• You also need character, passion and a positive attitude.
• Personal growth doesn’t occur randomly or by accident. You must make it happen.
• To that end, develop your skills, leverage your strengths and enhance your spirituality.
• More than any other factor, associating with the right people can contribute to your personal growth. The wrong people can discourage you and inhibit your development.
• To grow as a person, you must have faith in yourself.
• Making individual progress is tough and takes time. It requires strong discipline.
• You will evolve as a person when you deal forthrightly with your problems.

What’s Your Potential?

When you embrace all your possibilities and extend yourself to achieve your full potential, you will become the completely realized person you were meant to be. “Intentional personal growth” is the road to attaining your potential, but it requires making a conscious decision to adopt the right attitude, passion and character to call upon your full strength and develop your special skills.

“Personal growth doesn’t just happen on its own. Once you’re done with your formal education, you must take complete ownership of the growth process.”

Pursuing personal growth will help you enhance your relationships, expand your horizons and become a more effective person. Start by creating a “growth journal” to track the way you develop. To reach your goals and your potential, apply 15 principles of intentional growth:

1. “Become an Intentional Learner”

Personal growth doesn’t occur automatically or by accident. You must plan the steps to achieving intentional growth. Take full ownership of your own progress. Don’t fall prey to common misperceptions, such as:

• “I don’t know how to grow” – Start by thinking about who you want to be. Write down steps you can take beginning today to help you become that person.
• This is “not the right time to begin” – Right now is always the best time to start a self-improvement program.
• “I’m afraid of making mistakes” – Everyone makes mistakes; learn from them.
• “I have to find the best way before I start” – To discover the best way to grow, first you must start on that path.
• “I don’t feel like doing it” – Growing is better than stagnating. Commit to spending at least a year on self-development.
• “Others are better than I am” – That’s fine; but you can learn from them.
• “I thought it would be easier” – Nothing good ever comes easy.

“Potential…looks forward with optimism. It is filled with hope. It promises success. It implies fulfillment. It hints at greatness.”

Move beyond these misconceptions and begin to grow. To start, ask yourself where you “want to go.” Answer that question, and then start your journey toward that destination.

2. “Develop Self-Awareness”

You can’t grow if you don’t know who you are, or can’t identify your strengths, weaknesses and passions. Begin a process of self-discovery. Think deeply about who you are and where you want to go. “Do you like what you’re doing now?” If not, risk trying something new. Ask yourself, “What would you like to do?” You can’t attain your destiny if you work at a job you detest. So decide what you want to do, examine why you want to do it and set out on that path.

3. “Believe in Yourself”

Many people never attain their full potential because they have poor self-esteem. They don’t believe they deserve to grow. Because they see themselves as flawed, people with low self-esteem cannot imagine ever being any better than they already are – which, according to them, isn’t much. If you feel like this, you’ll have to change your thinking to be able to grow.

“You cannot win if you do not begin! The people who get ahead…look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, they make them.”

To improve your self-image, “guard your self-talk.” People constantly have conversations with themselves. Those with low self-image routinely criticize themselves. Don’t engage in negative self-conversations. Become a cheerleader for yourself. “Comparing yourself to others” is a fruitless exercise. Instead, “compare yourself to you.” “Celebrate small victories.” Remind yourself that each good, small step brings you “that much closer to success.” Always be positive with yourself. Be your own best friend.

4. “Set Aside Time to Reflect”

Personal growth requires stepping back, taking a pause and thinking carefully about your life. Find a place where you can stop and reflect, perhaps a secluded spot outdoors or a quiet room where no one will disturb you. Set aside 10 to 30 minutes each day to consider your life quietly and think about the kind of personal growth you want to achieve. Plan to spend regular periods of introspection one to two hours each week, a half-day several times a year, and a full day – or up to a week – annually. Think carefully about the areas where you most need to develop and grow.

5. “Embrace Discipline Daily”

Personal improvement requires time, hard work and consistency. Without discipline, you can’t grow or accomplish anything of value. It takes significant effort. Consider several facets of personal growth:

• “What” – Having a purpose is not enough. You must know “what you need to improve.”
• “How” – Deciding how to move ahead has four aspects: 1) Make sure your personality matches your motivation, 2) initially plan to “win small,” 3) demonstrate patience and 4) “value the process” by enjoying every minute of your growth journey.
• “Why” – Use your “why-power” to supplement your willpower.
• “When” – Right now. That’s the best answer.

6. “Seek Out a Positive Environment”

To establish a setting for intentional growth, seek “conducive surroundings.” Take a hard look at your current environment to see if it is going to help or hinder your personal-growth efforts. If negativity surrounds you, remove yourself from your current environment and seek a positive one.

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” (Jim Rohn, entrepreneur and motivational trainer)

Your environment goes beyond location. It encompasses the people around you. Social psychologist David McClelland explains that the people you spend time with “determine as much as 95% of your success or failure in life.” So keep people around you who prop you up and don’t knock you down. Enlist “an accountability partner” who believes in you and your success.

7. “Become Highly Strategic”

Some people take control of their lives; others let life happen to them. Instead of choosing, try to develop a “strategic mind-set” so you can operate with a clear sense of urgency about leading a fulfilling life. Understand that life requires a proactive approach to be rewarding. Being strategic means designing what you want your life to be, just as you plan your career.

“Few things are better for cultivating character and developing humility than serving others.”

When you design a plan, double the time and money you allocate for everything. For example, if you estimate that a project will cost $1,000, put $2,000 aside. Thinking strategically calls for using “specific, orderly, repeatable principles and practices.” As you develop strategies and systems, keep them as simple as possible.

8. “Turn Negatives into Positives”

Everyone has troubles. But some people who’ve gone through bad times report that dealing with their problems made them a better person. In the process, their negative experiences became positive. Follow five steps “to turn your pain into gain”:

• “Choose a positive life stance” – Make optimism your basic frame of reference.
• “Embrace and develop your creativity” – For thorny problems, you may need unorthodox solutions.
• “Embrace the value of bad experiences” – Treat each trial as an opportunity to learn and grow.
• “Make good changes after learning from bad experiences” – Let traumas serve as turning points.
• “Take responsibility for your life” – Only you can be in charge of your own existence, no one else.

9. “Grow from the Inside Out”

Most people devote far more time and attention to developing their skills than to developing their character, but lack of character is the greater problem. Don’t worry about how you look on the outside; what counts is how you shape up on the inside. Your “inside victories” always matter more than your outside triumphs. Often, you can’t control what happens in your exterior space, but you can control what takes place in your interior space. When it comes to character issues, never take the easy road. “Hard-fought personal choices are not easily made, and they are not easily managed.” Yet, that’s when some of the most meaningful personal growth occurs.

10. “Get Used to Stretching Yourself”

“Rubber bands are useful only when they are stretched.” People are like rubber bands. To reach your full potential, expand your boundaries – “physically…mentally, emotionally and spiritually.” Many people don’t stretch themselves. They accept the status quo and remain stuck in their comfort zones. That makes it harder for them to achieve personal growth. To stretch, be ready to change. Be willing to try things that have frightened you in the past. Think about the goals you want to achieve, then motivate yourself to do what it takes to attain them.

11. “Make Smart Trade-Offs”

You can’t find the time and energy to grow if you aren’t willing to make some trade-offs. They may involve changing your job, forgoing the security of a comfortable salary, leaving your community or making other necessary sacrifices. Ask two questions when you consider making a trade-off. First, determine “the pluses and minuses.” Weighing the pros and cons might help you see how you exercise the natural tendency to overvalue what you already have and to undervalue what you could possibly gain through a trade-off. Second, decide if you will “grow through this change.” Don’t be timid. Try to view the trade-offs you must make to get ahead with enthusiasm. See them as special opportunities to grow.

12. “Learn to Ask More Questions”

Intentional growth depends in part on acquiring additional knowledge. The more you learn, the more you can grow. Don’t try to be an expert. Take on a “beginner’s mind-set,” like people who consider themselves “apprentices instead of experts.” This will give you a “humble, teachable posture.” Approach new knowledge with wonder, amazement and curiosity, like a child. Be inquisitive and always ask “why.” Don’t worry about looking silly or foolish. Try to gain a bit of new knowledge or a fresh experience every day: Take an art or dance class, or learn a martial art.

13. “Find a Good Mentor”

People with solid experience can teach you a great deal, whether you know them or learn from reading the books they write. When you line up a personal mentor, carefully select someone you respect. Find someone worth emulating who is available to assist you regularly. Your mentor should have excellent experience and knowledge. Seek a “next-step mentor,” someone a rung or two further up the career ladder ahead of you. Your mentor doesn’t have to be in your organization.

14. “Focus on Enlarging Your Potential”

Have you reached your full capacity as a person? Could you grow more? Of course, people can always increase their capacity by developing their ideas and actions. To change your thoughts, don’t ask, “Can I?” Instead, think, “How can I?” The first question limits you but the second one opens you up to amazing possibilities. To change your actions, break out of your mold. Start doing things you’ve never done before.

15. “Help Others Reach Their Potential”

The more you give to others, the more you will get in return. And, the more you grow, the more you will be able to give. Pitch in with your time and effort to help others realize their full potential. Whether at home or on the job, put other people ahead “of your own agenda. Put your family ahead of your own desires…Serve others instead of yourself.”

“If you can believe in yourself and the potential that is in you, and then focus on growth instead of goals, there’s no telling how far you can grow.”

To achieve this goal, be a giver, not a taker. Opt for significance over success. Don’t expect anything in return for your good deeds. Be intentional in your selfless efforts. “The measure of success is not the number of people who serve you, but the number of people you serve.” You will grow best when you help other people grow.

John C. Maxwell is a leadership expert, speaker, coach and #1 New York Times best-selling author who has sold more than 25 million books. He is the founder of The John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, and EQUIP.