Book Review: Today Matters by John C. Maxwell

2018-09-24T11:29:15+00:00

By Publisher

In Today Matters (also published as Make Today Count), John Maxwell offers a practical and inspiring guide on how to maximise each day. The book is woven around the principle that success is not achieved by one-day flight but by a daily commitment to the habits and disciplines of success. The author observes that most people approach their day the wrong way – exaggerating yesterday, overestimating tomorrow and underestimating today. He counsels that rather than worry about the past or get anxious about the future, we can live a successful life by maximising “today.”Laced with real life examples and illustrations, the book explores twelve areas in which one must make certain decisions and imbibe the discipline to follow through on those decisions in order to reap the rewards which culminate in success. He calls these twelve disciplines “the daily dozen” and points out why each is an integral part of living a successful life. He emphasises the fact that to achieve the success we desire in the future, it is vital that we do something today – that is, every day.Here are the twelve decisions that make up the message at the core of Today Matters:1. Attitude: I will choose and display the right attitudes daily.2. Priorities: I will determine and act on important priorities daily.3. Health: I will know and follow healthy guidelines daily.4. Family: I will communicate with and care for my family daily.

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5. Thinking: I will practise and develop good thinking daily.6. Commitment: I will make and keep proper commitments daily.7. Finances: I will make and properly manage money daily.8. Faith: I will deepen and live out my faith daily.9. Relationships: I will initiate and invest in solid relationships daily.10. Generosity: I will plan for and model generosity daily.11. Values: I will embrace and practise good values daily.12. Growth: I will seek and experience improvements daily.Maxwell posits that if you settle these twelve issues by making the right decision in each area and working to manage those decisions daily, you can be successful. He concludes that by making today great, you can make your life great, because when you take care of today, tomorrow will take care of itself. I personally enjoyed reading the book and I’m working to adapt its message into my daily life.