Personal leadership always leads to growth.
Happy Monday friends, and Happy New Year!
Upon entering into a brand New Year, we think of better ways to be and to do. To celebrate this New Year, I want to encourage you in the area of your own personal leadership.
To this end, I have selected 109 quotes from among the top world leaders and sources, past and present, to give an overview of personal leadership.
Thoughts on Personal Leadership
Personal leadership is the ability to lead your life from within, guarding your thoughts and determining the direction of your destiny through conscious choices.
Personal leadership is taking responsibility for your life rather than allowing circumstances, bad attitudes or limiting beliefs to control your outcomes.
Personal leadership is the internal dedication and discipline you have to develop your ideas, goals and plans and transform them into real outcomes.
For as the Bible says, “As a man thinketh, so is he in his heart.” Proverbs 23:7
See yourself as extraordinarily successful. Envision yourself as financially free.
Personal leadership is the full use of your God-given gifts to the very best of your ability. [Tweet this!]
When this is your doctrine or dogma, how can you possibly fail?
“With God all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26)
Personal leadership requires transparency.
I say:
“A day well spent is one in which you have invested in others by giving of yourself. Be love to others.“
Yes, you can achieve! To encourage you, here are…
109 Personal Leadership Quotes To Inspire You
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.” ~ Louisa May Alcott. Personal leadership means being committed to lifelong learning.
“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control.” ~ James Allen
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
“Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.” ~ Richard Bach
“I rejected the notion that my race or sex would bar my success in life.” ~ Constance Baker Motley
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” ~ Dr. Warren G. Bennis. What do you need to do to achieve positive outcomes? Personal leadership!
“Without a vision, the people perish.” ~ The Bible, Proverbs 29:18. Personal leadership involves maintaining focus on the big picture of what you need to accomplish and how you plan to get there.
“Take a minute: look at your goals, look at your performance, see if your behavior matches your goals.” ~ Kenneth H. Blanchard
“A leader is a dealer in hope.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
“Like all virtues or practices that support self-esteem, self-discipline is a survival virtue; meaning that for human beings it is a requirement of the successful life process.” ~ Nathaniel Branden. I know that self-discipline is the key to personal leadership.
“The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.” ~ James Buchanan
“Always work hard. Intensity clarifies. It creates not only momentum, but also the pressure you need to feel either friction, or fulfillment.” ~ Marcus Buckingham
“Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.” ~ Bob Burg. Personal leadership means being a go-giver.
“One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: to rise above the little things.” ~ John Burroughs
“You only have control over three things in your life — the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take (your behavior). How you use these three things determines everything you experience. If you don’t like what you are producing and experiencing, you have to change your responses.” ~ Jack Canfield
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ~ Dale Carnegie
“When you make decisions based on your heart’s desires, and not on society’s prescriptions, you open the floodgates to a source of energy, commitment, and inspiration. If you want to discover your passion, move beyond the paralysis that grips you and prevents you from heeding your heart.” ~ Richard Chang
“Reframe problems as challenges and opportunities.” ~ Deepak Chopra
“Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.” ~ Robert Collier. Personal leadership begins with believing in yourself. Believe in yourself, and you’ll be able to help others believe in themselves too.
“Good is the enemy of great.” ~ Jim Collins
“Persistence and determination along are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
“The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose.” ~ William Cooper
“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” ~ Stephen R. Covey
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” ~ Marie Curie
“I dare you to develop a magnetic personality!” ~ William H. Danforth
“We need to find the courage to say no to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity.” ~ Barbara de Angelis
“One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation and compassion.” ~ Simone de Beauvoir
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” ~ Max Depree
“Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.” ~ Richard M. DeVos. This is one aspect of personal leadership that is truly powerful because affirming and appreciating others brings so much good.
“We never know how high we are… till we are called to rise; and then, if we are true to plan, our statures touch the skies.” ~ Emily Dickinson
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” ~ Peter Drucker
“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one’s appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.” ~ Amelia Earhart
“The supreme quality of leadership is integrity.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. Personal leadership extracts potential and polishes it.
“Pursue the good ardently. But if your efforts fall short, accept the result and move on.” ~ Epictetus
“Truly great leaders in life become so because they cause others to be greater than themselves.” ~ Steve Farber
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” ~ Ella Fitzgerald
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ~ Viktor Frankl. Choosing your attitude is one of the greatest responsibilities of personal leadership.
“You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.” ~ Indira Gandhi
“Patience is a key element of success.” ~ Bill Gates. This is also why PATIENCE is instrumental in personal leadership.
“How you come across to others is too important to be left to chance.” ~ Phil Geldart
“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” ~ Harold S. Geneen
“No man ever became great or good except through many and great mistakes.” ~ William Gladstone
“One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” ~ Arnold H. Glasgow
“The art of leadership is understanding what you can’t compromise on.” ~ Seth Godin
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Mojo is that positive spirit toward what we are doing now, that starts from the inside and radiates to the outside.” ~ Marshall Goldsmith
“There are many qualities that make a great leader. But having strong beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader.” ~ Rudy Giuliani
“I define leadership as having three parts: first is seeing what needs to be done to make things better or seeing a problem that needs fixing; second is having the vision, the skill, and the wherewithal to change the system; and third is the most important task of mobilizing the energy of others to organize and act in ways to achieve that vision.” ~ Susan J. Herman
“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” ~ Napoleon Hill
“There is no failure except in no longer trying.” ~ Elbert Hubbard [Tweet this!]
“Management is nothing more than motivating other people.” ~ Lee Iacocca
“You can work at something for twenty years and come away with twenty years worth of valuable experience, or you come away one year’s experience twenty times.” ~ Gwen Jackson
“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” ~ Mae C. Jemison
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” ~ Steve Jobs
“It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.” ~ Jackie Joyner-Kersee
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” ~ John F. Kennedy
“I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.” ~ Billie Jean King
“I’m fulfilled in what I do. I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes — the finer things of life — would make you happy. My concept of happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense.” ~ Coretta Scott King
“Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
“To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world — that I am able to change it in positive ways.” ~ Maxine Hong Kingston
“Great leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better.” ~ John Kotter
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” ~ Karen Lamb. Personal leadership adopts a “Do it now” attitude.
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” ~ Abraham Lincoln.
“The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.” ~ Walter Lippmann
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” ~ Douglas MacArthur
“When there is danger, a good leader takes the front line; but when there is celebration, a good leader stays in the back of the room.” ~ Nelson Mandela
“Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” ~ Og Mandino
“Popularity is not leadership.” ~ Richard Marcinko
“People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” ~ John C. Maxwell
“The world is starving for original and decisive leadership.” ~ Bryant McGill
“You cannot depend on others for your sense of self-worth. It must come from within you.” ~ Alan Loy McGinnis
“Humility is the surest sign of strength.” ~ Thomas Merton
“The best way to inspire others is to challenge yourself to become a better leader and succeed.” ~ Mike Myatt
“In seeking what is essential, we become essential.” ~ Mark Nepo
“Leaders understand the ultimate power of relationships.” ~ Tom Peters. Personal leadership involves improving social skills.
“Every time you acquire a new interest, even more, a new accomplishment, you increase your power of life.” ~ William Lyon Phelps
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” ~ Princess Diana of Wales
“It takes a couple of years just to get the background and knowledge that you need before you can go into detailed training for your mission.” ~ Sally Ride
“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” ~ Anthony Robbins
“You have to look at leadership through the eyes of the followers and you have to live the message. What I have learned is that people become motivated when you guide them to the source of their own power and when you make heroes out of employees who personify what you want to see in the organization.” ~ Anita Roddick
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” ~ Jim Rohn
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt. Personal leadership often means moving beyond the unknown.
“Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.” ~ Helena Rubenstein. Personal leadership means working both hard and smart.
“Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be exceptional.” ~ Mark Sanborn
“Give spiritual strength to people, and they will give genuine affection to you.” ~ David Schwartz
“If you really want to be world class — to be the best you can be — it comes down to preparation and practice.” ~ Robin Sharma. Personal leadership means leading from within.
“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” ~ Beverly Sills
“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” ~ Gloria Steinem
“No matter how carefully you plan your goals they will never be more than pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto.” ~ W. Clement Stone. Personal leadership means having a definite purpose.
“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.” ~ Ben Sweetland
“You can’t cross a sea by merely staring into the water.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore
“Who is a wise man? He who learns of all men.” ~ The Talmud
“If you have a sense of purpose and a sense of direction, I believe people will follow you. Democracy isn’t just about deducing what the people want. Democracy is leading the people as well.” ~ Margaret Thatcher
“The first duty of love is to listen.” ~ Paul Tillich
“If truth makes our life easier, then it is better to accept the truth than to hide from it. Our life can be changed, but the truth cannot be changed: it will always remain the truth, and it will expose us.” ~ Leo Tolstoy. You’re in a great place in your life when you have nothing to hide. Truth sets you free from the fear of exposure.
“True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.” ~ Robert Townsend
“Resolve in advance to persist until you succeed no matter what the difficulty.” ~ Brian Tracy. Personal leadership means having a high level of determination.
“Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning..” ~ Denis Waitley
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” ~ Alice Walker
“Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna — or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.” ~ Barbara Walters
“Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.” ~ J. Donald Walters
“Change before you have to.” ~ Jack Welch
“We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.” ~ John Wesley
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
“Nobody is defeated until he starts blaming somebody else. My advice to you is don’t fix the blame. Fix the problem.” ~ John Wooden
“…the past only had whatever power you gave it; life was what you made it and if you wanted something different from what you had, it was up to you to make it happen.” ~ Sara Zarr
“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.” ~ Zig Ziglar
One of the difficulties I had was limiting each of these personal leadership experts to just one quotation.
I encourage you, if you’ve not heard of some of these fine people to Google their name and learn all you can about:
1) what is important to them and
2) how they became successful.
I also encourage you to bookmark this page and refer to this list often. 
May 2014 be your best and brightest year yet!
Over to YOU now… have your say…
What does personal leadership mean to you?
What areas of personal leadership are you improving?
Which of these quotes speaks to you the most, and why?
I want to know your thoughts. Please share them here.
Thank you kindly!
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