Start with the Heart

A whole-self framework for thriving leadership

WeWork changed my life. When I walked into their Times Square location, they handed me a shirt that said “creator” across the front. I thought, “I can’t wear this – I’m not a creative.” But I sensed God ask, “When did you forget who you were?”

That moment woke something in me. I was striving to implement a new initiative at work, facing resistance at every turn. The failure I felt wasn’t just organizational, it also felt personal. I began confusing what I did with who I was. My heart cried out to be seen, while my strength just kept pushing. Yet, in that striving, I heard God whisper two familiar words: “slow down.”

Slow, Rooted Growth

In a culture that celebrates hustle and hacks, thriving is often mistaken for doing more.

In a culture that celebrates hustle and hacks, thriving is often mistaken for doing more. However, I believe God’s design for us looks less like a sprint and more like slow, rooted growth.

In Matthew 22, Jesus reminds us of the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” This isn’t just a spiritual directive; it’s a leadership framework. It is a whole-self invitation to align our inner life with our outer calling.

A Life and Leadership Filter

I now filter how I lead and live through these four elements:

1. Heart: The seat of our desires, motivations, wounds, and beliefs. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23).
2. Soul: The integrator-holding vision and identity, asking “Why?”
3. Mind: Strategy, logic, and decision-making.
4. Strength: The capacity to act and endure. Where intention becomes traction.

When these are aligned, starting with the heart, we lead with wholeness. And from that, we can thrive.

Becoming Whole

During the pandemic, I was running on fumes while leading a regional coffee shop chain in the Nashville area. I was trying to hold together a company, a team, and a family. But, somewhere in it all, I stopped holding myself together.

I believed God had called me into that role. However, I acted like he stepped aside and left me to manage it all on my own. In doing so, I confused calling with control. It wasn’t until I slowed down, again, that I remembered: God didn’t call me into leadership to sink me. He was calling me to surrender and be the kind of leader formed by the moment, not one just fighting through it.

Thriving isn’t about doing more or being “enough.” It’s about becoming whole.

A Daily Filter for Thriving



Today, as a leader in a fast-moving agency, I’m faced with shifting priorities by the hour. As such, it’s easy to feel pulled in every direction. Yet, I’ve learned to slow down and run my schedule through a whole-self filter:

1. What’s the most meaningful impact I can make today? (Heart)
2. Is this aligned with who I want to become? (Soul)
3. What is most time-sensitive or strategically urgent? (Mind)
4. What can I do with the energy and focus I have today? (Strength)

This practice doesn’t remove the pressure, but it creates clarity. It re-centers me. And it helps me respond with intention, not reaction.

Vision as Direction, not Perfection



Once, I was invited into a new leadership role. I said no, twice. I was focused on where I was, not where I was possibly going. But in prayer, I sensed God asking, “How far can you see?”


I pictured one of those houses built into a cliff…

I pictured one of those houses built into a cliff – strange from the front, but breathtaking when you step inside and turn toward the view. I realized I was staring at the door, unsure, instead of joining God on the porch to see what he saw.

That moment continues to reframe vision for me. Vision is not about having perfect clarity. It’s about facing the right direction.

The Cost of Disconnection



Dr. Rob Murray, a thought leader and author on emotionally healthy leadership, once said something that echoes in my soul: “You will lead from wherever you’re wounded unless that part of your heart is healed.” I’ve found this to be true in myself and in others.

You can build a successful ministry and still leave yourself (and others) exhausted. So, before you fix your strategy, check your soul. Before you act, ask: “Who am I becoming as I lead this work?”

Reconnect with your Heart

Thriving isn’t a milestone you reach. It’s a rhythm to which you return. And, it’s a rhythm of reconnecting to your center, your calling, your Source.

So, if you feel weary or off-track, let this be your invitation: you can begin again. I have – many times. And each time, God meets me with fresh clarity.

Take a breath. Reconnect with your heart. Ask God for direction. Then, let your mind shape a plan and your strength carry it forward.

Your purpose will become your priority when you lead with your whole self – heart, soul, mind, and strength.

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Mike Lenda is Chief Services Officer at 5by5 Agency, a strategic full-service marketing agency for changemakers. He leads a team focused on driving growth for purpose-driven organizations through research, strategy, digital, and creative services. Learn more at 5by5agency.com.

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