Blog Post: “The Most Dangerous Tool”

Blog Post: “The Most Dangerous Tool”

July 9, 2025 — 4:33 a.m.

Patio beside the pool at the Holiday Inn

It’s still dark. The pool behind me is quiet, sealed behind a black iron fence. I’ve got my coffee in hand, my Bible open beside me, and my Mastery Journal waiting patiently. The air feels soft, like the world hasn’t fully woken up yet.

I like mornings like this—the kind that don’t ask anything of me except to sit still, breathe, and begin.

After my scripture reading in Proverbs, I opened Burn Your Goals by Joshua Metcalf and Jamie Gilbert. One line at the top reminded me what “burn your goals” really means:

Love more. Judge less.

That alone could’ve been enough. But today, I flipped to a chapter titled:

“One of the Worst Evils Around.”

The story was about an old witch going out of business, selling all her tools—envy, lust, pride, deceit. Everything must go. People swarmed in to buy her powers. But at the end of the day, one man found a tattered, worn-out tool and asked how much.

The witch snatched it back. “That one’s not for sale,” she said. “It’s the only one I’m keeping. I’m passing it down to my niece.”

Turns out the tool was discouragement—and she called it more powerful than all the others combined. Because it works quietly. It slips in unnoticed. And once someone is discouraged… their dreams collapse from the inside.

I sat with that for a while.

Discouragement has touched me. I’ve been misjudged, mischaracterized, accused of things I did not do. And when that happens, discouragement whispers things like, “Maybe you’re not who you thought you were.” But here’s the truth:

When you know who you are and where your value comes from, discouragement loses its grip.

I’ve also been guilty of using discouragement myself. I’ve said things in frustration like, “You’re never going to get this,” or “Why can’t you just try harder?” Sometimes I’ve let shame creep into my leadership, thinking it might push someone forward. But it never does.

Shame might produce short-term compliance—but it kills long-term belief.

Today reminded me that I want to lead differently.

I want to cast vision, not shame.

I want to uplift, not discourage.

I want to build, not break.

So I marked my place in the book and closed it for the day.

That’s enough for this morning.