We all know complacency when we see it in others—but what about when it’s hiding in our own routines, masked as success? It’s easy for leaders to mistake comfort for progress—until a harsh wake-up call reveals just how far they've drifted from their drive. So, how do you reignite your hunger for growth when success starts to feel… safe?

In this episode of Scaling the Gap, host Madeleine MacRae sits down with Chris Robinson, Executive Vice President of Maxwell Leadership Certified Team and author of From Drift to Drive. Chris opens up about his remarkable journey—from watching John Maxwell on VHS in a church basement to sharing stages with global presidents. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. A humbling moment during a high-stakes keynote in Cambodia forced Chris to confront his own complacency—and inspired the powerful 7-step framework he now teaches to help others reclaim their edge.

This candid conversation dives deep into the tension between achievement and potential. Whether you're a seasoned executive or scaling your first venture, you’ll walk away with practical tools for breaking stagnation, building better habits, and surrounding yourself with the kind of mentorship that accelerates transformation.

If you’re ready to close the gap between where you are and who you’re meant to become, this is your episode.

Key Takeaways

• Why proximity and intentionality are critical ingredients for success
• How to recognize the subtle signs of complacency—even when you're "winning"
• Why mentorship is either pay to play or serve to earn
• The importance of being the same person on stage and off
• How one statement—“I did nothing”—can become your most powerful growth tool.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction to Chris Robinson
• [04:27] Mentorship from John Maxwell
• [08:08] Overview of Chris' book, From Drift to Drive
• [10:14] The Cambodia story and complacency realization
• [12:23] The value of elite mentorship
• [17:22] Relatability and success as a separator
• [20:01] Advice for early-stage entrepreneurs
• [23:20] The reality of opportunity and hard work
• [25:19] Defining success and the success algorithm
• [27:28] Daily commitment and accountability practice
• [29:35] Rest vs. inaction and honest self-assessment
• [31:34] Closing thoughts

Notable Quotes

• [08:43] “Complacency is a secret place of satisfactory success. Now, when we begin to look at complacency that way, we all have a place where we are good at something and we haven't gone back to work on it.”— Chris Robinson
• [10:20] "On a scale of 1 to 10, you can go from 0 to 8 at something that you're good at, and it can be good at an 8. But it gets very, very difficult to get that last 20%."— Chris Robinson
• [18:25] "Success is a separator. And, you know, never do we want to be on stage only talking about success because that creates that wall and that separation." — Chris Robinson
• [20:24] "I would not be doing what I'm doing today without paying for coaching, but then also serving for coaching, because I believe that everyone out there needs to be in proximity to someone that's doing what it is that they want to do."— Chris Robinson

Our Guest

Chris Robinson is EVP of Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, where he’s certified over 58,000 coaches, speakers, and trainers worldwide. A former Maxwell mentee turned leadership faculty president, he now helps high achievers break through complacency. His book, From Drift to Drive, unpacks the 7-step framework he used to build his career—and how you can apply it too.

Resources and Links

Chris Robinson

• Website - https://www.chrisrobinsonspeaker.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerchrisrobinson
• Maxwell Leadership Certified Team - https://www.maxwellleadership.com/
• Book: From Drift to Drive - https://drifttodrivebook.com/

Madeleine MacRae

• Website - https://mmmacrae.com/making-changes-training-motivating/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/macraemadeleine
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madeleine.macrae/