The Leader’s Hidden War: Unmasking the Three Beliefs That Silently Sabotage Your Calling

You’ve felt it—that subtle, frustrating ceiling you can’t seem to break through. The vision is clear, the passion is real, but something is holding you back. Your team isn’t fully aligned, your initiatives stall, and the impact you know you’re called to make feels just out of reach.

It’s easy to point to the “external blockers”: the lack of resources, the difficult personalities, the organizational red tape. As Dr. James Emery White notes, borrowing a profound truth, “we never think the problem is in the room.”

But what if the most significant battle isn’t out there? What if the very thing holding you back is a silent war waged within the landscape of your own soul?

In an insightful Harvard Business Review article, Muriel M. Wilkins names these internal adversaries “hidden blockers”—beliefs so ingrained we mistake them for reality. They are the quiet narrators of our leadership story, shaping how we think, feel, and act, often in ways that contradict our God-given potential.

Of the seven she outlined, three stand out as particularly seductive and destructive for leaders in the church, non-profits, and any arena where we are called to steward influence for a purpose greater than ourselves. I’ve seen them at work in countless leaders, and I confess, I know their allure all too well.

1. The Blocker of “I Must Be The Smartest One Here”

This is the belief that our value is tied to having all the answers. It masquerades as competence but is rooted in a fear of being exposed as inadequate. It’s the need to be the hero in every meeting, the one with the final word.

The Soul Nourishment: This blocker directly contradicts the very heart of the Body of Christ. We are not called to be a single, all-knowing cell, but a diverse, interconnected body where “each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16). Your primary role as a leader is not to be the fountain of all knowledge, but to be a cultivator of the wisdom and gifts God has placed in others. True strength is found in creating a space where “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17), even if it means your own ideas are refined—or replaced—in the process. Your identity is not in being the smartest, but in being a beloved child of God, entrusted to shepherd His people.

Practical Strategy: Before your next key meeting, pray this simple prayer: “God, open my eyes to the wisdom you have placed in this room that exists outside of me.” Then, practice the discipline of asking more questions than you answer. Your job is to draw out the gold in others, not just display your own.

2. The Blocker of “I Have To Do It All Myself”

This is the myth of self-sufficiency, often worn as a badge of honor. It’s the relentless drive that leads to burnout, resentment, and a team that never truly learns to lead. It whispers, “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.”

The Soul Nourishment: This belief is a direct assault on the principle of Sabbath and the doctrine of grace. It screams, “The work rests on my shoulders,” while the Gospel whispers, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). When Moses tried to lead Israel alone, his father-in-law Jethro warned him, “You and these people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you” (Exodus 18:18). God never designed you to be a one-person show. Delegation isn’t a failure of responsibility; it’s an act of faith—trusting both the people God has given you and, ultimately, trusting that God Himself is the one truly building the house (Psalm 127:1).

Practical Strategy: This week, identify one task that only you think you should do. Then, prayerfully select a team member you can mentor to take it on. Invest time in training them, then release it—and the control that comes with it—fully. This isn’t dumping work; it’s discipleship.

3. The Blocker of “My Worth Is In My Output”

This is perhaps the most insidious blocker of all: the belief that our value is a direct reflection of our productivity, our metrics, and our visible successes. When the numbers are up, we are up. When a project fails, we feel like a failure.

The Soul Nourishment: This blocker confuses our doing with our being. Before you led a single meeting or built a single program, God declared His love for you. Your worth is not measured by your output, but by the outcome of the cross. You are a human being, first and foremost, loved by God not for what you produce, but because you are His. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). Your leadership is an overflow of your identity in Christ, not the source of it.

Practical Strategy: Begin and end your day with a simple, declarative prayer: “God, my success today does not define me. My identity is secure in you.” Keep a Sabbath—a full 24-hour period where you do no “productive” work. This is a tangible act of war against this blocker, a proclamation that the world continues to spin by God’s grace, not your effort.

Unlocking Your God-Given Potential

These hidden blockers are strongholds, and “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

The path to unlocking your full leadership potential begins not with another strategy, but with surrender. It begins with the courageous, humble work of self-examination in the light of God’s truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal which of these silent saboteurs has taken root in your heart.

Then, replace the lie with His truth. Your leadership isn’t about your brilliance, your stamina, or your results. It’s about your faithfulness. It’s about stewarding the influence He’s given you to serve others and glorify His name.

The wall you’ve been hitting isn’t made of brick and mortar. It’s made of beliefs. And today, with faith and courage, you can begin to tear it down.