Maxwell Leadership Podcast: What You Focus on Expands (Part 2)

If what you focus on expands and what you put behind you shrinks, your focus impacts the trajectory of your leadership. This week, we’re continuing our two-part series where John Maxwell shares 4 things that you should focus on!
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson discuss John’s insights and give you practical ways that you can apply them to your life and leadership.
Key takeaways:
- Take action on things that are worthwhile.
- The main difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.
- Don’t allow others to control your destiny.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What You Focus on Expands (Part 2) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John’s teaching. You can download the worksheet by clicking “Download the Bonus Resource” below.
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Enroll in the High Road Leadership online course for $199 (reg. $299)
How to Be a Leader People Love to Follow Podcast Episode
How to Develop an Abundance Mindset Podcast Episode
Learn more about the 5 Levels of Leadership Workshop for your teams!
Join the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team
Shop the Maxwell Leadership Online Store
Read The Transcript
Mark Cole:
Hey, welcome back to part two of what you Focus on Expands. Welcome to the Maxwell Leadership Podcast. And the reason I say welcome back is because we’re in the middle of a two part series today to add value to you so you’ll multiply value to others. Today, my co host Chris Robinson and I are listening to an ongoing lesson by John Maxwell that you’re going to hear in just a moment. And what John’s talking about today is a continuation of last episode where he talks about what you focus on expands. Now here’s what I love about today’s lesson. John starts it with this right here. Take action on things that are worthwhile.
Mark Cole:
What have you done just today? Podcast viewer, podcast family podcast listener. What have you done today that has not been worth your while? Now do not answer. Listen to this podcast. That is the incorrect answer, but what is the correct answer? Because all of us, all of us relate to the fact that some days we just do things that are more worthwhile, while other days that we don’t. Today, John’s going to take you through seven questions that will help you identify what is worthwhile and what needs to be added to your focus. As we do that we’re going to continue and complete today part two in our two episode series called what you Focus On Expands. If you would like to download a free bonus resource of this episode or watch this episode on YouTube, you can go to MaxwellPodcast.com/Expand. Now get ready. Let’s take points three and four of this lesson and let’s begin to expand a focus on things that bring a great result.
Mark Cole:
Here is John Maxwell.
John Maxwell:
Number three. Take action on things that are worthwhile. Determine that you’re going to move from a person of good intention to good action. Don’t you know people who are always getting ready to get ready? We don’t want to be one of those people. You don’t want to keep getting ready to get ready, which means you’re never ready. You need to get started. As Mark Twain said, the secret of getting ahead is very simple. Get started.
John Maxwell:
When you get started, you get ahead. So because I know this is important, I ask myself, how am I going to take action on things that are worthwhile? What makes me sure that I’m going to maximize by action the things that I already know but haven’t done yet? And I said, I wrote down for myself seven things in this lesson. These don’t have to be your seven, but if I’m going to literally take action on things that are worthwhile, I’m Number one, I’m going to rise early. I’m just going to get up before you get up and I’m going to get up before you get up. Because the fastest person doesn’t win the race is the person who gets started first. And I want to win the race, I want to do well. So I’m going to rise up early, I’m going to prioritize quickly. I’m going to do that.
John Maxwell:
I’m not only going to rise up, but I’m going to look at the stuff that is before me on my plate. I’m going to eliminate a bunch of stuff and I’m going to say this is what I’m going to do. I’m not going to do 50 things, I may do four or five things. Number three, I’m going to remove distractions. More and more in the last year and a half, I’m asked the question, how do people raise their hands and say, john, how do I remove distractions from my life? And what I want to tell them is get off social media. Really? I mean, how many times do you have to look for a thumbs up to make you feel secure? Just get off of social media. I mean, when I get up early in the morning and I rise early, I’m not reading paper, I’m not on my phone, I’m not, I’m not doing any of that stuff. I’m going to remove distractions, I’m going to prioritize quickly.
John Maxwell:
I’m going to rise early. I’m going to number four, I’m going to set timelines, deadlines, I’m going to put some lines and say by this time I need to be there. I need to be there. Number five, I’m going to make not only verbal commitments, I’m not going to say what I’m going to do, but I’m going to do visual commitments. I’m going to say it, but I’m going to also do it. People do what people see. Number six, I’m going to control my agenda, my calendar. You know, the question is not will your calendar be full? The question is, who’s going to fill your calendar? So I’m going to control my agenda.
John Maxwell:
And number seven, I’m going to evaluate my day on action, not on intention. I’m going to look and say my day was a good day because I took the following actions to make sure it became a good day. I’m not going to say, well, you know, my day was full of intentions and I never acted them out. You say, you know I’m going to ask. I’m going to have results, not meetings. I’m going to make sure that I’m getting things done. You see the main difference between who you are and what you want to be. What’s the main difference between who I am and what I want to be? It’s very simple.
John Maxwell:
What I do. What I do closes that gap. You’ve heard me talk about what gets measured gets done, and what also what gets done, gets measured. I’m talking about making sure the things that you’re doing are having a return, that they are truly worthwhile. I’m going from good intentions to good actions. This is so important. Take action on things that are worthwhile. Your desire is not to be busy.
John Maxwell:
You know, nobody impresses me by the say I worked hard all day, honestly. Take a trip to developing nations and I’ll show you people that work harder than you and me. They’re up at 6am you know, sweeping streets and they’re working hard. And so we want to make sure that we take action on things that are worthwhile. If we played a trivia game, I would come in last, I know it would come in last and say, why would you come in last, John? It’s because I don’t know trivia well. Why don’t you know trivia well? I don’t know trivia because it’s trivia. What part of trivia is appetizing to you or to me? I mean, no one has ever said I became highly successful because I spent my life knowing trivia. Trivia is trivia.
John Maxwell:
We want to spend our time, we want to be focusing on things that are worthwhile. Knowing a lot of stuff. You know, there’s no return for knowing a lot of stuff. There’s a whole bunch of things I don’t know in life. There’s a whole bunch of things I don’t want to know in life. Why? Because I want to be focused on what I need to get accomplished. So let’s review quickly if you want to start now and create a brand new end. Number one, spend time with the right people.
John Maxwell:
Two, say what you need to say. Number three, take action on things worthwhile. And the last one is probably the hardest one to teach because it’s just hard to probably implement. But boy, it’s important, and that is don’t allow others to control your destiny. I mean, you got a whole bunch of people, they’d like to control what you do and where you go and what you think. And you don’t want that. Don’t let them. When I was in college, of course, I was a theolog.
John Maxwell:
And there was a book written by Roland Bainton called Here I Stand. It was the story of Martin Luther. And when he was on trial, his life really hanging in the balance, and they asked him to, to recant or to back up and denounce things that he stood for and that he lived by. And he said, I can’t do that. This is who I am. I can’t pull those things back. And he looked and he said, with the help of God, here I Stand. And I remember reading that and I thought, I’ve got to have a here I Stand life.
John Maxwell:
I’ve got to have my life built on something solid. And what I discovered when I started entering this of Here I Stand is I found that I had a lot of friends in college, that their agenda for me wasn’t my agenda for me. And I wanted to achieve and grow and develop them. And what that did is it started separating me from my friends. And I don’t mean that in a cruel way or a wrong way, but they weren’t going where I was going. They weren’t doing what I was doing. They weren’t loving what I was loving. They weren’t thinking what I was thinking.
John Maxwell:
And all of a sudden I said, I don’t want to take that journey with them. I want to take a journey that will allow me to reach my potential. And it started that separation. It really did. I look back and I mean leadership. I led Student Leadership Council. I was the, I was the head of it. You know, the student body voted on me to be ahead of it.
John Maxwell:
But as they voted on me to be the kind of the head kid leader in school, I was thinking, my gosh, average people want you to stay average. And there’s a whole bunch of people that want me to stay in this people pile and I can’t do that. Well, look at your five closest friends. Are they going anywhere? Are they doing anything? Are they accomplishing things that are worthwhile and life changing? Well, it takes courage when I look at these things. Don’t allow others to control your destiny. Take action on things worthwhile. Say what you need to say and spend time with the right people. Takes courage though.
John Maxwell:
You cannot go back and make a brand new end, my friend. Anybody can start from now and there they can make a brand new inner.
Maxwell Leadership Growth Plan Ad:
If you’re ready to stop drifting and start growing, the Maxwell Growth Plan is your next step. This year-long journey guides you through four powerful seasons of growth, from building self-awareness to clarifying your purpose to strengthening your leadership. Each season includes reflection prompts, action steps plus live teaching and Q and a calls with John C. Maxwell. Its personal development with a plan. Start your journey today by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/GrowthPlan. That’s MaxwellPodcast.com/GrowthPlan.
Mark Cole:
Hey, welcome back everybody. I’m reminded of Simon Sinek’s quote that says words may inspire, but only action creates change. And Chris, you are an activator. That’s why I’ve loved doing this two part series with you because that’s exactly what you do is you activate. You know it felt like last episode it felt like so much of my ability and my focus was dependent on everyone else. We talked about spend time with the right people. Well man, if I don’t get the right people, is my focus going to expand correctly? The answer is yes, but it’s kind of dependent on others. Right.
Mark Cole:
And then we said say what you need to say and I’m going yeah, but sometimes what I say is not what’s heard. It feels like that’s dependent on people. Today, finally today, John put it back in my court. I now can control because I take action by focusing on things that are worthwhile. And then of course the last one he talks about is don’t allow others to control your destiny which is back about others. But I am the one that gets to determine my destiny. So I’m super excited today. Glad you’re back.
Chris Robinson:
Welcome, glad to be back here man. I love this topic too because I, I love action.
Mark Cole:
Yeah.
Chris Robinson:
Like I am not a sit and think about it long time. It’s hey, let’s go out here, let’s do it, let’s take action. And you know, but it’s about doing things that are worthwhile and being intentional about this. Now I love how he talks about people being, getting ready to get ready.
Mark Cole:
Yeah.
Chris Robinson:
Now that just, it, it just burns my soul. I’ve got a son that he is a analytical thinker and he is always getting ready to get round. So just, just make a decision. Just make a decision, then do something. But hey, look, I know that there’s a time that you have to do some preparation. There’s some steps that go in between there. But there’s a phra. I say often that I think it really help a lot of people go from, you know, just having good intention to actually doing something.
Chris Robinson:
It’s a little phrase called learn a little bit, then do a little bit.
Mark Cole:
Love it.
Chris Robinson:
Because if you just sit back and learn and Learn and learn and get ready. I’m just going to learn. I’m going to listen to all 458 podcasts, and then I’m going to finally do something. It’s not going to happen.
Mark Cole:
That’s right.
Chris Robinson:
But if you learn something today from the podcast, well, hey, go out and do it today. And if you do that, you’re going to continuously make some progress forward. But he said, John says this, he says, determine that you’re going to move from being a person of good intention to a person of good action. So tell me about a time where you had the right intention, but you didn’t follow through.
Mark Cole:
We’ve all done it. We have done it. And, you know, it’s my greatest fear for the podcast. I love our podcast. I love our numbers growing. I’m always looking. You can ask Jake. I’m constantly saying, hey, are we moving the needle in impact? I.
Mark Cole:
I am passionate about things that are growing, not things that are in decline. And so I love all that. And thank you, all your podcast listeners, for being in here, being a part. But I am never satisfied by just giving a good PA Podcast with some content every single week. What do I do? I give you something to do. Not just learn, not just enjoy. And that you think we’re. We’re trying to make a sale? No, I’m trying to get you to bet on yourself and act each and every time.
Mark Cole:
And here’s why. I’ve been to a lot of events in my life, a lot of experiences to where I spent money, I spent time on investing myself, and I didn’t, number one, walk away with anything to apply. Number two, I walk away with plenty to apply. I just don’t. And I think that is bad stewardship. I think that when you have been given. This is why John Maxwell’s dad’s quote is also my favorite quote of my dad’s. And that is, to the person who’s given a lot, much is required.
Mark Cole:
And even the very fact that you’re in a country that you have enough wherewithal, that you have access to podcasts like this, that you have access to content like this is only a small portion of the formula of success. Having access is not enough. Even accessing it is not enough. It’s only when you apply the access. So to answer your question, I can think of many experiences through my life. My greatest one was reading John Maxwell’s book, Developing the Leader Within you. I read the book, it turned the light bulbs on me. I was 17 years of age.
Mark Cole:
I am a Leader. I knew I finally could verbalize what I knew at 5 years old. I was born to be a leader. Here’s my problem. I quit applying it after I read it. I read it. It enlightened me. It was like, everything I’ve done up to this point now makes sense.
Mark Cole:
And then all I did was start applying leadership lessons to everybody else and not to myself. And I spent a 10 year journey sowing bad seeds of relationship, sowing bad deeds in the relationships that I had, and sowing only advancement from an external perspective with no intentionality on internal advancement. And I woke up at 30 years of age, broke financially, relationally, spiritually. I was broke, brother. I had nothing. And so you want to talk about having this access to. The key is developing yourself. Mark Cole let me develop everybody else.
Mark Cole:
And so I knew it, but I didn’t apply it. I had access to it and. And I even read it, but I did not apply the access.
Chris Robinson:
Yeah, and I think a lot of people, they inherently, they know what to do. They’ve had access to the information, they’ve had access to the coaching, to the audios, to the videos, to the conferences, but they just don’t do it. What advice would you give for people who know what to do, but they just don’t get accountability?
Mark Cole:
You know, I remember, Chris, I think I’ve talked about this on the podcast. I’m sure I have. I can remember the first time that I ran my first marathon. I’ve now ran seven marathons and 13 half marathons. And I wanted to run my first marathon before I was 40. And I can remember I had set that as a goal before I wanted to do it. And I’ll never forget the day that I decided to let people in to the fact that I wanted to run a marathon that year because I was 39 and I put myself out there and everybody went, really? Oh, man, they were inspired. Well, I’ve inspired people with Mars before.
Mark Cole:
And I went, well, you want to do it with me? I know you don’t. Did y’ all see how quick. Did everybody see how quick he did? I wouldn’t even ask him that question. It was a rhetorical.
Chris Robinson:
In the middle of my story, let’s be really clear.
Mark Cole:
I don’t want to run away with you. That was funny to me. Okay, so. So I’m. I’m sitting here and I went, okay, I’m gonna put myself out there. I’m doing it. And everybody say, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I’ve done that before.
Mark Cole:
That time I went, you want to do it with me. And I had six guys that I was working alongside of. This was before you. I now know you wouldn’t have done it.
Chris Robinson:
I would have cheered you on. You would have cheered me up.
Mark Cole:
And we went out, six of us, and we ran a marathon. And I’m convinced to this day the reason I ran my first marathon is because I put myself out there. But then I asked for people to get in the game with me, and we did it. We had a wonderful time. We took all of our family down there, ran our first marathon. It was brilliant.
Chris Robinson:
Oh, wow. I love it. I love it. Now, John talks about taking action on things that are worthwhile, and he gives us seven things here. You know, of these, you know, talk to me about timelines. Talk to me about timelines and setting timelines and deadlines.
Mark Cole:
I’m going to do this, Chris. I’m going to give you just a little bit of preemptive. But I told you right before recording, I said, there’s. Chris, one area that I want you to be the expert on. And it was actually this one. So thanks for bringing up. So I’m going to give you just a little bit. But, Chris, you help literally thousands of entrepreneurs, coaches, month in and month out with something we call the 21 day challenge.
Mark Cole:
But really what it is is putting yourself out there, giving yourself a timeframe. Because if you want to talk about doing things that are worthwhile, if it’s worth the thought, I need to do this. If it’s worth the statement of intent, and if it’s worth it to make yourself successful, then it’s worth it to put a timeline on when you expect to do it. How many timelines have I missed? More than I made. But I am convinced that the ones that I made was because I have a propensity to make timelines, because that that does not get measured, doesn’t get done. We’ve heard that that’s more than just a cute statement. It is reality that I am much better at success because I set timelines and I set clear, attainable. Know if I won, know if I lost objectives to that timeline.
Mark Cole:
So that’s kind of my overarching thought. But really, who I want to talk a lot about taking action on things that are worthwhile and setting timelines and deadlines as you and the process you get our coaches to work through on the 21 day challenge.
Chris Robinson:
Yeah, well, the 21 day challenge, I mean, of course, you all heard the phrase that it takes 21 days to create a habit. And so the reason I use that timeline is simply because of that statistic, that theory of trying to create a habit. And inside that challenge, what I do is I act as a sales manager for them via video and I’m giving them activities to do every single day in order to move them towards their goal. But that’s not something I just tell people do. It’s something I do in my own life. And I do this in spurts. My wife laughs at me, my kids laugh at me. Like, why in the world you just start this today? I was like, well, because I needed to start it.
Chris Robinson:
And they said, well, how long are you doing this for? Well, I’ll do a 30 day this or 21 day that because I want to develop the habit or I want to get something done. So like right now, for example, I’m in a saw a friend of mine post 100 push ups and 100 squats a day. And I said, well, great, I’m going to do that. And you know, because I felt like, hey, I need to improve my health. And I thought, well, that seems doable. It seems simple enough to do, but it’s also simple enough not to do, right? I said, oh, I’m going to do this. So that day, this was actually, I’m five days in right now. That day I went and I stripped my cabinet.
Chris Robinson:
I love candy, I love junk. I’ve got Twizzlers, I’ve got mangoes, I’ve got flips, I’ve got Swiss rolls. I love that stuff.
Mark Cole:
Swiss rolls. I didn’t know we were Swiss roll buddies.
Chris Robinson:
But you got to have them in the freezer, though. You got to stick them in the freezer.
Mark Cole:
This segment is sponsored by Little Debbie.
Chris Robinson:
They gotta be frozen, though. They got to be frozen. But what I did was I got rid of all that stuff. And the kids are going, oh, no. Because they get into dad stash, right?
Mark Cole:
Yes, exactly.
Chris Robinson:
They’re like, well, how long are you doing this?
Mark Cole:
How long are we all doing this, right?
Chris Robinson:
I said, well, 30 days. And I’m, I set that timeline to create those habits of discipline, consistency. And so I’m five days in, there’s no sugar. There is 100 push ups, 100 squats a day and three days. And my son said, dad, well, why do you do things like this? Because he’ll see me go through these phase. I said, well, son, I do it because I need to improve in a specific area and I do it to build consistency in doing the thing and to prove to myself that I can break and develop any habit at any time. Because, you know, years ago, 20, 25 years ago, I think, what am I want to say? I have not had a drink of alcohol in over 24 years now.
Mark Cole:
Congratulations, buddy.
Chris Robinson:
You know, but that was. That was the first, like, habit that I broke. And then now I’m just a habitual habit breaker. So if something’s got me in a.
Mark Cole:
Habit, I’m a habitual habit breaker. I’m a habitual habit. I love this. Okay, keep going.
Chris Robinson:
Because I want to prove that I can build a new habit. I want to prove that I can break a habit that’s holding me back. And so timelines are critical in that because it gives you a target, a focus to take action for it. Because if I just say, hey, I need you to do 100 push ups and 100, you know, squats for the rest of your life, no, thank you. But 30 days, 21 days, 10 days, that seems tangible. And the deeper you are into breaking something, the shorter that period that it needs to be beautiful. And so that way you can at least give yourself hope of, hey, I can do it for a day. I can do it for seven days.
Chris Robinson:
But timelines are critical when trying to develop habits and trying to do things that are worthwhile.
Mark Cole:
Okay, I know you got another question, but I got to stay right here because podcast family, we just had the moment. Every podcast, I look for the moment, what is it? And I want to challenge you to go find something worthwhile. Maybe it’s to quit eating frozen Swiss rolls.
Chris Robinson:
Don’t do that.
Mark Cole:
Maybe it’s. Maybe it’s reaching out to a son or a daughter you don’t hear from very often. And for 21 days, you need to just tell them you love them. You need to connect with them. Maybe I don’t. I don’t know what your worth, how worthwhile thing is, but I want you to find something worthwh. And I want you to set a date, I want you to set a time frame. I want you to set a desired outcome for that worthwhile.
Mark Cole:
And I want you to do it starting today for 21 days. For 30 days. You know, Chris, we. Every year, it’s a very spiritual thing, but it’s also a discipline thing. Just from a health standpoint. Every year our community of faith does a 21 day fast. And every year, we participate very significantly in that. Some years it’s a real serious sacrificial fast.
Mark Cole:
Some days it’s just being discipline, what you do. A lot of people celebrate Lent, and it’s just this. It’s this idea of finding a time frame to get rid of some things, to break a habit or to make a habit.
Chris Robinson:
Right.
Mark Cole:
And I love what you said, a habitual habit breaker. I would say you’re also a habitual habit maker.
Chris Robinson:
Correct. Come on.
Mark Cole:
I think that you are. Isn’t that great? You didn’t even steal that. I think that you actually are habitual in both of those. And I want to challenge you today, podcast family. John’s telling us to take action on things that are worthwhile, and he’s telling us that you need to set timelines and deadlines. And we just gave you a challenge that around the globe, people, starting today need to start listening and making those habits.
Chris Robinson:
Yeah, I love that. Now, of these seven. All right, so of the seven, which one of these do you really do well? And which one of these do you need work on?
Mark Cole:
So number six is the one I need work on. I’m going to control my agenda. I live in a world that my agenda is controlled by others. And to be honest with you, my agenda for years, even to today, is controlled a lot by John Maxwell. Our unique relationship, my unique calling and source of inspiration and success. Completion with him is all about allowing my agenda to be made. I’m very, extremely fortunate with Kimberly, my executive partner that adjusts things all the time and covers my rear end when she adjusts them because John’s made an adjustment. I’m very fortunate for my wife Stephanie, to allow me to have that flexibility in our home.
Mark Cole:
But that’s the one that I would literally look at that and go, oh, I’m in trouble. That one’s not it. I think the one that, I think the one that I’m really, really good at, and this is probably more DNA than anything. I rise early. I mean, there’s very few people that’s going to get less sleep than I and more work hours than I. I just have this health thing. I’ve had all the people talk to me about, you’re gonna, you’re gonna be messed up because you don’t sleep enough. And I always point at my 96 year young mother that to this day is still living and doing well.
Mark Cole:
And I’m going, yeah, maybe you need to say that to somebody else. Because I have the same sleep habits as my mom. But I, for years, for years, when I, when I was in roles and responsibilities in the company to where somebody had the same role and responsibility to me, I would get a lot more work done, get a lot more success or more sales or whatever, and it Was not ability. It was nothing more than sales is a number game. And if you make more numbers, you’re going to get more sales. And I just had that kind of a work ethic. So that would be the one I’m really good at, which is probably more DNA than it is discipline and the one I’m challenged with. And that’s probably more calling than it is an inconsistency in my life.
Mark Cole:
I feel like this is. I want to make myself sound better. I feel like I’m pretty dependable when I can be, but my life just really wrecks my schedule. The roles and responsibilities I have.
Chris Robinson:
Oh, man, I love it. I love it. Now, the last we’re going to talk about here today is not allowing others to control your destiny. Talk to me about that and how that’s played out in your life and how you feel about that statement.
Mark Cole:
So I think it’s a good one. I think. I think, you know, we could spend a lot. We don’t have a lot of notes in your bonus resource, as you know, on this one. John said a lot in what he said, though, and that is we. We talked about this a little bit last week to where, you know, a leader has the responsibility to see more than others see and to know more than others know. A leader also has the responsibility to disappoint people at the rate they can stand. Those of you that have not listened to episode one, our part one of this series, you want to go back and listen that because we break it apart, but using those of us that have as a reminder, I think that so often, especially our style of leadership, which is servant style leadership, valuing people, putting other people’s agenda before ours.
Mark Cole:
There’s a brand. There’s a style of leadership that’s very dictatorial. Do what I say. I’ll make you shake, I’ll make you wake. I’ll make you make something happen. There’s this authoritarian type leadership that just does not resonate with us and our style of leadership. So in our style of leadership, your challenge often is that others control your sense of fulfillment, others control your destiny. If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want.
Mark Cole:
That’s almost like relinquishing your control of your destiny because it’s dependent on helping other people get there. Those statements really make this a very important point for us to understand with our style, our brand of leadership. And that is, at the end of the day, I work for John Maxwell, but I got to be honest with y’ all. This Is might be a news flash for y’ all. He works for me. And I’ll tell you what I mean by that. That is not a statement of egotism. But I am doing what I do and have been doing for 25 years and specifically 15 years with John, because by doing that keeps me in control of the destiny I’m designed to live.
Mark Cole:
I did not relinquish as a second chair leader. And I’ve been a second chair leader literally all of my life. Even when I became owner and I thought I became first chair, I didn’t become first chair. I’m a second cheerleader still. Make no mistake, any of you out there that are working for. I hate the words working for someone else, and that’s all of us. By the way, even the CEO in me has a board I report to. Make no mistake, that when you work for someone, you cannot relinquish your sense of destiny and your response, responsibility to your calling and to who you’re supposed to be.
Mark Cole:
For those of you that are people of faith, allow me to lean into your faith just a moment. On Reckoning Day, on Judgment Day, on the day you give an account for your life, you stand alone and you give an account, you can’t say, well, I would have been better, but they wouldn’t let me. No, no, no, that doesn’t work. And so I think for our style of leadership here, Chris, this is a very important point. You can be a great second man, you can be a great servant leader, but you can never, in any one of those postures or positions can you give up responsibility of your own destiny. And balancing that and using that and being accountable to that is something that every leader has to have is, I don’t give up my destiny. I give up my agenda. I give up my sense of purpose.
Mark Cole:
I give up a lot of things. But make no mistake, John Maxwell is working for me in my destiny.
Chris Robinson:
There we go.
Mark Cole:
You can tell him I said that, and I’m just kidding. Don’t tell him I said that. I will tell him I said that, but I will tell him in the context because it sounds very egotistical. But Chris, so many of us, as we look at, don’t allow others to control our destiny. So many of us needs to take back that sense of destiny. Because when you submit yourself to someone else’s vision and you see that from a place of weakening your posture, what we’re talking about this entire two episodes is we’re trying to get you to expand your vision. And too many second chair people or too many people that are trying to serve everybody else allows that sense of servitude to restrict their vision rather than to expand their vision.
Chris Robinson:
Yeah. I love it. I love it, man. Another good one here today. Always enjoy being with you. Thanks so much for having me. And looking forward to the next.
Mark Cole:
Yeah, for sure. You know, I promised you because this is. This is a discipline. I want to give you something that some of you have heard me talk about before. We have a High Road Leadership digital product, and it’s normally 300. We want to give it to you today for $199. And the reason I wanted to use that content for this, this session, this second session, is because your ability to think High road as a servant, because that’s what we consider a high road and stay a leader at the same time, is that dichotomy that I was just talking about. And so I want you to go.
Mark Cole:
You’ll see in the show notes that we’ll give you that discount. You can click on that. You can also find a episode podcast that we did some time ago called how to Develop an Abundance Mindset. I think it goes right along with what we talked about today. I want you to go be a part of that and really make that a part of you. Hey, we had a comment today from Manuel, and Manuel listened to the podcast how to be a Leader. People love to Follow. This is what Manuel said.
Mark Cole:
This episode really spoke to me. It reminded me that real leadership isn’t about trying to please everyone or being liked all the time. It’s about caring for your team, lifting them up, and having the courage to lead with honesty, man. Well, you should have taught this podcast. And it’s a beautiful reminder that strong leadership starts with a kind and serving heart. I agree. I think that’s what it’s all about. See, we exist here at Maxwell Leadership to bring about powerful, positive change because everyone deserves to be led.
Mark Cole:
Well, we’ll see you next episode.
Be the first to comment on "Maxwell Leadership Podcast: What You Focus on Expands (Part 2)"