Review: Put Your Dream to the Test

10 Questions to Help You See It and Seize It

Dreams are not strictly nocturnal. They invade our waking moments, too, sneaking into our mind’s eye to paint tantalizing pictures of who we desire to be and what we desire to do. Are our dreams legitimately worth pursuing? Do we have what it takes to bring them into being? John C. Maxwell answers these questions and more in his newest title, Put Your Dream to the Test.

In a meaty introduction, Maxwell differentiates worthwhile dreams from passing whims or fanciful hopes. After defining his concept of a valid dream, he moves into the book’s main content: ten “test questions” to help readers determine the likelihood of their dreams becoming reality. Among other things, the questions prompt readers to consider the clarity of their dreams, a strategy for achieving them, and the sacrifices that must be made to realize their aspirations.
Put Your Dream to the Test is equal parts sobering and inspiring. On the one hand, readers may face the stark realization that, unless they make serious changes, their dreams will never happen. On the other hand, Maxwell brings encouraging clarity to the somewhat vague process of chasing a dream. His “dream test” may expose a deficiency of commitment or focus on the part of the reader, yet his writing simultaneously hands out hope by offering a roadmap for getting back on track in pursuit of a dream.

Throughout Put Your Dream to the Test, Maxwell seamlessly assembles anecdotes and quotations to illustrate his thoughts. As a result, the book flows smoothly, and its main concepts can be absorbed quickly. Since Maxwell’s ideas about dreams derive from a wealth of personal experience, they present themselves effortlessly and are easily accessible to readers. Slightly over 200 pages, the book never feels prosaic, and its pages turn quickly.

Dreams do come true, but not by accident. In Put Your Dream to the Test, John C. Maxwell challenges readers to think about the output of effort that goes into fulfilling a dream. Through ten incisive questions, he leads readers into an honest self-assessment of their progress toward a dream. Written with trademark lucidity, Put Your Dream to the Test is an immensely valuable contribution to the field of leadership and seems primed to make a run at bestseller lists.