How High Will You Climb?

How High Will You Climb? by John Maxwell is all about attitude. The right attitude can make the difference between a successful leader and someone who is stuck in neutral. The book begins by talking about what attitude is. Maxwell defines attitude as "an inward feeling expressed by behavior." (10) The idea is that we can express our attitudes even without speaking. When we let our inner feelings take control of us, we will demonstrate them by our expressions and mannerisms, not just our actions. He reminds us the heart is the most important part of our attitude, because how we feel and think will lead to how we act. He also discusses the importance of an obedient attitude, particularly in our spiritual growth. Sometimes our circumstances and our emotions do not seem to put us in the right place to have a positive attitude, but we can overcome those by being obedient despite them. Maxwell insists our attitudes can be controlled, and our attitudes affect many things: our approach to life, what we expect from life, our relationships with other people, whether we find success or failure, the outcome of a task, and even whether our problems become blessings or not. The second part of the book discusses ways to construct a positive attitude, all of which have a biblical basis. When we are young, our environment plays a large role in the development of our attitude. As we get older, we begin to have more control over what we allow in our environment, and therefore, have more control over our own attitudes. He encourages us to see ourselves as loved children of God, because we can never perform in a way we cannot see ourselves. Our self image is extremely important in developing our attitude. We cannot let fear or the opinions of others damage our self esteem or cause us to shrink back. We need to find ways to squash negativity when it enters our lives. We can prepare a plan ahead of time to be ready for attacks to our attitude. Overall, this book has a lot of practical pointers, and it includes a study guide, as well as questions and scripture to help guide readers. It is easy to understand and well organized, so the reader can return to sections of the book for inspiration as needed. The questions help the reader apply the principles Maxwell discusses throughout the book. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”