Lessons From Gethsemane: Why Even Jesus Sought Community in Crisis

Building Relationships Before You Have To: The Gethsemane Principle

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Happy Friday, Brew Nation! 

How many times have you found yourself staring down a high-stress moment, stepping up to the plate, and blurting out those three familiar words: “I’ve got this”? 

I’ll be the first to raise my hand. I hear myself saying it far too often! Our culture celebrates self-sufficiency. We lionize the “lone ranger” executive who carries the entire weight of the world on their shoulders without flinching. We tell ourselves, “I’m strong,” “I don’t need help,” or “I don’t want to bother anyone else with my problems.” 

In fact, just this week, I fell right into this exact reflex on LinkedIn. 

My friend Jill Schulman—author of The Bravery Effect, who I talk about often—posted about a massive opportunity coming up on her calendar. She was transparent enough to admit that alongside the excitement, she was feeling some real fear. I jumped into the comments to encourage her and typed out: “You’ve got this!” 

Not even 24 hours later, as I sat down to write this post, the realization hit me right between the eyes. 

Jill wasn’t just making a casual status update—she was reaching out to her circle, being vulnerable about her feelings, and leaning on her community. While she politely replied with “I’ve got this,” she came back a moment later to express deep gratitude for the encouragement. 

That interaction was a powerful reminder: sometimes, “I’ve got this” is just the shield we put up when what we really need is simple, genuine encouragement from people standing in our corner.

The Gethsemane Principle 

In Chapter 7 of my upcoming book, 8 Common Practices of Uncommon Leaders (launching August 25th!), I write about this exact core discipline: Building relationships before you have to. 

When storms hit, when grief crashes in, or when strategic challenges threaten to overwhelm your leadership, trying to stand alone is a guaranteed recipe for failure. 

Consider the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of the Crucifixion. Jesus was facing the greatest trial of His earthly life. The emotional and spiritual weight pressed down on Him until His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow. 

What did the Son of God do in His moment of raw vulnerability? He did not go it alone. 

Jesus went to prayer with the Father, but He also intentionally brought His inner circle—Peter, James, and John—close to Him. He asked them to stay, watch, and stand with Him. 

Do not miss this: Even Jesus sought the presence of a trusted community in His darkest hour. 
 
If Jesus prioritized an inner circle when the pressure was turned up, what makes us think we can navigate executive leadership, marriage, fatherhood, and faith all by ourselves?  Lone rangers always fall. 

Moving from “I’ve Got This” to “We’ve Got This”

Uncommon Leaders don’t wait for a full-blown crisis to build their bench. They proactively cultivate deep, honest, and trusted relationships with people who will: 

• Pray with them through hard decisions. 
• Speak truth when pride or blind spots creep in. 
• Hold them accountable when tempted to shortcut the process. 
• Encourage them when they feel like throwing in the towel. 

These aren’t casual networking contacts or surface-level acquaintances. They are your “Gethsemane” team. 

It’s time to trade the arrogant solo declaration of “I’ve got this” for the humble, unified strength of “We’ve got this.” 

Quote of the Week 

“Don’t wait until the roof is leaking to start building your inner circle. Dig the well before you’re thirsty.” — John C. Maxwell

Being the Uncommon Leader means throwing away the false pride of self-reliance. It is the “huddle room” of intentional brotherhood and sisterhood—the space where you choose vulnerability over isolation. Common leaders hide their struggles behind a polished mask until they break under the load. Uncommon Leaders have the humility to build a circle of trusted advisors long before the storm arrives, ensuring they have a team standing with them in the gap. 

Email me at coachjohngallagher@gmail.com with the subject line “WE GOT THIS” so we can connect on how you are building your inner circle before you launch your next big climb! 

 

What You Need to Do:  

The Chapter 7 Relation Audit

To stop operating as a lone ranger and start building your circle today, execute these three steps: 

• Audit Your Bench: Identify the 3 or 4 people in your life who have full permission to ask you hard questions and speak unfiltered truth. If that list is empty, acknowledge the gap today. 
• Offer Proactive Encouragement: Look at your feed or team today. Find someone like Jill who is stepping into a brave, uncomfortable space, and send them a note of encouragement before they ask for it. 
• Shift Your Vocabulary: Catch yourself every time you say, “I’ve got this” over the next week. Intentionally replace it with, “We’ve got this,” and invite a peer or team member into the task. 
   

“Isolation is the enemy of sustainable leadership, but intentional community is the bedrock of resilience. Stop carrying the weight of the world on your own shoulders, build your bench before the storm hits, and lead together. Keep climbing.” 

It’s an honor to be your trusted Friday Coffee Guy. Each week, I bring what I’m living, writing, and testing in the trenches of leadership development. With August 25th right around the corner, I can’t wait for you to dive deeper into Chapter 7 and the rest of the book! If this edition challenged you to drop the
“I’ve got this” attitude and invest in real community, SHARE it with an isolated leader who needs a hand today, then click SUBSCRIBE.  Let’s grow Brew Nation together! 

Until next week—stay humble, build your bench, and go grow champions!