Your Road Map for Success: You Can Get There from Here by Maxwell - Book Report/Review Example

? Topic: Your Road Map for Success: You Can Get There from Here Order 520777 Topic: Summary How to start with a successful journey? Start by starting! Those who waste much time in trying to understand a suitable definition of success, will remain at the stage of definition only, and will not be able to achieve success in the real sense of the term. What is success? Is it the absence of failures? Partly true—the total success is about transcending the failure, rather never admitting failure! John C. Maxwell writes, (2002, p.10) “You see, success isn’t a list of goals to be checked off one after another. It’s not reaching a destination. Success is a journey. The right picture of success. So how do you get started on the success journey?” The giant mountain surrenders to the victor. Success, however, is not the quantum of achievements in life! Success is inspiration for those who value perspiration! (Hard and intelligent work) Maxwell gives a word of caution to success-seekers. He writes, “You see the danger with any book is that the person who reads it will turn the last page, put down the book, and never think about it again. I certainly hope that doesn’t happen in your case because I want the ideas that I’ve presented to radically change your life.”(p.226) Normally, a small space is adequate for you to walk—but can you walk on a narrow bridge if a river in flood flows below and the water level touches the bridge? To be successful, one must be fearless! Just study the orderliness in Nature and how accurate the movements of the celestial bodies are! The seasons change, the saplings grow the flowers blossom! Everything happens well in time. Discipline and dedication are the hallmarks of success. Withstand the adversities and build your life from the scratch. Every crisis is an opportunity. Accept the challenges of life and live through the trials and tribulations, with self-confidence. You are sure to reach the portals of success. Maxwell writes, “Whether you’re just getting started, arriving at the middle of the trip, or approaching the end of it, you can make it. You can travel the road you were designed to take, and you can finish strong.”(p.228) In the present circumstances, the children need to be given moral and spiritual training. That is the guarantee for a healthy and virtuous future generation. Turn on any TV channel, or read the pages of newspapers. You will get enough evidence for the unfortunate violence-ridden happenings and the performers are mostly the youngsters. You must earn wealth to know its utility and futility. Your wealth can contribute to the success of others provided you use of it like a philanthropist. Judicious charity is twice blessed; it blesses the giver as well as the receiver. You get inner peace and strength and enjoy success, when you help others with a sense of responsibility. Maxwell states, “Your road map for success is inseparably linked to your purpose in life.”(p.26)Mentally you know what you want to achieve. You have theoretical knowledge on the contributing factors to success, like the strong desire, will power, concentration, visualization, self-discipline and persistence. But mere knowledge of these ideas, without knowing the merit and timing of their practical application will not take you to success. Work hard and deserve the blessings of that Omniscient Power to achieve success. You get what you deserve in life! Have the will to succeed and succeed you will! Possess a strong desire to succeed. A bunch of academic or professional degrees that you add to your name may not guarantee you success. They could be your bread-winners. What comes to your mind when you think of success?--the things you do not have and the things others have!—Think! What you do is not important; how you do, what you do is important to achieve success in life. The shortcomings of the younger generation are in demanding instant results. Nature doesn’t work that way. A seed sown today will not become a sapling tomorrow and a tree day after. An individual is not free in the matter of obtaining the fruit of his actions. The timings are controlled by the Supreme Power. When you are assured that the rewards are in proportion to the intensity of your action, where is the scope for worry and anxiety? The right thing will happen for you at the right time. You will get what you deserve! There can never be a mistake in the calculations of the Supreme Power for rewards or punishments! Worry about your productivity—think not much about percentage of bonus! Another strategy for success is self-help through self-confidence! When you are in difficulty and no one is willing to help you, take it that the journey of your progress has commenced. Have the grit and heroism to convert each defeat into victory. You are the creator of your destiny, not the victim! The reality lies in permanent effort. Maxwell writes, “Attitudes determine how far you can go on the success journey.”(p.50) Work hard and apply intelligently to be successful. Be an optimist to be successful. A man of grumbling nature does not inspire anyone. Nobody will like the company of such an individual except another grumbling man. The glass, which the Pessimist thinks is half-empty, is half-full (rather fully full) according to the Optimist. It all matters the way you look at the things and react. Maxwell writes, “The past is gone and outside your control. You are responsible for now allowing it to control you.”(p.52) Understand and react to the situation correctly, to be successful. In fine, whatever is the adverse situation, do not throw up the towel. You are not defeated, unless you admit defeat! Howsoever powerful may be the waves, know for certain that their real nature is mere water! Success demands you must go where you’ve never gone before by doing what you’ve never done before. Maxwell writes, “If you want to take the success journey, you have to keep growing.”(p.98)Understand perfectly well that money is the by-product of living a successful life—not the measure! Go ahead boldly. Many of your former critics have already assembled in the galleries to applaud you! Maxwell continues with his inspired, experience-based observations: “If you want to continue on the success journey, you need to learn to fall forward. Use failure as a springboard. Unsuccessful people are often so afraid of failure.”(p.128) Just like the sun rises afresh in the morning forgetting the darkness of yesterday, one need to look at the life with optimism and hope and inaugurate each day, as if it is the new beginning. The word ‘failure’ doesn’t find recognition in the dictionary of a man craving success. It is a craving not for selfishness; it is a dynamic craving for individual well-being and for welfare of the humankind as a whole. The real measure of success is its utility for universal application. Conclusion: John. C. Maxwell’s credentials to write on the subject of success are extraordinary. His many books have sold over 13 million copies. His organizations have given training to more than 2 million success-seekers all over the world. He is an internationally known leadership expert, and a brilliant orator. He is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services. His perspectives are clear and inspiring, probably because they emerge straight from the heart of a Good Samaritan. According to him success is: knowing your purpose, growing to reach your potential, and sowing seeds to help others. The contents of this book convince the reader how one can perform better taking the framework of Maxwell as the model for success. He also removes the traces of fear in the hearts of an ardent seeker of success. He takes the concept of success from the narrow, selfish perspectives to broader, well-intentioned dimensions. One needs to be open-minded and receptive to the ideas of Maxwell, with the strong inner conviction that they will work! His perspectives are clear and inspiring, probably because they emerge straight from the heart of a noble individual. One needs to be open-minded and receptive to the ideas of Maxwell, with the strong inner conviction that they will work! This books makes you not only feel but act. Another important meritorious point about the book is, Maxwell gives importance to the common man and encourages him to tread the path of success. The normal management success-oriented success books are generally tools to increase productivity and secure more profits for the Organizations. The goal of this book is betterment of the humankind as individuals and that of the society. The author almost touches the borders of spirituality, and the principles enunciated by him have universal appeal. That is the secret of the astounding popularity of this book in particular and the Maxwell literature in general. I have gained some rare insights from this book, which I hope to implement with immediate effect. *************** References Your Road Map for Success: You Can Get There from Here [Hardcover] John C. Maxwell (Author) Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 2, 2002) Read More