Lead With Leftovers

Why "Leaving it All on the Field" is a Poor Way to Lead

"Leave it all on the field."

We’ve all heard this phrase, haven’t we? It’s the classic locker room rallying cry, pushing athletes to give their all, hold nothing back, and strive for victory. In sports, it’s a powerful motivator. But when it comes to leadership, is this the right philosophy to follow?

This question started swirling in my mind just yesterday. I went golfing with a man who has lost his faith in the local church. Once a diligent servant and even an elder, he now struggles to attend services. He’s been the victim of a disturbingly common pattern in the church: leadership failure. He’s been part of several congregations where pastors, driven by a relentless desire to "leave it all on the field," ended up succumbing to moral failures. These experiences left him disillusioned, calloused, and heartbroken. A man who was once a soldier in God’s army is now a wounded warrior.

I've often heard leaders justify their relentless drive with phrases like, “We’re making a difference, we’re populating heaven, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” They pour every ounce of their energy, time, and emotional reserves into their roles. While this dedication can build incredible organizations, it often comes at a tremendous cost to the leaders and those in their wake when the burnout bomb explodes.

The relentless pursuit of excellence without regard for personal well-being can topple even the most successful leaders. We’ve all seen it—the celebrated ministry or business that crumbles because its leader couldn’t sustain the intense pressure. The damage isn’t limited to the leader; it ripples out, affecting families, friendships, and entire communities.

Standing on the 14th green, listening to this man’s stories of heartbreak and betrayal, I felt profound grief. His pain was a stark reminder of the broader impact of unhealthy leadership. When leaders give everything without taking care of themselves, they jeopardize not only their own lives but also those of everyone around them.

There I stood, internally vowing never to become this kind of leader. A leader that puts “success” (whatever that means) ahead of my personal health, marriage, family, and overall mental well-being.

But how? How is this attainable? How can I ensure that my future success doesn’t leave people on their 14th green, tearing up and trying to shove the pain down deeper within them, all because I led poorly? Must leaders be complacent, undriven, and weak to avoid ruining their lives and the lives of their followers? Is it possible to lead effectively without burning out?

I believe there is a way to lead with wisdom and sustainability. Let’s explore this idea together.

Lead With Leftovers

At first glance, it might seem like you're shortchanging your organization, doesn’t it? This idea stands in stark contrast to the Western culture that built our great nation. “Pull up your bootstraps,” “No pain, no gain,” “Suck it up,” “Go the extra mile,” “Dig deep,” “Tough it out,” “Keep pushing,” “No guts, no glory.” You've heard these, haven’t you? These are the locker room statements coaches use to motivate their teams. Somehow, these phrases have bled into every area of our lives, including our professions.

Please hear me out: I am not advocating for laziness. If you saw my calendar and work ethic, you'd know I'm not phoning it in. You can take one look at the Apostle Paul and know this guy wasn’t taking it easy. I'm not suggesting a life of kicking back and doing nothing.

I'm proposing that with the Spirit of God living in you, it is not an either/or situation; perhaps it’s both/and.

Is it possible to prioritize the things in your life that truly matter while still having enough left over to make a significant impact as a leader in your realm of influence?

Consider Psalm 23. In verse 5, it reads, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" (NIV). I love the word "overflow." Overflow means that you have been filled to the brim, but the source keeps pouring. Where is that overflow going? It’s pouring over the sides and impacting everything around it.

John 7:38 (NIV) says, "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) adds, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

These passages suggest that when we are filled with the Spirit, we have more than enough for ourselves; we have an abundance that can bless and impact others. With that overflow, we can embrace a "both/and" approach rather than an "either/or" mindset. This means we can accomplish great things while producing the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Who gets the primary, and who gets the overflow? We need to prioritize our lives by asking ourselves: if I lost everything, in what order would I want to lose them? For me, my priorities are my relationship with God, my marriage, my children, and my own physical and mental health. But here's the key: if I live a life overflowing with God’s Spirit, the "leftovers" that my organization receives will be just as high-quality and life-giving as what I give to my primary priorities.

“Leave it all on the field” isn’t working. We need a new approach.

I have many more thoughts, but I know you do not want to read a book today so I’ll stop here.

What are your thoughts?