Mindset as the Slingshot: Conquering the Giants Between You and Your Purpose
Stone by Stone, Build the Mindset That Moves Mountains
By: Deborah Stallings, MA, SHRM-SCP
What if the real battle is not external at all, but internal? What if the giant that keeps us from stepping into our purpose and achieving the mission, career, or business of our dreams is not someone or something out there, but the mindset we carry within?
Throughout life, we encounter what feels like impossible obstacles. Delays. Discouragement. Voices of doubt. Lack of confidence. A volatile and challenging world. Limited access. These are some of the Goliaths of our time, and they do not always come wearing armor. Sometimes, they live in our own thoughts. Yet, like David in ancient scripture, we have tools right in front of us that can change everything. One of the most powerful of those tools is mindset.
Whether you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are right.
— Henry Ford
The Mindset of David
The ancient story of David and Goliath is more than an event of an underdog defeating a warrior. It tells how courage, clarity, and faith can triumph when conventional strength fails. While Goliath stood with a sword, spear, and javelin, David chose five smooth stones from a stream for his slingshot and moved forward with confidence rooted in what he already knew; he had overcome before, and he would again. David used what he had. He believed in his preparation, not someone else’s armor. He refused to shrink back just because others did not see what he saw (1 Samuel 17).
I relate deeply to David’s journey. At 27 years old, I left Chicago to pursue a career opportunity in Maryland. Many of my family and friends thought I was making a mistake. I had no support system, no relatives nearby, and no guaranteed safety net in Maryland. My only connections were a former leader offering me a promotional career opportunity and a church denomination introducing me to a local congregation. That leap of faith marked the beginning of my own slingshot moment.
Over time, I moved from administrative assistant roles to managing administrative and HR professionals, to executive leadership, and eventually became my own company’s CEO. In my personal faith journey, I grew from early learning to guiding others as a Christian Education leader. The stones I used were not physical, but they were just as effective: faith, education, journaling, daily devotional time, wise advisors and mentors, and the mindset that I could grow beyond the limitations around me.
Like David, I learned that my tools: vision, grit, faith, education, and relationships could be enough to slay the giants blocking my purpose.
— Deborah Stallings
Why Dreams Get Delayed
We often believe that delay means denial. However, this is not necessarily so. Purpose has its own timing. Whether you are leading a ministry, building a business, running a nonprofit, or serving in government, most meaningful missions take time to unfold. According to the University of Scranton, only eight percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals. For entrepreneurs, Forbes reports that profitability for a business may take three to five years. And for mission-driven work in any sector, there is often a season of preparation and perseverance before the vision is fully realized. There is a waiting season for nearly every dream.
Why the delay? Sometimes, we are not ready for the size of the assignment. We need to develop more discipline, gain wisdom, or build resilience. Sometimes, it is about building the right tribe. Other times, the dream may need to be adjusted. Yet, other times, it is about timing. The vision may be for an appointed season that is still unfolding.
I had to learn this lesson myself. Each academic degree I earned, each position I stepped into, and each leadership opportunity I accepted came with its own new levels of Goliaths. I often had to wait, grow, and keep showing up with faith and focus even when the doors did not open right away.
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.
— Zechariah 4:10
Listening to the Wrong Voices
Discouragement does not always come from enemies. Sometimes, it comes from our own mindset and from the people who love us the most. In David’s story, even his own brothers questioned his motives. Saul, the king, tried to dress David in his own armor as if David could not win with what he had. Saul’s armor was not a fit for David.
Many of us have heard similar messages: “That dream is too big.” “You are too old to start over.” “What if you fail?” These voices are often rooted in fear or misunderstanding. Often with the best intentions, people may speak from their own life experiences and limitations.
As I prepared to move away from everything familiar, some family members wanted to hold me back out of concern. They could not see what I saw. But I had to follow what I believed was planted in my head and heart.
It is critical to be discerning about who we listen to. Wise advisors, wise mentors, and uplifting family and friends can help us rise. But fear-filled voices and unwise guidance can cause us to shrink.
I had to learn to trust my faith and me more than the fear in others.
— Deborah Stallings
Giants in the Mind
While external resistance is real, the greatest resistance often comes from within. Low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and fear of failure are giants that many people face silently.
According to the Harvard Business Review, seventy percent of people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. It is especially common among high-achieving women and first-generation leaders. Left unchecked, it can stall careers, missions, and entrepreneurial opportunities, paralyze vision, and prevent people from stepping into their calling and life purpose.
But mindset can be transformed. Tools like affirmation, mentoring, counseling, coaching, and faith practices can reshape how we see ourselves. David reminded himself of his past victories before facing Goliath. We must do the same. We must learn how to encourage ourselves. I often note a “victory list” in my journal, tracking the moments where grace and courage helped me overcome.
Mindset transformation is not a one-time event. It is a daily decision to reject lies and know and speak truth. To silence fear and walk in faith. To believe that what we carry is enough.
Tools in Your Hand | Heart | Head: The S.T.E.A.D.Y. F.C. Model
David did not go into battle with armor that did not fit him. He reached for the tools that had shaped him in the quiet places. These were tools he had tested, trusted, and trained with. Like David, we are not asked to be someone else. We are asked to use what we already carry or have access to use.
I call this model S.T.E.A.D.Y. F.C., eight foundational tools that help me lead with purpose, clarity, and faith. These are not complicated or glamorous. They are steady, dependable practices I turn to each day.
S – Stillness (Quiet Time)
Taking time to reflect and be still helps me hear more clearly externally and from within. Stillness strengthens discernment, focus, and peace.
T – Tribe (Community)
I intentionally sought out positive tribes who believed in purpose, not just position. These communities provide support, accountability, and shared vision.
E – Education
Earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees expanded my vision and credibility. Continued learning through conferences, certifications, and study keeps me relevant and empowered.
A – Advisors and Mentors
Trusted voices examine my blind spots, help me navigate challenges, and offer insight I might not see on my own. Their wisdom is a strategic asset.
D – Devotion (Faith)
My daily devotional time grounds me and gives me strength. Prayer and time in scripture affirm that my heart and decisions are aligned with my faith.
Y – Your Voice (Journaling)
Writing helps me process thoughts, emotions, and inspirational nudges. It clears mental clutter and deepens awareness of what is happening within me.
F – Faith
Faith is the root of my resilience. It allows me to walk into uncertainty with peace, knowing that I am not alone.
C – Clarity through Reading
Reading books, articles, and scripture sharpens my thinking and reveals patterns, truths, and possibilities I may not have seen before.
Whether formal or faith-based, education has always been a stone in my slingshot. Lifelong learning gives you clarity, courage, and leadership credibility.
— Deborah Stallings
Each of these tools is part of how I stay steady in pressure, in performance, and in purpose. These are not one-time habits. They are lifelong anchors. You may name your stones differently, but the principle is the same. Use what is already in your hands, your head, and your heart.
Insights for Executives, HR, Entrepreneurs, and Individuals
For Executives and Leaders
- Great leaders are not just strategic thinkers. They are mindset builders.
- Create time for reflection and spiritual renewal. Vision requires clarity.
- Embrace mentoring and lifelong learning to stay sharp and self-aware.
- Encourage your team by modeling what it looks like to overcome fear with action.
For Entrepreneurs
- Rejection is part of the process. Reframe it as redirection.
- When you fall down, get back up.
- Surround yourself with positive people and those who have already achieved what you desire.
- Journal lessons learned, not just numbers tracked.
- Revisit your “why” often to sustain motivation.
- Keep refining your vision, mission, and strategic goals until you hit your sweet spot.
For HR and Workplace Culture
- Introduce journaling programs or digital reflections as part of wellness.
- Offer mindset or resilience mentoring through employee benefits.
- Launch peer mentoring groups focused on growth and courage.
- Incorporate purpose integration into onboarding and development conversations.
- Create resource groups that support innovation, positive mindset development, visioning, and goal setting.
- Make room for quiet reflection spaces at work.
- Celebrate not just performance outcomes but also mindset and transformational progress.
For Individuals Seeking Purpose
- Begin your day with gratitude and intention.
- Write down your dream and speak it aloud daily.
- Seek out uplifting people and limit or let go of draining relationships.
- Remember that you are not too old, too late, or too far behind.
It always seems impossible until it is done.
— Nelson Mandela
Start Today
What if today is the day you gather your stones and start walking toward your Goliath?
What if you already have everything you need?
You are not here by accident. You are a masterpiece. In Ephesians 2:10, the word used is “poema,” a Greek word meaning God’s workmanship, His poem, His creative expression. You are a unique creation, intentionally crafted with gifts, dreams, and purpose that only you can fulfill.
The positive dreams planted in you to do good are not random. They are divine invitations.
Start with what is in your hands, your heart, and your head. Start with what you know. Start with what you believe.
You are not the only one with a mountain. But you may be the only one who can move it the way you can. And yes, you can move mountains when equipped with the right stones.
Final Encouragement
Giants look big until you start moving toward them with purpose.
— Deborah Stallings
Stone by stone, thought by thought, action by action, your mindset can move mountains.
It is time.
You have a slingshot in your spirit.
Aim it well.
Sources
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Forbes. (2023). How long does it take a startup to become profitable? https://www.forbes.com
Harvard Business Review. (2021). Overcoming imposter syndrome. https://hbr.org
University of Scranton. (2023). New year’s resolution statistics. https://www.scranton.edu
About Deborah Stallings
My story begins in public housing in Chicago, where my journey to resilience and resourcefulness began. Later, on my grandparents’ farm in Mississippi, my brother and I, as children, helped our mother, who, despite paralysis, embraced life with purpose, supported by the love of those around her. Through these formative years, I learned the values of faith, perseverance, education, and hard work.
This foundation shaped my approach to servant leadership and fueled my passion for helping businesses and organizations like yours turn HR chaos into calmness. Over the last 26+ years, I have dedicated myself to empowering small business CEOs and leaders to stop worrying about HR and start thriving. With my proven AHIRED Method©, I deliver solutions that save money, give back your time, reduce risk, and build engaged leaders and high-performing teams.
When you collaborate with me, you are not just hiring one person, you are gaining a team of experts and specialists at HR Anew who share my values of wisdom, faith, and excellence. Together, we create transformative results for your business and team.
My Credentials:
- 30+ years of EEO, HR, Recruitment, and Training advocacy
- 20+ years as a resilient Christian educator
- Master’s degree in management and leadership, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Notre Dame of Maryland University
- Society for Human Resource Management, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)
- Nationally certified WBENC Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
- Aspiring Author
As a visionary leader, speaker, educator, trainer, and human resources expert, I am dedicated to helping organizations optimize their people, processes, and performance. Passionate about equipping businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving market, I have developed innovative strategies that have helped countless organizations achieve sustainable growth by fostering inclusive, high-performing workplaces.
About HR Anew
HR Anew is a premier human resources advisory and educational firm committed to transforming workplaces through strategic EEO and HR solutions, inclusion initiatives, leadership development, and workforce innovation. With a mission to empower organizations to build strong, engaged, high-performing teams, HR Anew provides tailored solutions aligning with organizational goals and driving measurable impact. Whether it is recruitment strategy, compliance, or employee engagement, HR Anew partners with organizations to deliver excellence, speed, and sustainable growth.