Last Updated on June 24, 2025 by Dave Schoenbeck
John Maxwell writes in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, “A leader must give up to go up.” He’s talking about the Law of Sacrifice, a law that every leader will face sooner rather than later.
People who become leaders solely because they desire power or wealth often lead their companies down perilous paths, marked by scandal, high employee turnover, and corruption. The only way to sustain success at your organization is if you, as the leader, are willing to make personal sacrifices for the company’s good.
The Law of Sacrifice = The Heart of Leadership
As you rise in leadership, your responsibilities increase as your rights decrease. Think about it: can you expect your employees to work long hours, give up their vacation time, or stay focused around the holidays if you, as their leader, aren’t willing to do those things?
It’s your job as their leader to embody the qualities you want to see; among them is dedication. There’s no more significant way to show your commitment to the company than through the Law of Sacrifice. Maxwell writes about four critical aspects of the Law of Sacrifice:
- There is only success with sacrifice. If you think about life’s outstanding achievements—graduation, marriage, career—each comes with an equally enormous amount of sacrifice. Even the most successful individuals, such as athletes or celebrities, must dedicate long hours and forgo the luxury of a typical lifestyle to achieve their current status.
- Leaders are often asked to give up more than others. Maxwell writes, “The heart of leadership is putting others ahead of yourself.” When you have no responsibilities, you can do whatever you want. However, the higher you climb the leadership ladder, the more responsibilities you acquire and the more sacrifices you must make.
- It would be best if you kept giving up to stay up. Short-term sacrifices are easy to justify. People are willing to put in long hours if it means they’ll get a quick promotion. However, to continue moving up the ladder, you must continue to make sacrifices. Maxwell says, “Leadership success requires continual change, constant improvement, and ongoing sacrifice.”
- The higher the level of leadership, the higher the sacrifice. Regardless of your industry or career path, advancing leadership requires making sacrifices. You must be prepared to give up your free time, family time, and sometimes even your salary to ensure the success of your company and its employees.
Are You Sacrificing Enough?
The first question you need to ask yourself as a leader is this: How much are you willing to sacrifice for your company? If you’re not willing to work more than 40 hours a week, accept a pay cut, or forgo your vacation time, that’s fine, but you need to acknowledge that your career advancement will be limited.
If you are determined to advance, could you list the things you are NOT willing to sacrifice? This could be your health, marriage, or time with your kids. Then, what do you have to give up? Can you give more time, energy, or resources to boost the organization’s success? What do you have to offer?
Finally, remember that the sacrifice never ends to be a great leader. Many assume that once they get that next promotion, their routine can return to “normal.” Being a great leader means continually sacrificing to become your best version. That’s at the heart of the Law of Sacrifice.
Sacrifice is necessary if you want to grow as a leader. If you’re struggling with this concept, fill out my contact form, and let’s talk about how the Law of Sacrifice will be more than worth it in the end.
Coach Dave
Watch the video below for more information on John C. Maxwell and why I like this book so much.
Click here to read more articles in my “Laws of Leadership” series.
