Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 131). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) John explains, "Because we’ve always wanted to make a difference, Rob and I have worked to help people for most of our lives. Through the years, I’ve approached that goal in many different ways. I’ve counseled people one-on-one. I’ve taught. I’ve created staff training programs. I’ve hosted conferences and seminars. I’ve spoken at large events. I’ve built organizations. I’ve written books. I’ve created resources on paper, audiotape, videotape, DVD, and internet platforms. After more than fifty years, I’ve come to a conclusion: transformation happens one table at a time." He continues, "Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t my last book. And I’m not done speaking or creating resources. All those things have value—and have the power to add value to people—so I’ll keep doing them. But ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 126). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) I'm sure you have found that true. John continues, "And they make us more valuable to others. You can work with someone whose skills are weak if their values are good. You can train someone who is inexperienced as long as they value growth. You can trust someone who makes mistakes if the person is honest. But when good values are absent in someone, working with them becomes very difficult." He later says, "There is no more important mission than giving others the chance to dream of a better life and equip them to live it. There is no better way to do that than to help them identify, embrace, and live good values. The longer I live, the more I travel the world, the more I work to add value to people, the more I realize how important it is to help others understand the value of ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 114). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is another good question. John answers it by saying, "There’s one standard that it must meet. It must value people—all people, all of the time, in all situations. No shortcuts, no rationalizations, no exceptions. If the value values people, then it is positive and worth embracing. If it devalues people in any way, it’s not a good value. Good values always align with the golden rule. As Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, said, 'For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people’s love and concern for each other.' Good values are the foundation of that community. They are inclusive, not excluding anyone. They draw people together despite differences in race, ethnicity, religion, or political views." John later says, "There are few things i...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 108). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And that is a very good question. John says, "I’m known for stating that everything rises and falls on leadership. But do you know what two things are responsible for making leadership rise? The first is competence . No one wants to follow an incompetent leader. The second is values . Values are principles that guide your decisions and behaviors. When those values are good, they bring only benefits—never harm—to yourself and others. When leaders have good values, which are reflected in their behaviors, people are willing to trust and to follow them. Good values allow leaders and everyone else to help others." He later says, "Many years ago James Dobson analyzed the disillusionment many people experience between the ages of thirty-five and fifty. It’s often called a midlife crisis....

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 86). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It is so important. John says, "Busyness is not satisfying. A life of purpose is. It can be deeply satisfying to be part of something larger than yourself. Most people are looking for a way to be involved in something they’re passionate about that they can do with other like-minded people. They want to be a part of a story that allows them to express their deepest desires and highest aspirations. They want to create memories doing something memorable. Why else would people wear colored bracelets identifying a cause, dress in pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, get doused for the Ice-Bucket Challenge, or give to organizations they believe in? When enough people who share the same values follow their desires to make a difference and join to do it together, a movement is born. He con...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 83). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) This is so, so true. John says, "As Rob and I began writing this chapter, we knew the ideas we were presenting applied to every person working to change any aspect of their world—great or small. But you can see the same need for everyone’s effort on a small scale in everyday events today: a soccer match, a basketball game, or a football game. If one person is missing or isn’t adequately fulfilling his or her role, the team loses. At work, if you’re involved in a project, and a team member isn’t pulling his weight, the job becomes much harder for everyone else. At home, when a family member doesn’t do his part, everyone in the family suffers." He continues, "Teamwork is essential and makes everyone’s efforts stronger, whether the project or objective is large or small. What does it ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 74). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And we need that in what we are now going through. Earlier John said, "We currently live in a time of hostility, division, and partisanship. People would rather draw lines and throw stones than engage in conversation and try to find solutions together. In this climate, cooperation may seem like the best we can hope for between people. But that’s selling ourselves short. We can do better." He continues, "Cooperation is unity for the sake of unity. Cooperation says, 'Let’s just get along or else nothing will get done.' Collaboration is unity for the sake of shared vision. Collaboration says, 'Let’s work together because this has to be done.' "We believe the implication of cooperation is that people are not working against one another. But when there is true co...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 70). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And this is something we need to let sink into our actions in this day in which we live. Earlier John said, "Having common values among team members versus not having them is like the difference between a herd of horses and a herd of donkeys when they’re under pressure. Horse trainer Stephen Brown said that when a group of horses encounter a threat, they stand in a circle facing each other with their hind legs pointing outward, ready to kick at their enemy. Donkeys, on the other hand, do just the opposite. They face the threat, but that means when they do kick, they strike each other." John continues, "Once you’ve determined there is an alignment of values, focus on what you have in common, not your differences. What we focus on expands. If we focus on our differences, our differen...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 53). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Do you have something that you are thinking about doing? Maybe it is an idea that could make a great difference. John says, "It’s okay to start even when you don’t have all the answers. Do what you know to do. You don’t need to know every step of the way. There is no silver bullet. There is no perfect plan. Focus on purpose, not perfection. There is no standing still when it comes to making a difference. You are either moving forward or sliding backward. Start moving forward. And invite others to join you. If you don’t, you may look back a year from now and wish you had started today. When I started EQUIP, I had no idea we would train millions of leaders. When Rob took over OneHope, he didn’t know the organization would be able to help children in nearly every country in the world. We ju...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 44). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)  That seems to be an important question for those who have a dream. John says, "In my book Put Your Dream to the Test , one of the first questions I recommend people ask themselves is this: Is my dream really my dream? Why? Because if the dream you intend to pursue isn’t really yours, you won’t own it. And if you don’t own it, you won’t do what it takes to achieve it. Your dream becomes your dream when you recognize the contribution you can make. The same is true for becoming a catalyst for change. Only if you own it will you be able to fulfill it." He continues,  "I was reminded of this in 2011 when I met with the board of my nonprofit organization EQUIP. We had just celebrated the fantastic milestone of training five million leaders from every country in the world. When y...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 39). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Is that also what you want to do? John says, "I wasn’t sure what I would do or where it would take me or how I would get there. I just knew I wanted to help people, so I started doing what I could. Mother Teresa said, 'I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.' Little did I know that those humble beginnings of just starting to do what I could were creating ripples. You can create ripples too. Here’s how to get started:" He continues, "As I write this, my dad, Melvin, is ninety-eight years old. He’s always been my hero. I’ve learned a lot from Dad. When I was young, one of his favorite riddles to ask us kids was about five frogs sitting on a log. 'Four decided to jump off. How many are left on the log?' he would...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 38). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Have you found that to be true? John says, "As you work to make a difference and see change begin to occur, you will begin to change. How does this happen? Positive change leads us to a new beginning. Our hopes begin to be realized. Our efforts begin to be rewarded. Our hearts begin to be fulfilled. And our work will begin to be recognized by others." He continues, "At this point you can become a transformation magnet. You can attract others. You can be positively contagious to others who want to make a difference, even if they didn’t know how to do it. But now they have an example: you! Seeing you make a difference makes them want to join you. The result? Coming together for a common cause becomes a force multiplier. Your efforts grow from me to we . This is when being a catalyst...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 36). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)  And we want to make positive changes, don't we? John said, "Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman said, 'Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.' While that is true, to make the dream come true, you must also act. Many things in life just happen, but positive change isn’t one of them. Changing anything in our world requires someone to be the catalyst. "When it comes to changing our world, the first person transformed is the catalyst—the agent of change—and then it expands. That doesn’t happen unless it starts within an individual." He continues, "When you tell someone he or she can be a catalyst for change, it can sound intimidatin...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 30). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes we do. John says, "Those are called excuses. A wise coach once told me, 'Excuses are like armpits. Everyone has them and they all stink.' The reality is that we can make excuses or we can make changes, but we can’t do both ." He continues, "When I was a kid, one of the cartoons I used to watch was Popeye the Sailor. The main character, Popeye, wore a sailor suit and had huge forearms with anchors tattooed on them. The mild-mannered Popeye always seemed to be trying to stop Bluto, a big bully, from stealing his girlfriend, Olive Oyl. At some point in every cartoon, Popeye would reach a point of frustration and say, 'That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.' He’d open a can of spinach, suck down the contents to gain superhuman strength, pummel the bull...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book,  Change Your World   (p. 24). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It really is. John sayd, "So if you influence just one other person, you are a leader. When you add courage to your leadership, then you create opportunities for change, which in turn changes culture. He continues, "Malcolm Gladwell said in a presentation on his book David and Goliath , 'The most successful entrepreneurs not only have courage and imagination, they also have a sense of urgency. They’re not willing to wait. They have a burning desire to get something done.' What he says of business entrepreneurs can be said of people who create transformation. They don’t want to wait. They want to get something done. The feeling of urgency moves them to take action . Right now! John goes on, "Recently I visited a school that my friend, entrepreneur Casey Crawford, founded in ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell & Rob Hoskins in their book, Change Your World   (p. 21). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It really does. Maybe there is something in this world we live in that you would like to change. John & Rob earlier said, "If people resistant to change had a theme song, it would be the old hymn that says, 'I shall not be, I shall not be moved.' But for people who want to change their world, they’d rather be singing, 'I shall not be stopped!' "Business consultant Rob Llewellyn observed, Have you noticed that the people who make things happen in this world value and share a similar sense of urgency? "Regardless of what people aim to achieve, whether in sport, business or otherwise, those who set themselves apart from the rest maintain a sense of urgency in order to be the best they can be. They choose not to disconnect from what they are aiming to achieve, and th...

A thought by Kyle Idleman, from his book,  One at a Time  (p. 188). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is so very important. Kyle says, "When God puts people in your life, there may be things that separate you. You might know something about them or their past that tempts you to look down on the person. Jesus never did that, and looking down on someone never leads them to Jesus. No one has ever been judged into faith." He then says, "God told us to 'accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.' (Rom. 15:7) Jesus accepted you despite of all your sin. You need to accept others just as Jesus accepted you. If you do so, you might just help them to accept Jesus." And that is a very good thing to do, isn't it? Yes, yes! #continuethought

A thought by Kyle Idleman, from his book,  One at a Time  (p. 185). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Kyle continues, "At halftime (though I think they call it intermission), I stood up for the seventh-inning stretch (also pretty sure that’s the wrong term). The man sitting next to me also stood, and we struck up a conversation. He told me he was with his daughter, celebrating her graduation from high school. I told him we were out celebrating our ninth wedding anniversary. He asked if we had children. I told him we had three daughters, ages six, four, and three. "He smiled, gestured to his teenage daughter, and said, 'I remember when she was six.' "His tone was accepting and sweet. Then he asked me, very naturally and comfortably, 'Can I tell you what happened to me when she was six? It totally changed what kind of father I was.' "I nodded yes.  "He said, 'Well, I worked cons...

A thought by Kyle Idleman, from his book,  One at a Time  (p. 174). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Now that would be a hard person to love. Kyle says, "He was the one who took Jesus’s hands and nailed them to the cross. This centurion was the last person Jesus touched before he died. This centurion was the person most directly responsible for Jesus’s death. Who could be harder to love than him? "Yet on the cross Jesus looked at this man, then looked up to heaven and asked God to forgive him (see Luke 23:34). Kyle continues, "When Jesus died, the centurion recognized and proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God (see Mark 15:39). He realized he had just killed the innocent Son of God. What did he need from Jesus in that moment? He needed forgiveness, and Jesus had already given it to him." He then said, "C. S. Lewis wrote, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgi...