In the past, I've done videos where I discussed 'My Biggest Takeaways' from a particular book I've read, a podcast I've listened to, or a video I've watched. That's morphed into 'My Favorite Quotes.' Starting in 2025, I have the latest in that series with John C. Maxwell's 'The Difference Maker.'
John C. Maxwell has written over 100 books(I counted the books in his bibliography on Wikipedia), and several have been on the New York Times Bestseller list. The books are usually based on leadership and self-help. 'The Difference Maker' was published in 2006.
During the pandemic, I found the book in a donation bin in my town.
It was a short read, and I found it basic. I regularly consume self-help content, so the concepts weren't anything new. But the book had great reinforcement lessons based on what I've learned over the years.
I will present the quote and page number in the physical book and share my reflections.
The first one is on page 11, and it says:
"Every thought you have shaped your life. What you think about your neighbor is your attitude toward him. The way you think about your job is your attitude toward work. Your thoughts concerning your spouse, the people on the highway during rush hour, and the government create your attitude toward each subject. The sum of all your thoughts comprises your overall attitude."
Reading this made me think about the stories we use to identify ourselves. Events that have happened to us and shaped how we see the world. In my case, my parents were divorced. All my brothers and sisters who have children are no longer with the people they had children with, which tells me marriage is a no-no. That's a story I use as part of my identity. It has shaped my attitude toward women and relationships. It's hard to change these stories, but what if changing them can lead to a better version of ourselves? It's easier said than done, but worth looking into.
The next group of quotes are on pages 56-57:
"A Chinese proverb I came across gives insight: 'Assume a cheerfulness you do not feel, and shortly you feel the cheerfulness you assumed.' Or, as editor and publisher Elbert Hubbard says, 'Be pleasant until 10 a.m., and the rest of the day will take care of itself.' When you get up in the morning, you need to remind yourself of the decision you've made to have a positive attitude. You need to manage your thinking and direct your actions so that they are consistent with your decision."
Some might say, 'Fake it till you make it.' I don't call it that. I interpret it as presenting a positive disposition when going out into the world. You will often get that energy in return. For example, if you smile at someone, that person smiles back. This doesn't happen often here in North Jersey or NYC, but you will get a smile sometimes. However, one should honor their feelings if they are going through something. Such as, if you are grieving, grieve; don't bottle up your emotions to be positive all the time. Bottling up your sentiments can be toxic.
On to the next of 'my favorite quotes' on the bottom of pages 93-94.
"I already mentioned that I am in my late fifties. The older I get, the more I meet people my age who express regret for the way thev've lived their lives. Sometimes the regret is for things they've done, but more often it is for things they didn't do but felt that they should have. If they ask for my advice, I quote one of my favorite sayings:
Thought you cannot go back
And make a brand-new start, my friend
Anyone can start from now
And make a brand-new end."
Don't we all have regrets? I'm almost 50, and I wish I could travel more. I hope to rectify that in the new year, but I say that every year. On the flip side, I do love my life and my job. I could abandon my apartment, become unemployed, and travel to Europe for a few months. I'm sure the experience would be unforgettable. But I don't want to upend my life and do so. I'd rather travel and explore Europe intermittently before I'm 60 and keep my apartment and job.
The following quote is on page 114.
"Problems are wake-up calls for creativity."
Tony Robbins and other self-help gurus often say that if you can solve a problem for many people, you can become famous and make a lot of money. I'm paraphrasing. The quote reminded me of that. I find that we unknowingly do this. For example, if we put a piece of furniture together, we have the instructions, but if something isn't right, we may look at the problem and approach it from a different angle or two. These are the moments we are being creative. Another example is when I'm playing a video game and having trouble getting past a particular section. Before I jump on YouTube to find the answer, I will try several ways to solve the problem. Isn't this often the basis of video games? If we gamify our problems(depending on the severity), it can be fun to solve them.
Now, on to the final quote on pages 126-127.
"...our own thoughts were the only thing creating potential dangers for us."
This quote was in a chapter titled 'Fear.' Our brains keep us in our comfort zone. They want to keep us safe in our established habits, whether good or bad. Our habits are also built on the stories we tell ourselves. Sometimes, it takes a traumatic event to change those habits. I dabbled in a vegan diet for years. My father passed away from heart issues. His passing helped me commit to a vegan diet, specifically for its promotion of heart health. I struggled for years to acclimate to this diet, but I have many more days presently where I'm following this lifestyle than not.
Those are my favorite quotes from John C. Maxwell's 'The Difference Maker.' If you'd like to read this book, please follow this affiliate link here or below. It will support both the author and myself.
Find my other 'favorite quotes' or 'biggest takeaways' here.
If you have any thoughts or comments, please do so below. Thanks for your time.
Affiliate link for 'The Difference Maker' https://amzn.to/40E6OJ5
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