PurposeWe tried to evaluate the association of self‐leadership, effective health behaviors, and posttraumatic growth with health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). MethodsWe recruited survivors of cancer from seven hospitals in Korea between 2001 and 2006. The patients completed the Seven Habits Profile (7HP) to evaluate leadership competency, the 10 rules for highly effective health behavior to evaluate health behavior, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) to evaluate posttraumatic growth, the Short Form 36 (SF‐36) to evaluate HRQOL, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to evaluate anxiety and depression. We performed multiple logistic regressions to identify significant associations. ResultsA total of 668 patients with cancer participated in the study. Patients who scored high on the leadership subscales of Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win‐Win, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw in 7HP tried to practice and keep their health behaviors more. The Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw subscales of the 7HP were also significantly correlated with subscales on the PTGI. Patients who scored high on the leadership subscales of Life Balance, Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Think Win‐Win, and Sharpen the Saw had higher physical and mental component scale scores on the SF‐36 and lower anxiety and depression subscale scores on the HADS. ConclusionSelf‐leadership, health behaviors, and posttraumatic growth are associated with QOL in survivors of cancer. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.