LEADERSHIP GOLD: CHAPTER 12
Your Biggest Mistake Is Not Asking What Mistake You’re Making
Your Biggest Mistake Is Not Asking What Mistake You’re Making
Inspired by John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Gold – Chapter 12
By Bill Storm
We don’t like to talk about mistakes. In fact, many of us spend our careers trying to avoid them, hide them, or explain them away. But John Maxwell flips the script in Chapter 12 of Leadership Gold. He says that our biggest mistake isn’t making mistakes—it’s failing to ask what mistakes we are making.
That small shift changes everything. Mistakes aren’t the enemy. They’re a mirror. They show us what to improve, where to grow, and how to lead more effectively. But if we never stop to ask the question, we miss the lesson.
For mid-career professionals who feel stuck in corporate life, this principle is especially powerful. Burnout often comes not from one catastrophic decision but from years of smaller, unexamined mistakes—like ignoring your health, silencing your creativity, or staying in a role that drains you. By asking the hard questions now, you can change direction before the costs pile up.
Why Leaders Struggle with Mistakes
Maxwell reminds us that leaders often resist confronting mistakes because of pride, fear, or image management. The higher you climb, the harder it feels to admit you’re wrong. But here’s the paradox: the leaders who earn the most trust are the ones willing to own their failures.
The same is true for professionals in transition. When you admit that corporate life no longer fits you, it might feel like failure—but in reality, it’s the first courageous step toward freedom. Denial only keeps you stuck.
Asking, “What mistake am I making?” is humbling, but it’s also liberating. It reframes mistakes from threats into teachers.
From Corporate Burnout to Entrepreneurial Courage
I’ve had countless conversations with professionals who tell me:
When I left the safety of the corporate structure to build my coaching business, it wasn’t because I had all the answers. It was because I finally dared to ask better questions:
Lessons from Maxwell for Mid-Career Professionals
Here are three takeaways from Chapter 12 that you can apply whether you’re leading a team or leading yourself through a career change:
1. Make mistakes your feedback system.
Instead of avoiding mistakes, embrace them as signals. Ask regularly: What can this teach me?
2. Invite others to point out your blind spots.
Maxwell emphasizes that self-awareness comes not only from self-reflection but also from honest feedback. Find mentors, peers, or coaches who will tell you the truth.
3. Redefine success as growth, not perfection.
When you’re stepping out of corporate into entrepreneurship, you’ll stumble. Expect it. What matters is not flawless execution but consistent growth.
Action Steps for Mid-Career Professionals
If you’re burned out in corporate and dreaming of starting your own business, here’s how to apply Maxwell’s principle today:
Step 1: Conduct a mistake audit.
Grab a notebook and ask: What mistakes am I making right now in my career, relationships, or habits? Don’t judge—just list them. Awareness is the first win.
Step 2: Seek outside perspective.
Ask a trusted friend, mentor, or coach: What mistakes do you see me making? This takes courage but provides insight you can’t get on your own.
Step 3: Reframe failure.
Write down a past “failure” that actually taught you something valuable. Remind yourself that mistakes are the raw material of growth.
Step 4: Apply one change.
Pick one mistake you’ve identified and take a concrete step to correct it. Momentum builds when you turn insight into action.
Bringing It All Together
Maxwell’s lesson is simple but profound: your biggest mistake is not asking what mistake you’re making. Whether you’re leading a team, running a business, or simply navigating your own career, the question keeps you humble, teachable, and focused on growth.
If you’re a mid-career professional who feels stuck, this might be the most important question you can ask yourself today. Maybe the mistake isn’t that you’re tired or unmotivated. Maybe the mistake is staying in a role that no longer aligns with your gifts.
Remember: leadership begins with self-leadership. The courage to face your mistakes may be the very thing that opens the door to your next chapter—a business that energizes you, fulfills you, and allows you to lead others by example.
Bill Storm
PS. Many professionals I speak with feel uncertain about the future, especially with AI reshaping industries at lightning speed.
That’s why I created the Finding Your True Gift workbook, inspired by my work with Tony Robbins.
One of the exercises in the workbook helps you identify which of the 3 types you are — Artist, Leader, or Entrepreneur. Once you know that, you can finally see why some roles drain you and others energize you.
📩 If you’d like a copy, send me a DM or connect with me here, and I’ll send it your way.
Inspired by John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Gold – Chapter 12
By Bill Storm
We don’t like to talk about mistakes. In fact, many of us spend our careers trying to avoid them, hide them, or explain them away. But John Maxwell flips the script in Chapter 12 of Leadership Gold. He says that our biggest mistake isn’t making mistakes—it’s failing to ask what mistakes we are making.
That small shift changes everything. Mistakes aren’t the enemy. They’re a mirror. They show us what to improve, where to grow, and how to lead more effectively. But if we never stop to ask the question, we miss the lesson.
For mid-career professionals who feel stuck in corporate life, this principle is especially powerful. Burnout often comes not from one catastrophic decision but from years of smaller, unexamined mistakes—like ignoring your health, silencing your creativity, or staying in a role that drains you. By asking the hard questions now, you can change direction before the costs pile up.
Why Leaders Struggle with Mistakes
Maxwell reminds us that leaders often resist confronting mistakes because of pride, fear, or image management. The higher you climb, the harder it feels to admit you’re wrong. But here’s the paradox: the leaders who earn the most trust are the ones willing to own their failures.
The same is true for professionals in transition. When you admit that corporate life no longer fits you, it might feel like failure—but in reality, it’s the first courageous step toward freedom. Denial only keeps you stuck.
Asking, “What mistake am I making?” is humbling, but it’s also liberating. It reframes mistakes from threats into teachers.
From Corporate Burnout to Entrepreneurial Courage
I’ve had countless conversations with professionals who tell me:
- “I climbed the ladder. Is this all there is?”
- “I thought this job would give me security, but I feel trapped.”
- “I wanted fulfillment, but I ended up with exhaustion.”
When I left the safety of the corporate structure to build my coaching business, it wasn’t because I had all the answers. It was because I finally dared to ask better questions:
- Where am I making mistakes in how I use my gifts?
- What roles or environments are keeping me from thriving?
- What would happen if I stopped ignoring the signs and started trusting my calling?
Lessons from Maxwell for Mid-Career Professionals
Here are three takeaways from Chapter 12 that you can apply whether you’re leading a team or leading yourself through a career change:
1. Make mistakes your feedback system.
Instead of avoiding mistakes, embrace them as signals. Ask regularly: What can this teach me?
2. Invite others to point out your blind spots.
Maxwell emphasizes that self-awareness comes not only from self-reflection but also from honest feedback. Find mentors, peers, or coaches who will tell you the truth.
3. Redefine success as growth, not perfection.
When you’re stepping out of corporate into entrepreneurship, you’ll stumble. Expect it. What matters is not flawless execution but consistent growth.
Action Steps for Mid-Career Professionals
If you’re burned out in corporate and dreaming of starting your own business, here’s how to apply Maxwell’s principle today:
Step 1: Conduct a mistake audit.
Grab a notebook and ask: What mistakes am I making right now in my career, relationships, or habits? Don’t judge—just list them. Awareness is the first win.
Step 2: Seek outside perspective.
Ask a trusted friend, mentor, or coach: What mistakes do you see me making? This takes courage but provides insight you can’t get on your own.
Step 3: Reframe failure.
Write down a past “failure” that actually taught you something valuable. Remind yourself that mistakes are the raw material of growth.
Step 4: Apply one change.
Pick one mistake you’ve identified and take a concrete step to correct it. Momentum builds when you turn insight into action.
Bringing It All Together
Maxwell’s lesson is simple but profound: your biggest mistake is not asking what mistake you’re making. Whether you’re leading a team, running a business, or simply navigating your own career, the question keeps you humble, teachable, and focused on growth.
If you’re a mid-career professional who feels stuck, this might be the most important question you can ask yourself today. Maybe the mistake isn’t that you’re tired or unmotivated. Maybe the mistake is staying in a role that no longer aligns with your gifts.
Remember: leadership begins with self-leadership. The courage to face your mistakes may be the very thing that opens the door to your next chapter—a business that energizes you, fulfills you, and allows you to lead others by example.
Bill Storm
PS. Many professionals I speak with feel uncertain about the future, especially with AI reshaping industries at lightning speed.
That’s why I created the Finding Your True Gift workbook, inspired by my work with Tony Robbins.
One of the exercises in the workbook helps you identify which of the 3 types you are — Artist, Leader, or Entrepreneur. Once you know that, you can finally see why some roles drain you and others energize you.
📩 If you’d like a copy, send me a DM or connect with me here, and I’ll send it your way.
🙏Bonus: Chapter 12 Biblical Alignment Check
John Maxwell reminds us that leaders must be willing to confront their mistakes and learn from them. This principle aligns strongly with Scripture, which teaches humility, self-examination, and correction.
Where It Differs
Maxwell’s focus is primarily on professional leadership and effectiveness. Scripture takes it deeper: it’s not only about recognizing mistakes for growth, but also about confessing them before God and others for true transformation.
Leadership growth is valuable—but eternal growth comes from aligning with God’s truth and relying on His grace to overcome our flaws.
John Maxwell reminds us that leaders must be willing to confront their mistakes and learn from them. This principle aligns strongly with Scripture, which teaches humility, self-examination, and correction.
- Proverbs 12:1 – “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”
👉 The Bible affirms that wisdom comes from accepting correction, not avoiding it. - Proverbs 27:6 – “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”
👉 Honest feedback from trusted friends or mentors is a gift, even when it stings. - 1 John 1:8–9 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
👉 Denial of mistakes leads to self-deception. Confession and humility open the door to forgiveness and growth.
Where It Differs
Maxwell’s focus is primarily on professional leadership and effectiveness. Scripture takes it deeper: it’s not only about recognizing mistakes for growth, but also about confessing them before God and others for true transformation.
Leadership growth is valuable—but eternal growth comes from aligning with God’s truth and relying on His grace to overcome our flaws.
Show Notes and Worksheets
| chapter_12_worksheet.pdf |
✅ Biblical Alignment Check
| chapter_12_biblical_alignment_check.pdf |