Going Big by Going Deep: What the Digital Age Means for Faith, Leadership, and Your Life

A Different Kind of “Going Big”

When most people hear the phrase “going big,” they picture scale, visibility, and influence. Bigger platforms. Larger audiences. Wider reach. But in this conversation with Reverend John Yates III, we’re invited into a very different vision; one that is quieter, slower, and, in many ways, far more enduring.

John challenges us to rethink the entire premise. What if going big isn’t about building something that elevates you, but about laying a foundation that supports many others? What if the true measure of impact isn’t how many people are standing on your platform, but how many are standing on something you helped build? It’s a reframing that stops you in your tracks.

The Long Game That Most People Avoid

One of the most striking ideas from this conversation is the commitment to the long game. John talks about setting goals that take 10, 20, even 30 years to realize. That kind of thinking runs completely counter to the world we live in today.We want results quickly. We want validation now. We want to know that what we’re doing is working.

But what if the most meaningful work of your life doesn’t show visible results for decades?That question alone has the power to reshape how you think about your career, your leadership, and even your relationships.

Platform vs. Foundation

John offers a simple but powerful distinction. A platform can hold one person. A foundation can hold many. It’s hard not to ask yourself: Which one am I building?

So many of us are unintentionally chasing platforms—recognition, visibility, personal success. But foundations require something different. They require patience. They require investment in others. They require a willingness to do work that may never be publicly recognized.

And yet, foundations are what last.

Mentorship That Actually Transforms You

Another thread running through this conversation is mentorship, but not in the way we often think about it.

John shares his experience working alongside a globally influential leader early in his life. What’s remarkable is that this mentor didn’t sit him down for structured lessons or formal teaching sessions. Instead, he simply invited him into his life.

“Watch closely,” was the message. And that changed everything.

There’s a lesson here for all of us. If you’re leading, your example may matter more than your instruction. And if you’re learning, proximity to excellence might be the most powerful education you can get.

So who are you learning from right now? And just as important, who are you allowing to learn from you?

Curiosity as a Leadership Discipline

One of the most compelling traits John describes is intellectual curiosity. Even at the height of influence, his mentor was constantly asking questions, inviting dialogue, and seeking input from others.

Think about how rare that is.

The more successful people become, the more pressure they feel to have answers. But what if the real strength is in continuing to ask better questions?

Curiosity isn’t just a personality trait. It’s a discipline. And in a world that rewards quick opinions, it might be one of the most underrated leadership advantages you can develop.

The Digital Revolution Is Changing More Than We Think

We spend a lot of time talking about technology as a set of tools. But John makes a deeper observation: these tools are shaping us.

The rise of smartphones and constant connectivity isn’t just changing how we communicate. It’s changing how we think, how we focus, and even how we engage with meaning.

He compares this moment to the invention of the printing press. That’s a bold claim, but it’s hard to argue with.

So here’s the question we all have to wrestle with: What is this digital world doing to us as human beings?

Until we take that question seriously, we risk drifting through one of the most significant cultural shifts in history without understanding its impact.

Leading When Attention Is Fragmented

For those in leadership—whether in a church, a business, or a family—this creates a unique challenge.

How do you lead people who are constantly distracted? How do you communicate depth in a world optimized for speed?

Even something as simple as asking someone to sit and listen for 25 minutes has become increasingly countercultural. That should give all of us pause. Because if depth requires attention, and attention is disappearing, then depth itself is at risk.

Lent, Mortality, and the Questions We Avoid

One of the most powerful moments in this conversation centers on the season of Lent. It’s a time designed to confront a reality most of us prefer to avoid: our mortality.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It’s a sobering reminder. But it’s also an invitation.

Because when you’re willing to face the biggest questions—life, death, purpose, meaning—you begin to live differently. You stop skating on the surface and start engaging with what actually matters. And that, in many ways, is the beginning of going big.

Advice for a Younger Self—and Maybe for You

When asked what he would tell his younger self, John’s answer is simple: be patient, listen closely, and play the long game.

There’s nothing flashy about that advice. But there’s something deeply reassuring in it.

You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. You don’t need to rush into visibility or success. You need to develop the habits and disciplines that will compound over time.

It’s not exciting in the short term. But it’s incredibly powerful over the long term.

A Simple Way to Start Going Big Today

The final piece of advice might be the most practical: if you want to go big, don’t start by looking inward. Start by reaching outward.

Call someone older whom you respect. Take them to lunch. Ask them questions about their life, their decisions, their failures, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Do it again. And then do it again with someone else.

It sounds simple. But it has the potential to completely change your trajectory.

Because sometimes the fastest way to grow isn’t by trying to figure everything out on your own. It’s by learning from those who have already walked the path ahead of you.

And if you take that step, you might just discover that going big starts with something much smaller—and much more powerful—than you expected.