MAXWELL LEADERSHIP PODCAST
Episode: How to Reach Your Dreams
Host: John Maxwell (with Mark Cole & Chris Robinson)
Date: January 1, 2025

Overview

Kicking off the new year, John Maxwell shares practical wisdom on how leaders—and anyone—can take actionable steps toward achieving their dreams. Drawing from his book Put Your Dreams to the Test, John details ten pivotal questions that help validate and strengthen the pursuit of your dreams. Host Mark Cole and co-host Chris Robinson follow John’s lesson with practical applications and grounded reflections, making this episode a powerful blueprint for turning aspirations into reality in 2025.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Dreams and the Challenge of Achieving Them

• John Maxwell stresses that everyone has a dream, but not everyone realizes it (02:03).
• A pivotal insight: "The more reasons that you have to achieve a dream, the higher the odds are that you will." (03:30)

2. The Ten Questions to Put Your Dream to the Test

• John presents 10 questions to help listeners assess and activate their dreams:

  1. The Ownership Question: Is my dream really my dream? (04:36)
     • If you don't own your dream, you won’t stay with it—like renting a car you don’t bother to wash.
     • Quote: “When you own your dream, it’s a whole different level of commitment than if you’re just renting someone else’s dream.” – John Maxwell (05:20)
  2. The Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my dream?
     • If your vision is fuzzy, your commitment will be too.
     • Quote: “Nobody ever committed themselves to something they didn’t see.” – John Maxwell (06:00)
  3. The Reality Question: Am I in control of reaching my dream?
     • The more factors that are within your control, the higher your chance of success.
  4. The Passion Question: Does my dream compel me to follow it? (07:23)
  5. The Pathway Question: Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?
     • Progress is made one step at a time; you need a concrete strategy.
  6. The People Question: Do I have a team around me that can help?
  7. The Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price?
     • Quote: "The dream is free, but the journey's not." – John Maxwell (09:00)
  8. The Tenacity Question: Am I moving closer to my dream?
  9. The Fulfillment Question: Does my dream bring me satisfaction?
  10. The Significance Question: Does my dream benefit others?

• The more “yes” answers you can give, the more likely you are to achieve your dream. (09:46)

3. Reflection and Application: New Year, New Energy

• Mark Cole ties the start of a new year to a natural surge in hope and motivation, but cautions that sustaining dreams requires more than just a New Year’s resolution—it requires thoughtful self-examination and a strategic plan. (11:09)
  • Quote: “What will sustain you over the next one month, five months, 12 months, 10 years? … A dream that is tested, that is tried…” – Mark Cole (12:43)
• Chris Robinson encourages listeners to get John’s book and truly think about the source of their dreams, not just mimic others' aspirations seen online. (13:36)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

On Ownership (14:28)

Mark Cole:
"Ownership has very little to do with the first of the year, has everything to do with a mindset that will last you throughout the year."

• Mark reflects on moving from merely executing John’s dream to internalizing and advancing it as his own, emphasizing that ownership is less about formal authority and more about embracing the vision.

Chris Robinson:
“We are fortunate… but what would you say to the person… who hates their job, hates their boss, doesn't want to buy into that vision, and they're really seeking their own?” (18:16)

Mark Cole (response):
"I had to respond to bad leadership before I could attempt to show good leadership from me. Even in the difficult moments, you can connect it with your purpose if you will allow it.” (19:40)

On Strategic Planning/Pathway (20:59)

Mark Cole:
"The single greatest thing that I have done to realize the pathway to my dream is put a strategic plan around the growth I want to accomplish and the life I want to live."

• He breaks the strategy down simply: be intentional about the people you spend time with, the content you engage, and the experiences you pursue.

Chris Robinson:
“Mindlessly scrolling is a pandemic right now… Why don't we give it right back to them and tell them what we want to do?” (23:50)

• Illustrates the need to control input and be proactive, not reactive, with content and education.

On Paying the Price/Cost (25:18)

Mark Cole:
“The price is easy to pay on the front end. The price is harder to pay during the mundane, and it is incredibly difficult to pay again.”

• He acknowledges that the real test comes when, after repeated effort, you still haven’t seen results, but choose to invest again.

On Fulfillment & Significance (28:23)

• Mark pairs these questions together:
  • "Success is what happens to us, significance is what happens through us."
  • True dreams should bring both fulfillment for yourself and significance for others.

Key Timestamps

• 02:03 — John Maxwell introduces the topic: Why do people with dreams often not achieve them?
• 04:36 — The 10 questions to test your dream begin.
• 07:23 — John explains the passion, pathway, people, cost, tenacity, fulfillment, and significance questions.
• 11:09 — Mark Cole and Chris Robinson begin real-life application and reflection on dreams and goal-setting.
• 14:28 — Mark Cole discusses the difference between legal ownership and real, emotional ownership of a vision.
• 18:16 — The dichotomy of pursuing a dream when working in a “misaligned” environment.
• 20:59 — The importance of a pathway/strategy and simple growth plans.
• 23:50 — The danger of “mindless scrolling” and the importance of intentional content selection.
• 25:18 — Discussion on the cost of pursuing a dream, and the necessity of continual investment.
• 28:23 — Tying fulfillment and significance together as inseparable for a worthy dream.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

• Dreams are common, achieving them is rare—rigorously examine your dreams with John’s ten questions for clarity and resilience.
• True ownership goes beyond formal roles; it’s about internalizing and advancing the vision.
• Progress toward dreams is strategic and incremental—who you surround yourself with, what you learn, and your planned experiences matter greatly.
• The journey will repeatedly demand you pay the price—especially when motivation fades.
• Genuine dreams deliver not just personal fulfillment, but also create significance for others.

Memorable quote to launch your year:

“The more yeses you have behind those 10 questions, the higher the odds are that you’ll achieve that dream. And that’s what I want for you... I want you to reach your dream.” – John Maxwell (09:46)

Resources Mentioned:

• John Maxwell, Put Your Dreams to the Test
• Every Day with Purpose (online course)
• maxwellpodcast.com/reachyourdreams for free bonus resource

For more practical leadership and growth lessons, subscribe and revisit this episode whenever your motivation for reaching your dreams needs a boost!