"Put Your Dream To The Test" by John C. Maxwell

When I received a free copy of "Put Your Dream to the Test" by John C. Maxwell I was super excited to read it and offer a review. I am always seeking good books that teach me something and I am generally pleased with John Maxwell's teachings on leadership so this book seemed to be a good fit for me. I suppose I went into it with extremely high expectations. But what I soon discovered was that this book was a difficult read for me. Being that I am a person who bores easily, I need books that capture my attention right off the bat and then are interesting enough to hold my attention throughout the book. I love a book that I am hard pressed to put down. That wasn't really the case here. Oh, don't get me wrong, there were some good points made in the book and John Maxwell does like to encourage people and help steer them in the right direction. But some of it seemed repetitious and I often found myself wanting to skim read. That's a tactic I use when I only want to grasp the valuable information. Some of John's questions may nudge you to dig deep inside and examine whether what you're dreaming is truly your own dream, and if you have the potential to actually fulfill the dream based on your level of passion and commitment. The questions are:

1. Is my dream really my dream?
2. Do I clearly see my dream?
3. Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
4. Does my dream compel me to follow it?
5. Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?
6. Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?
7. Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?
8. Am I moving closer to my dream?
9. Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?
10. Does my dream benefit others?

I once read a quote that said, "A vision minus a plan equals a dream." This statement kind of says the same thing that John Maxwell is saying throughout the book. Dreams don't just happen by osmosis. There is going to be work involved. There will be plans made, strategies, and involvement of others along the way. You can't just sit around and wait for God to do all the work for you. You will definitely need a passion that compels you to pursue the dream and a desire so strong that you are willing to pay the price to get there.