Real Stories, Real Success:
From Facing Fear to True Transformation

Hari Iyer was surprised when he was contacted by a Program Coordinator from the John Maxwell Team in 2012.  When he heard about the Team, though, he joined right away.

He thought, “I can change people’s lives. I can add value to people.”

Hari’s time with the John Maxwell Team has been truly transformational in his life.  In fact, on a recent trip back to his home country of India, his former colleagues and bosses wanted to know what happened to him!

They had seen Hari as an intelligent, introverted, shy person. Now, he is willing to talk to anyone without fear. He used to ask questions like, “How is it possible?” Now, his question is, “How can we make it possible?” Earlier, he would say, “It is impossible.” Now, Hari says, “Is there a way we can make it happen?”

Even Hari doesn’t recognize the version of himself that he was back in 2012.  In five years with the JMT, he has gone from a fearful introvert to now conducting workshops, seminars, and speaking to different audiences in different countries.

Hari’s experience as one of 150 JMT members to travel to Guatemala was the beginning of his true transformation.  Just three days before the trip, his new house was broken into and all of his family’s valuables were gone.

Immediately, fear crept in, saying Hari, don’t go to Guatemala. Your family needs you here. You cannot train people in your backyard, how can you train people in another country who don’t even speak the language you know?

A quote from Paul Martinelli kept popping into his head: “Do it afraid.”

Hari went to Guatemala despite the circumstances and had an experience unlike any he had felt in his life.

From there, Hari built his confidence and went on to speak in front of 800 people at an International Maxwell Certification event. He has become a Distinguished Toastmaster, was a part of Transformation Paraguay, and has presented numerous speeches and lunch & learns on his own.  He has enhanced his accounting business and is now an Executive Director with the John Maxwell Team.

As Hari believes, “Dreams are free, but the journey is not.”  Along the way, he has experienced fear, excuses, and doubt, but also, and more importantly, he has experienced incredible growth he never could have imagined.