Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent [Hardcover]

John C. Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2007

New York Times best-selling author Dr. John C. Maxwell has a message for you, and for today's corporate culture fixated on talent above all else: TALENT IS NEVER ENOUGH.

People everywhere are proving him right. Read the headlines, watch the highlights, or just step out your front door: Some talented people reach their full potential, while others self-destruct or remain trapped in mediocrity. What makes the difference? Maxwell, the go-to guru for business professionals across the globe, insists that the choices people make-not merely the skills they inherit-propel them onto greatness. Among other truths, successful people know that:

• Belief lifts your talent.
• Initiative activates your talent.
• Focus directs your talent.
• Preparation positions your talent.
• Practice sharpens your talent.
• Perseverance sustains your talent.
• Character protects your talent. . . . and more!!

It's what you add to your talent that makes the greatest difference. With authentic examples and time-tested wisdom, Maxwell shares thirteen attributes you need to maximize your potential and live the life of your dreams.

You can have talent alone and fall short of your potential. Or you can have talent plus, and really stand out.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Talent is "often overrated and frequently misunderstood," observes leadership expert Maxwell (The 360 Degree Leader), who advises readers on building their strengths to become a "Talent-plus person." In the first chapter, he examines how "belief lifts your talent," whether it's belief in your potential, yourself and your mission that empowers and encourages you. He then introduces a dozen other factors that can be combined with talent to achieve your goals: passion, initiative, focus, preparation, practice, perseverance, courage, teachability, character, relationships, responsibility and teamwork. Synthesizing the work of business gurus like Marcus Buckingham and Peter Drucker with inspiring anecdotes from the lives of famous athletes and coaches, Christian leaders, writers and artists, Maxwell engages the reader with his enthusiasm for his subject matter and clear insights. Well organized and focused, the book conveys how talent can be enhanced through historical and contemporary examples of "Talent-Plus" people in action—from Charles Dickens to Vince Lombardi and Tom Hanks. (Apr. 3)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 13 million books. His organizations have trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785214038
• ISBN-13: 978-0785214038
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 19 million books. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and the John Maxwell Company, organizations that have trained more than 5 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell has written three books which have each sold more than one million copies: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. You can find him at JohnMaxwell.com and follow him at Twitter.com/JohnCMaxwell.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than Potential, April 30, 2007

By 

Lhea J. Love "www.lheajlove.net" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent (Hardcover)

Talent is Never Enough.

John C. Maxwell has a wonderful book entitled, Talent is Never Enough. Maxwell outlines thirteen characteristics which must be coupled with intelligence and talent in order to reach long-term success.


Belief. Passion. Initiative. Focus. Preparation. Practice. Perserverance. Courage. Teachability. Character. Relationships. Responsibility. Teamwork.


"You see, people who neglect to make the right choices to release and maximize their talent continually underperform. Their talent allows them to stand out, but their wrong choices make them sit down. Their friends, families, coaches and bosses see their giftedness, but they wonder why they so often come up short of expectations. Their talent gives them oppotunity, but their wrong choices shut the door. Talent is a given, but you must earn success."

Ironically, there is a difference between underperformance and failure. Failure is actually a crucial part of long-term success. Underperformance is not. Maxwell mentions, "there are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don't want to make mistakes." Believe in your talent. Passionately persue your talents. Initiate your dreams. And then learn from your mistakes.

"One of the paradoxes of life is that the things that initially make you sucessful are rarely the things that keep you successful." This sentence is the premise and outline, the underlying message that sows the bound book together. Focus on your stregnths, never mistake fear for lack of preparation, practice, no rehearse each day as if it is your only opportunity.

The most important section of Talent is Never Enough, is probably the section on Teachability. Too often talent comes with egos, and egos equipt with pride. Egoism and pride are often the strongest bariers to success. If a person can humble herself to learn from every person in their life, every circumstance of their condition, and every relationship, then one will find the people, the situations and the relationships that will help them build each of the 12 other characteristics of the talented success.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life Changing book for those who have raw talent, August 5, 2007

By 

Kerry Friestad "Scott and Kerry Friestad" (Shreveport LA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent (Hardcover)

I have just finished one of the greatest books written for people with talent by John Maxwell. "Talent is never enough." I want to encourage all of you to read this book. This has been one of the best reads of my life. Here is a great quote and then a summary of the 13 areas that add to our talent.

I challenge each of you to do this exercise, it will build the team you are a part of. "For the next two weeks, make a commitment to yourself to take no credit for anything that goes right. Praise your employees, co-workers, colleagues, and family members for their contributions. Note the difference it makes in their performance and your relationship with them. I believe that once you've tired it, you will enjoy giving the credit away so much that it will become a regular part of your life."

1. Belief lifts my talent.
2. Passion energizes my talent.
3. Initiative activates my talent
4. Focus directs my talent.
5. Preparation positions my talent.
6. Practice sharpens my talent.
7. Perseverance sustains my talent.
8. Courage tests my talent.
9. Teachability expands my talent.
10. Character protects my talent.
11. Relationships influence my talent.
12. Responsibility strengthens my talent.
13. Teamwork multiplies my talent.

As a team, my hope is that we can help each other grow to new heights daily. Adopt one of these and work on them daily. For me, courage and Perseverance have been a weakness of mine, however, after reading this book I feel like these two weaknesses will turn into great strengths.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Personal MBA Must Read, May 8, 2007

By 

Daniel S. Boucher "God punishes us for the th... (Portland, ME) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent (Hardcover)

John Maxwell has been the author of many self help books, allot of which I have read. Contrary to what the title may imply, this is not a book that disses talent but rather how to make it stand out. It doesn't matter what you talent is (he states that we all a particular talent) computers, art, writing, dealing with difficult people or whatever John is very motivating in helping us to understand why our talent alone is not enough and what we can do to stand out without having to sit back down.

In this book he describes the 12 [laws] of making your talent a success. None of this is rocket science but merely common sense that we as busy people have a tendancy to forget about or simply ignore.

Reading this book along with the likes of The Secret (Rhonda Byrne) or Failing Forward: How to Make the Most of Your Mistakes (John Maxwell) has made for a significant change in my life for the better. I feel better about who I am and as John states in this book the type of person that I want to be.

Do you want to be a better person or stand out in a sea of talent? Then use this book as an aid to reaching your success.