The Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast · Pete Scazzero

Do the Work Before the Work

·30 min·1 clip

The work was effortless because once I was centered, once I had let all thoughts of praise or criticism gain or success, even of the emperor himself, I went into the forest and then I saw the tree.

This episode of The Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast features founder Pete Scazzero exploring the concept of "doing the work before the work." Scazzero draws from his decades of developing emotionally healthy discipleship principles to argue that inner preparation is essential for effective, congruent leadership. He grounds the teaching in the life of Jesus and an ancient Chinese parable to illustrate his points. Scazzero cites specific biblical examples where Jesus engaged in internal work before public ministry, including his 40 days in the wilderness and a whole night in prayer before choosing his disciples. The central illustrative tool is a 4th-century BC poem called "The Woodcarver," translated by Thomas Merton, about a craftsman commissioned by an emperor. The woodcarver describes a seven-day process of fasting and mental preparation to forget praise, criticism, and even his own bodily concerns before beginning his craft. Scazzero extracts three main applications from this story for modern leaders. The first application is that a leader's most important work is to live out their unique, God-given life rather than conforming to others' expectations. The second is that clutter, noise, hurry, and a lack of spaciousness are the greatest enemies of this congruent life. Scazzero shares personal examples, like how hurry affects his writing and marriage, and promotes a free ebook titled "The Eight Traps of a Lack of Spaciousness." The final insight is to see the raw material of oneself, one's team, and one's context not as limitations but as God's gifts. A surprising claim is that effortless, impactful work flows naturally once inner congruence is achieved, akin to the woodcarver finding the perfect tree. Scazzero provocatively states that creating a "masked community" of inauthenticity is often the leader's fault for not first doing their own inner work. He also reframes typical frustrations with difficult people or limited resources as failures to properly "see" the potential in the context God has provided. The episode's tone is pastoral, instructional, and contemplative, blending scriptural exegesis with literary reflection and personal confession. Scazzero speaks in a calm, measured pace, often posing reflective questions directly to the listener. Christian leaders, pastors, and ministry workers feeling overwhelmed or inauthentic in their roles would find this episode particularly valuable. Listeners seeking practical, time-management focused productivity tips without a spiritual component might find the emphasis on internal prayer and fasting less immediately applicable.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast