Podcast Summary: Mick Unplugged

Episode: Pastor Keion Henderson: When Your Flaws Become Your Superpower
Host: Mick Hunt
Guest: Pastor Keion Henderson
Date: June 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Mick Unplugged features an in-depth conversation with Pastor Keion Henderson, renowned pastor, author, and leader. The central theme is how our flaws, vulnerabilities, and internal battles can be transformed into sources of impact, connection, and strength—making them true "superpowers" for leadership and personal fulfillment. The discussion covers personal purpose (“your because”), embracing imperfection, the power of mindset, and actionable strategies for sustained growth as a leader and human.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of "Because" Over "Why"

• Defining the ‘Because’

  • Mick opens up by distinguishing between asking "why" and discovering one's deeper "because," which he describes as the core reason that propels sustained action and impact.
  • Pastor Keion shares, “I do it because I was born to. I don't have any other option. …I keep doing it because I'm supposed to, because I was born to, because I was created to.” (02:45)

• “Because” as Divine Purpose

  • Pastor Keion likens his calling to the innate function of things in nature: “Why do dogs bark? Because they can. I do it because I can.” (03:37)
  • He vows to adopt this “because” perspective for self-motivation and encouragement.

2. Discovering Gifts Through Community and Reflection

• Early Leadership Realization

  • Keion describes being made captain of his basketball team at age 14, a pivotal affirmation despite not being the best player: “I wasn’t even a starter… I was on the bench for the B team and I was the captain… Somebody told me that they saw it in me.” (05:02)
  • Quote: “Greatness is discovered by the friction that happens between people rubbing up against each other.” (05:45)

• Imposter Syndrome and Humility

  • Despite early signs, Pastor Keion admits self-doubt lingered for years: “When you’re good at something, you’re probably the last person to know it. If you operate in humility, I think when you find out first, that's called pride.” (06:45)

3. Turning Perfectionism Into Effectiveness

• The Trap of Perfectionism

  • Discussed as a common struggle among leaders, both Mick and Keion recount the internal monologue of “I should’ve done more or better.”

• Ego vs. Effective Communication

  • Pastor Keion reframes the perfectionism trap:
    “The ego says that you would have been better if you said what you thought. Effective says you said what you said and it worked… Effectiveness said you were enough in the moment.” (09:32)
  • The antidote is to “trust that what comes out of a prepared soul is enough. …The win is their (the audience’s) expression and not what I thought I should have done differently.” (10:41)

4. Authenticity & Flaws as Superpowers

• Being Seen in Failure
  • “A lot of people come to our church not because I'm successful, but because I failed where they failed… Some of them are there because I didn’t quit when I felt inadequate.” (12:26)
  • “My testimony isn’t just my success. It’s also my stretch marks—the amount of tears I’ve cried and the amount of moments I felt like not enough.” (12:57)

5. Mindset Shifts & Leadership Growth

• Problems Can’t Be Solved with the Same Mindset that Created Them

  • Mick highlights a game-changing quote from Pastor Keion’s book The Shift: “Problems can’t be solved by the same mindset that created them.” (17:57)
  • Pastor Keion recounts learning this in a room filled with more accomplished peers:
    “The mindset you have is the reason why you make $50,000 a year. It's also the same mindset that will keep it from being $5 million a year. …If a man is going to be changed, it has to be by the renewing of his mind.” (20:42)

• Learning From Every Environment

  • “It's not about being in the right place as much as it is being the right person in every place. Because if you’re the right person, you can get good out of the wrong place.” (15:58)

6. Recent & Upcoming Work: “Lazy Love” and The Shift (Second Edition)

• Lazy Love: Understanding Your Relationship Patterns

  • Inspired by Animal Planet, the sloth, and psychological research, Keion describes how our emotional “diet” (i.e., family habits, past pain) makes us slow or hesitant in love.
    “This book is telling us that we have to look at our attachment styles…because the truth is, it is the reason why we show up in love the way we show up.” (27:18)

• The Ongoing Journey of Shifting

  • “Success is a journey, it’s not a destination. …And the moment you get there, you change the definition of what success is, and you start another journey.” (28:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Humility:
  “When you’re good at something, you’re probably the last person to know it. If you operate in humility, I think when you find out first, that’s called pride.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (06:45)

• On “Because”:
  “I do it because I was born to. I don’t have any other option… You do it because you were designed to do it.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (02:45)

• On Authenticity:
  “Some people are there because of the education. Some are there because of the survival of ignorance. All things work together.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (13:41)

• On Mindset:
  “The mindset that you have is the reason why you make $50,000 a year. It's also the same mindset that will keep it from being $5 million a year… you cannot solve the problem… with the same mindset that caused the problem.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (20:42)

• On Leadership:
  “It’s not about being in the right place as much as it is being the right person in every place.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (15:58)

• On Perfectionism:
  “Ego makes you try to backtrack to go grab words that you didn’t use. And effectiveness said you were enough in the moment.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (09:32)

• On Continuing the Journey:
  “Success is a journey, it is not a destination. You will never get there. You will always be on your way there.” — Pastor Keion Henderson (28:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & “Because” vs. “Why” – 02:12–03:55
• Leadership Origin Stories & Recognizing Gifts – 05:02–06:44
• Imposter Syndrome & Humility Practices – 06:45–08:31
• Dealing with Perfectionism: Ego vs. Effective – 09:32–11:06
• The Power of Flaws & Overcoming Inadequacy – 12:26–13:46
• Mindset Shifts and Breaking Plateaus – 17:57–20:41
• Learning from High-Achieving Environments – 18:38–16:36
• Book Discussion: The Shift & Its Impact – 24:59–25:24
• New Release: Lazy Love & Attachment Styles – 25:24–28:40
• Redefining Success – The Journey Continues – 28:40–28:57
• Final Affirmations & Takeaways – 29:22–31:02

Overall Tone & Language

The episode is honest, compassionate, and motivating. Both speakers share candid examples, celebrate each other's growth, and present leadership as a calling shaped as much by flaws and failures as by personal victories. The tone is warm, humble, and rich with actionable wisdom.

Summary for Listeners

If you’re seeking guidance on how to turn your vulnerabilities into assets, want to move beyond surface-level motivation, or need tangible tactics for lifelong leadership growth, this conversation delivers. Expect to leave with a deeper understanding of your “because,” fresh tools to combat perfectionism, and a renewed sense that your unique journey—including its messiest parts—is your greatest superpower.