Product Description

Good thinking. It's the one thing all successful people have in common. People who achieve their dreams understand the critical relationship between their level of thinking and their level of progress-and they know that when thinking is limited, so is potential. Now, John C. Maxwell explores this idea and identifies the specific skills people need to make their potential for success explode into results. From focused and creative thinking to thinking of the big picture or the bottom line, he provides examples of effective thinking for every situation. This book doesn't tell readers what to think, it teaches them how to think. After all, success is as simple as changing your mind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50528 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Basing his latest book on the theory that "successful people think differently than unsuccessful people," Maxwell (author of bestselling The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and Running with the Giants) guides readers on the journey of mastering "good thinking" to achieve their personal and professional potential. Maintaining an encouraging tone and a down-to-earth writing style honed from his more than 30 previous titles, Maxwell details the impact and practical value of 11 kinds of thinking, including reflective, shared, creative, unselfish and big-picture. Useful tips, like how to discover your gifts through focused thinking, ways to break down complex issues with strategic thinking, and how to understand the value of examining the worst-case scenario through realistic thinking, characterize the author's surprisingly concrete lessons. The step-by-step format is bolstered by inspirational quotes, personal insights and high-profile anecdotal evidence about the likes of Priscilla Presley, George Lucas and George Washington Carver. Ending each chapter, emphasizing the discipline needed to think your way to the top, are exercises designed to evaluate and increase your personal progress in each area.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
With its marvelous title, this audio is an excellent lesson on how we can receive more and give more in life by managing the way we think. Taking time for reflection, focusing energy on what's important, breaking away from the thinking habits of our culture or social group--all these techniques can be added to our mental routine to improve the internal foundation that a well-lived life requires. John C. Maxwell is an experienced pastor and personal growth writer whose words and voice are as magnetic as they are relaxing and soothing. He makes the hard work of self-analysis and goal-setting sound easy. For lifelong learners of all ages and levels of spirituality, this program is a wonderful companion to enjoy again and again. T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
John C. Maxwell lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, well written book on how to improve one's thinking.
Should be required reading for all college freshman. From its examples to its suggestions on how to improve one's thinking, it is well thought out and full of insight. If you ever want to seperate yourself from the herd, then read this book and put into practice its recommendations.

Is your thinking holding you back?
In Thinking for a Change, Mr. John Maxwell explores how the way we approach thinking affects our lives. The book is broken out into two main parts. Part I is titled, "Change Your Thinking and Change Your Life". Part II is titled, "Eleven Thinking Skills Every Successful Person Needs. In this part he discusses several different types of thinking which are listed below and how to become more proficient at each...

* Big Picture Thinking
* Focused Thinking
* Creative Thinking
* Realistic Thinking
* Strategic Thinking
* Possibility Thinking
* Reflective Thinking
* Popular Thinking
* Shared Thinking
* Unselfish Thinking
* Bottom Line Thinking

I believe this is one of those books that the best way to truly unlock it's value is to read it through once and then go back to individual chapters and read and contemplate the ideas of that particular chapter over a week or two period. With this approach you get an overview of what Mr. Maxwell is trying to get at and then you dive deeper into the details and find applications to your life. At this point I have only read it once through. I believe with further contemplation this could be a five star book.

Below are a few interesting tidbits I took away after my initial run through Thinking for a Change...

* The Right Thought plus the Right People in the Right Environment at the Right Time for the Right Reason = The Right Result (pg. 43)

* When team members come to me with a problem, I insist that they that they also supply three possible ways to solve it. Anyone can point out a problem; only people who think well can present possible solutions. (pg. 101)

* Solid strategic thinkers always know that unless people are working to correct or bolster an area that needs discipline, they should always spend most of their time working in and developing their areas of strength. (pg. 148)

Solid ideas, many short stories
John C. Maxwell and his team have gathered 11 excellent ways to categorize thinking styles, as well as some introductory chapters on related topics, such as the need to approach life with a positive attitude instead of negative. The approach is typical for self-help books. Tell a story about how someone resolved an issue or experienced a breakthrough using the right kind of thinking, just as you, too, can do if you open your mind and really try.

The stories range from trivial to very effective, and they work best if your own personal learning style works from anecdotes better than mine does. In this book, treat the stories more as examples that as instructions. Maxwell makes one good point after another. What you won't get is a lot of advice on how you can take concrete steps to shore up weaknesses. The basic premise is that the exercises and suggested time for contemplation will help the reader to have better self-awareness and acknowledge the benefits of corrective action. I didn't really feel like doing the exercises, so no doubt I undermined the material's effectiveness.

Mr. Maxwell goes easy on the religious references, which suits his wide target audience. The ones he uses are always low key and reasonable, so a non-religious reader should not be bothered at all.

Again, his list of 11 types of thinking is spot-on. Anyone who aspires to leadership must demonstrate most of them, and many of them relate even to young, junior people. As Mr. Maxwell says, it's never to early to raise your game.