Why Authenticity, Wholeness, and “Enough” Matter More Than Ever

I’ve been thinking a lot about vulnerability and authenticity lately, especially in leadership.

I had the pleasure of meeting Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, at the Heartland Gathering in Nebraska, and later hosting him for a tour of my offices. What struck me most was not his success, which is undeniable, but his humility. His presence was grounded, open, and deeply human.

Blake is now focused on his work with Enough (weareenough.co), which centers on a simple but often elusive truth: external success does not automatically translate into inner fulfillment. What inspires me about this work is that it refuses the script most of us grow up with: that worth is earned by what we do or build. Blake’s work now asks something more urgent. It invites us to meet ourselves with compassion, to acknowledge that struggle and doubt are part of being human, and that our value is not negotiable.

Over the years, I’ve known many people who look wildly successful on paper. Impressive titles. Big exits. Financial freedom. And yet, so many of them never invested in themselves beyond the chase. They neglected their inner life, their sense of purpose, their spirit. When they finally reached the summit they were aiming for, the view felt emptier than expected.

That realization can be disorienting. Sometimes painful. But it is also an invitation.

True leadership is not just about outcomes, performance, or accumulation. It is about wholeness. Mind, body, and spirit aligned. It is about knowing who you are when the noise quiets, and leading from that place.

This has been my work for the past decade, through plenty of trials and tribulations of my own. It is also the work I now teach and practice as a consultant, advisor, mentor, and coach at Clearpath Partners.

Success matters. Impact matters. But without authenticity and inner alignment, they rarely satisfy for long.

The leaders who inspire me most are not the loudest or the most polished. They are the ones willing to be real, to be vulnerable, and to keep doing the inner work, even when no one is watching.

That kind of leadership changes people. And ultimately, it changes the world.