--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can become the leader you ought to…" description: "\"If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on the outside. People will want to follow y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/john-c-maxwell-113_able_if-you-can-become-the-leader-you-ought-t_2057437.jpg" --- # If you can become the leader you ought to be on the… ![“If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on the outside. People will want to follow you. And when that happens, you'll be able to tackle anything in this world.” quote by John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/john-c-maxwell-113_able_if-you-can-become-the-leader-you-ought-t_2057437.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/john-c-maxwell-113_able_if-you-can-become-the-leader-you-ought-t_2057437.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/john-c-maxwell-113_able_if-you-can-become-the-leader-you-ought-t_2057437.jpg) > “If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on the outside. People will want to follow you. And when that happens, you'll be able to tackle anything in this world.” [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inner leadership shapes external behavior; authentic growth attracts followers and enables tackling challenges. **In simple terms:** Lead from inside to succeed outside. Key Takeaway Develop inner leadership first. Themes leadership authenticity growth Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team building - public speaking - career advancement Key Concepts psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities do you need to develop? - How can you model them outwardly? A Different Perspective Inner work may be uncomfortable and slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [How much has it been your experience that Americans follow what happens in the world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/how-much-has-it-been-your-experience-that-americans-follow-what/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a craft, you ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-leader/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Be a leader for once. Follow who you want to follow. Just live your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-a-leader-for-once-follow-who-you-want-to-follow-just-live-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you see a guy play hard, it's kind of like you want to follow him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cabrera/when-you-see-a-guy-play-hard-it-s-kind-of-like-you-want-to-follow-him/) [Miguel Cabrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cabrera/) > [Whether individuals or organisations, we follow those who lead not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/whether-individuals-or-organisations-we-follow-those-who-lead-not/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The docotomy that exist, and what I'm stating is that, we should look to whoever it is an individual that we want to follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/the-docotomy-that-exist-and-what-i-m-stating-is-that-we-should-look/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [If you want to follow me, and nobody ever does, I'll show you the way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eeyore/if-you-want-to-follow-me-and-nobody-ever-does-i-ll-show-you-the-way/) [Eeyore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eeyore/) > [I was on one bus with my band and crew for seven years. I didn't come to town with a karaoke tape. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/i-was-on-one-bus-with-my-band-and-crew-for-seven-years-i-didn-t-come/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-do-not-want-you-to-follow-me-or-anyone-else-if-you-are-looking-for/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [I don't want to follow in the footsteps of anybody that went before, because they didn't do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowthai/i-don-t-want-to-follow-in-the-footsteps-of-anybody-that-went-before/) [Slowthai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slowthai/) > [“Lord, I want to follow You and be a godly wife, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-stimpson/lord-i-want-to-follow-you-and-be-a-godly-wife-too/) [Michelle Stimpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-stimpson/) > [Charisma is the intangible that makes people want to follow you, to be around you, to be influenced by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-dawson/charisma-is-the-intangible-that-makes-people-want-to-follow-you-to-be/) [Roger Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-dawson/) > [I don't want you to follow me or anyone else. If you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of the capitalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-don-t-want-you-to-follow-me-or-anyone-else-if-you-are-looking-for-a/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [I want to follow my dreams but I have a feeling you won't give me the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/i-want-to-follow-my-dreams-but-i-have-a-feeling-you-won-t-give-me-the/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [Now every idiot from high school's like, 'I'm back!' We weren't supposed to meet again. Stop poking me and inviting me to your weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/now-every-idiot-from-high-school-s-like-i-m-back-we-weren-t-supposed/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) ## More by John C. Maxwell > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [You cannot have growth without change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/you-cannot-have-growth-without-change/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/change-is-inevitable-growth-is-optional/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Goals not only help you develop initial motivation by making your dreams obtainable, but they also help you continue to be motivated and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/goals-not-only-help-you-develop-initial-motivation-by-making-your/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Vision is a picture of a desired future; a picture of something that I don't possess right now, but it is something I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/vision-is-a-picture-of-a-desired-future-a-picture-of-something-that-i/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [If you want to make your mother happy, talk to her. If you want to make your father happy, listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-make-your-mother-happy-talk-to-her-if-you-want-to-make/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Experiences isn't the best teacher - evaluated experience is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/experiences-isn-t-the-best-teacher-evaluated-experience-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [A big man is one who makes us feel bigger when we are with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-big-man-is-one-who-makes-us-feel-bigger-when-we-are-with-him/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Passion gives you an advantage over others, because one person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/passion-gives-you-an-advantage-over-others-because-one-person-with/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I thought if I was open and honest, it would help the reader to get open and honest, and they also would realize sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/i-thought-if-i-was-open-and-honest-it-would-help-the-reader-to-get/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [A person who has a dream knows what he is willing to give up in order to go up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-person-who-has-a-dream-knows-what-he-is-willing-to-give-up-in-order/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [The bottom line on attitude is that a good one helps to increase your possibilities. Pessimists usually get what they expect. So do optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-bottom-line-on-attitude-is-that-a-good-one-helps-to-increase-your/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Working together precedes winning together...collaboration is multiplication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/working-together-precedes-winning-together-collaboration-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Leaders don't rise to the pinnacle of success without developing the right set of attitudes and habits; they make every day a masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-don-t-rise-to-the-pinnacle-of-success-without-developing-the/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Your leadership skills determine the level of your success, and the success of those who work around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/your-leadership-skills-determine-the-level-of-your-success-and-the/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) [Explore all 1,233 John C. Maxwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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