Summit After the Storm | Leadership, Faith and Resilience Podcast

I’m not going to lie…

I’m feeling it today.

Sore.
Tired.
Slower than I used to be.

And the truth is…

I’m not doing less.

I’ve been pushing more.

Running.
Workouts.
Trying to get in shape for what’s ahead.

But this morning…

my body reminded me of something.

I’m not getting younger.

And I feel it more than I used to.

And that took me back to Kilimanjaro.

Because there were mornings on that mountain…

where your body didn’t feel ready.

Where everything hurt.

Where you questioned how you were going to keep going.

But you didn’t stop.

You took one step.

Then another.

Pole pole.

📖 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 — “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day…”

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• What it means to keep going when your body feels it
• Why discipline matters more than motivation
• How aging shifts your mindset—not your purpose
• And why the strongest people aren’t the ones who feel the best…
they’re the ones who keep moving forward anyway

Because the goal isn’t to feel perfect.

It’s to keep climbing.

If you’ve been feeling it lately…

physically, mentally, or emotionally…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#mindset
#discipline
#resilience
#personaldevelopment
#keepgoing

#aging #fitnessmotivation #mentalstrength #growthmindset #selfdiscipline #faith #motivationdaily #stayhard #grit

We couldn’t hit the ball.

Not all night.

They had a pitcher throwing heat…

and we just couldn’t catch up.

One single.
That was it.

And still…

we almost won.

So we had to find another way.

We got aggressive.

Stealing bases.
Pushing the pace.
Creating pressure.

We stole home.
Forced mistakes.
Got runners in the pitcher’s head.

And it worked.

Until it didn’t.

I sent two runners home…

both got out at the plate.

Close plays.

But outs.

We lost…

8–7.

And after the game…

the questions started.

Was I too aggressive?
Did I cost us runs?
Should I have held them?

Or was that the only reason we even had a chance?

📖 Ecclesiastes 9:11 — “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong… but time and chance happen to them all.”

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• What it means to lead when nothing is working
• The risks you take when you have no easy option
• How pressure changes the game—and the leader
• And why sometimes… you can do everything right… and still lose

Because leadership isn’t about avoiding risk.

It’s about choosing it…

and living with the outcome.

If you’ve ever made a tough call and questioned it later…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#leadership#mindset#coaching#parenting#personaldevelopment

#youthsports #decisionmaking #resilience #growthmindset #mentalstrength #faith #inspiration #lifeadvice #grit

It rained Friday night.

So Saturday morning…

the messages started coming in.

“Are we still practicing?”
“Is the field open?”

We only had one practice scheduled this week.

And by the time I had a chance to cancel…

it was already too late.

Parents were on the way.
Kids were getting ready.

So I said,

“We’re practicing.”

And if I’m being honest…

if I wasn’t coaching…

I probably wouldn’t have gone either.

I would’ve assumed it was canceled.

Waited it out.

But I also knew this—

if even one kid showed up…

I didn’t want them standing there wondering where everyone was.

So I went.

And when I got there…

it was just me…

and my two boys.

That was it.

No team.
No crowd.
No noise.

Just work.

We ran.
We practiced.
We kept going.

And it turned into one of the best workouts—and one of the best lessons—of the season.

📖 Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…”

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• What it means to show up when no one else does• Why discipline is built in the quiet moments• The difference between motivation and consistency• And how the valley reveals who’s really committed

Because it’s easy to show up when everyone’s watching.

But who are you…

when no one is?

If you’re in a season where it feels like you’re the only one showing up…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#discipline#mindset#leadership#consistency#personaldevelopment#selfgrowth #resilience #motivation #faith #inspiration #mentalstrength #successmindset #keepgoing #grind

We’re 1–3.

And if I’m being honest…

there have been moments this season where I wasn’t sure I was the right guy for the job.

I didn’t plan to be a head coach this year.

I prefer being the loud parent in the stands.
Cheering. Encouraging.
Maybe questioning an umpire call from the peanut gallery.

But when the season needed coaches…

I stepped in.

And I’ve questioned that decision more than once.

But then something happened after practice.

A kid ran up to me and asked,

“Are you going to coach again next season?”

I said,

“I don’t know… maybe… why?”

And he said,

“Good… because I want to play for you again next year.”

And I smiled.

Told him I appreciated that.

But as I walked away…

my eyes started to water.

And I tried to hold it in…

hoping he didn’t see it.

📖 1 Samuel 16:7 — “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• What leadership looks like when the results don’t match the effort
• The moments that make you question yourself• Why impact matters more than record• And how sometimes… the clearest sign you’re doing it right…
comes when you least expect it

Because leadership isn’t measured in wins and losses.

It’s measured in people.

If you’re in a season where you’re questioning yourself…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#leadership#mindset#parenting#personaldevelopment#growth

#coaching #youthsports #faith #resilience #inspiration #selfgrowth #mentorship #mentalstrength #lifeadvice

Did I cost us the game?

That’s the question I couldn’t shake after Monday night.

We only have one game this week…

so I’ve had a lot of time to think about it.

One moment.
One decision.

A kid hits a bomb.
I’m coaching third.
I send him home.

I knew it would be close.

At this age… most of the time that play works.
Bad throw. Dropped ball. Something goes your way.

But this time… it didn’t.

He hesitated.
Didn’t slide.
Tagged out.

Inning over.

And just like that…

the “what ifs” started.

What if I held him?
What if I trusted the next batter?
What if I made a different call?

I wasn’t mad.

I wasn’t bitter.

I was just…

questioning myself.

📖 Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to trust beyond our own understanding.

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• The decisions leaders replay in their heads• The risks we take—and the ones we question• Why “what if” moments stick with us• And how to keep leading… even when you don’t have the answer

Because sometimes…

growth isn’t having certainty.

It’s being willing to carry the question forward.

If you’ve ever second-guessed a decision as a parent, coach, or leader…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#leadership#mindset#parenting#personaldevelopment#growth

It started as a joke.

A “yo’ mama” roasting contest between my boys.

And at first… it was funny.

Rhys is 10.
Noah turns 12 next month.

So when they asked me to judge…

I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.

But I listened.

And I’ll be honest…

a couple of them made me laugh.

“Your mama is so fat… the earth was flat until they buried her.”
“Your mama is so fat… she sat on an iPhone and turned it into an iPad.”

It stayed light…

for a moment.

Then it shifted.

It got personal.

And I stopped it.

Because that’s how it happens.

Not all at once.

But one comment at a time…
one step at a time…

until you’re somewhere you never meant to go.

So I changed the game.

Instead of roasting…

I told them:

“Let’s see who can give the best ‘your mama’ compliment.”

And everything changed.

Same boys.
Same energy.
Same moment.

Different direction.

“Your mama is so pretty… the flowers blush.”
“Your mama is so hot… the sun feels cold next to her.”

And just like that…

what could’ve turned negative…

became something that built each other up.

📖 The tongue has the power of life and death.

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• How quickly tone can shift in the valley• Why small words matter more than we think• The leadership power of redirection• And how to turn negative energy into something meaningful

Because sometimes…

you don’t need to shut something down.

You just need to change the direction.

If you’re a parent, leader, or anyone navigating tough moments…

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify, Amazon, or whatever platform you're listening on.
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#parenting#leadership#mindset#personaldevelopment#growth

#coaching #communication #family #faith #selfgrowth #inspiration #lifeadvice #positivevibes #mentorship

We lost 10–9 last night.

And this one stung.

Down 9–4 late…
we fought back.
Five runs.
Tied it up.

One baserunner at a time.
One hit at a time.

It felt like we were going to pull it off.

And then… we didn’t.

Game over.

Below .500.
Two-game losing streak.

And that “we were right there” feeling hit hard.

But something was different.

Because the younger version of me…

would’ve let that loss ruin the night.

Instead, I found myself encouraging the team.
Telling them I was proud.
Reminding them what they just built in that moment.

📖 2 Corinthians 4:16 — “Therefore we do not lose heart… inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• Why the valley doesn’t always feel like growth
• How small wins build big momentum
• The leadership shift from outcome → development
• And what it really means to not lose heart when it stings

Because not everything that matters shows up on the scoreboard.

If you’re a parent, coach, leader—or just someone in a tough season—

this one’s for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#leadership#mindset#parenting#personaldevelopment#motivation#coaching #youthsports #faith #growthmindset #resilience #success #inspiration #teamwork

“I wasn’t one of them.”

And that almost stopped something great from happening.

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, I share a real story from my time in the automotive industry—where a breakthrough innovation almost didn’t happen… not because it wouldn’t work…

…but because I wasn’t part of the group.

What followed led to a published paper, a global innovation award, and technology that’s still on cars driving today.

But the real lesson?

It wasn’t about innovation.

It was about mindset.

Because too often in leadership… and even in faith… we ask the wrong question:

“Are they one of us?”

Instead of:

“Are they for the mission?”

📖 Mark 9:38–40 — “Whoever is not against us is for us.”

But here’s the part we don’t talk about:

Jesus didn’t tell them to stop someone doing good in His name…
He corrected them for trying to.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why leaders struggle with trust
• How “outsider thinking” can unlock breakthroughs
• The danger of protecting your circle too tightly
• And how this same mindset shows up in the Church today

If you’ve ever felt overlooked, questioned, or like you didn’t belong—

this one is for you.

🎙️ Follow Summit After the Storm on Spotify
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#leadership#mindset#faith#personaldevelopment#success

#innovation #growthmindset #trust #purpose #motivation

“24 hours… and we’ll be up there.”

That’s what I said… pointing at the summit behind me.

Confident. Focused. Ready.

And then our guide said something I’ll never forget:

“I hope your friend tells you this is difficult… but doable.”

At the time, that word sounded reassuring.

Doable.

But I had no idea what “doable” actually looked like.

Because just hours later…
doable looked like exhaustion.
It looked like struggle.
It looked like pushing when everything in your body says stop.

And then the storm came.

The wind didn’t just hit us…
it moved us.

Our tent… anchored with rocks…
started rolling toward the edge of a cliff.

In that moment, this wasn’t about summiting anymore.

It was about surviving.

This episode is the real story behind that moment.

The one you don’t see in the summit photos.
The one that strips away pride, exposes truth, and forces you to face who you really are.

Because sometimes the mountain doesn’t test you…

It reveals you.

👉 https://summitafterstorm.com

📘 Get the Book: Summit After the Storm👉 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Summit-After-Storm-Strength-Turbulent/dp/B0GVX7ZM1L
👉 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summit-after-the-storm-bart-a-wilbanks/1149826187?ean=9798895740583

🎯 What You’ll Experience in This Episode

• The moment before the storm changed everything• What “doable” really looks like under pressure• The reality behind the Kilimanjaro summit push• Leadership, fear, and faith in the middle of chaos• Why the storm became the turning point

If this resonates, follow Summit After the Storm and share it with someone who’s in their own storm.

Because the summit may be the goal…

But the storm is where the transformation happens.

🔁 Follow the Journey#SummitAfterTheStorm #Kilimanjaro #Storm #Resilience #Leadership #Mindset #Survival #Faith #Transformation #PersonalGrowth #Motivation #KeepClimbing #PolePole #Doable #RealStory

We lost 9–3 tonight.

But that’s not the story.

Because in the middle of that loss…
a young pitcher stepped up…
threw heat…
and showed growth you can’t measure on a scoreboard.

And it reminded me of something deeper.

This weekend, I’m taking my 17-year-old daughter on a college visit.

And as I think about that moment…

I don’t just see who she is today.

I see the valley she came through before she was ever born.

Three miscarriages.
Seasons of loss.
Moments where we almost gave up.

And then…

a miracle.

In this episode of Summit After the Storm, we talk about:

• Why the valley doesn’t mean you’re losing
• How God works in seasons you don’t understand
• What parenting teaches you about time, faith, and letting go
• And why some of the greatest blessings in your life come from the hardest moments

📖 Psalm 126:5 — “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”

If you’re a parent…
a leader…
or walking through a season that doesn’t make sense yet—

this episode is for you.

🎙️ Follow on Spotify
🌐 SummitAfterStorm.com

Keep climbing. Pole pole.

#parenting#faith#leadership#mindset#personaldevelopment