Self Realized, Shatter Your Limits

What Do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus Have In Common?

• Linton Bergsen • Episode 107

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If Jesus had a YouTube channel would he care about the algorithm?

Have you ever wondered what ancient wisdom and modern tech leadership could possibly have in common? Join me Linton Bergsen on this episode of the Self Realized, Shatter Your Limits podcast. The answer might surprise you. When I decided to explore the unexpected connection between YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Jesus Christ, I discovered a profound truth that transcends both time and technology. Both figures represent something far deeper than their respective platforms – they embody the transformative power of authentic leadership and vision. Neal Mohan, steering one of the world's most influential digital platforms, emphasizes that success on YouTube isn't about mastering the algorithm but about authentic communication that resonates at the soul level. 

Similarly, Jesus spoke his truth regardless of reception or popularity, creating ripples that continue thousands of years later. Both demonstrate that real influence comes not from manipulation but from speaking with conviction and purpose. The bridge between these seemingly different leaders reveals three shared principles: they elevate rather than simply build, they invite participation rather than dictate, and they serve rather than merely direct. 

This servant leadership approach – creating safe spaces for expression, welcoming feedback (even painful criticism), and admitting human limitations – stands in stark contrast to ego-driven models of leadership that prioritize control. What struck me most while developing this episode was the realization that these principles apply to each of us, regardless of title or platform. 

Your story matters. Your voice has power. Whether your stage is a boardroom, dinner table, or social media account, you possess the same ability to serve authentically, connect meaningfully, and lead with what I call "radical courage" – the willingness to be vulnerable, admit mistakes, and stay true to your vision even when faced with opposition. Ready to discover how these timeless principles can transform your approach to leadership and life? 

Listen now and then share how you're applying authentic leadership in your own circles. Being self-realized continues with embracing your unique voice and vision. 

Please leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the preferred platform you receive your podcasts on to help others find this life-changing mindset message and become part of the self-realized personal development podcast community worldwide.

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https://www.selfrealized.com

Linton Bergsen:

Welcome to the Self-Realized Podcast with Linton Bergsen, where you will shatter your limits. I am not much into the self-help industry as much as I'm into the self-realized individual, which is you, what matters most to you, how you get there and the obstacles that may be in your way. If you would like to be part of this podcast and part of that discussion, I welcome you here with an open heart, open mind and open arms. So, without further ado, let's get on with the podcast. Welcome to episode number 107 of the Self-Realized Shatter your Limits podcast. Thank you once again for joining me. I am Linton Bergsen. Whether you're listening to me on Apple or Spotify, or from the far corners of the earth which this podcast now reaches, know that this space has been made for you, your growth, your truth and your boundless potential.

Linton Bergsen:

Let me start today's episode with a question that you might want to contemplate for a moment, and it might be one that may surprise you. It is the title of today's episode, which is What Do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus Have In Common? Yes, you did hear me right. Stay with me on this one. Today we're cracking open two worlds that you never thought would overlap, but by the end of this episode. I promise you you'll see yourself in a different way than you have ever seen yourself before. Let's talk about the power of vision. For those of you who are familiar with my work, you'll be aware that I'm very big on vision. I have a five-star reviewed book available on Amazon, the title of which is Purposeful Vision. See your vision, Know your purpose. Let's talk a little bit about the power of vision. Let's start with the CEO of YouTube. As of this recording, that's Neal Mohan, a man at the helm of one of the world's most influential platforms, shaping culture, sparking movements and giving everyday people the power to broadcast their voice across the globe. It is a very powerful platform, but what's truly at the core of that role? It is this vision. Every day, a leader like Mohan wakes up and carries a vision, not just for a company, but for a community, a tapestry of billions of lives, each with a story waiting to be shared. You can do some research on Neal Mohan and you'll find out that he's not about the algorithm of YouTube. That's not what he is suggesting gets the story out there to billions of lives. What he suggests is this it is the authentic communicator, the person who is authentic, who communicates from their heart and their soul. That is successful on YouTube because, as he mentions, people know when you're being authentic and that has nothing to do with an algorithm and it is ultimately the source of great success on a platform like YouTube. Authenticity, speaking from your heart and your soul, and not from the place of how to manipulate an algorithm or what people would like.

Linton Bergsen:

I'm going to ask you now to travel with me back 2,000 years ago. A man walks across the desert and mountaintops, gathering crowds not for fame but for purpose. Jesus, teacher, rebel, visionary. He spoke in parables. He shared stories, not through screens and videos, but from hilltops and marketplaces marketplaces. His vision wasn't prescribed by metrics or markets, but by meaning, by connection, by love. Contemplate on that for a moment.

Linton Bergsen:

If Jesus had a social media platform and he had a YouTube channel, do you think he would release videos and social media based upon what people liked, or would he be his authentic self? Even in today's world, with all the technology that we have available, I would strongly suggest to you that if Jesus was on social media, his message would be exactly the same as it was 2,000 years ago and he would probably receive the pushback, likes and dislikes, haters and acceptance, exactly as he did then. He would now. There would always be the naysayers. If he released a video of him making a blind man see and the resurrection of Lazarus. Now what would happen is people would say that was AI. It's not real. So, no matter what year you're in 2,000 years ago or whether you're present, it doesn't make any difference.

Linton Bergsen:

The point of the matter is would Jesus be authentic and continue what he's doing anyway? Yes, he would. And Neal Mohan is saying that you need to be authentic and continue doing what you're doing. That's what Jesus, part of, and Neal Mohan have in common the very strong suggestion your success in life is based upon your authenticity, communicating from that place, from strength and vision, always from who you are and what you're about. It is your divine birthright. It is what you came here to do, as Jesus did. Express yourself authentically with vision, clarity and purpose. Can you see the connecting bridge yet between what do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus have in common?

Linton Bergsen:

Both are driven by the power of a greater vision to do three things. Number one not just to build, but to elevate. Number two not just to tell but to invite. And number three, not just to lead but to serve. And when I suggest not just to lead but to serve, let's you and I peel back the curtain on what true leadership looks like. It isn't about control and it certainly isn't about ego. It's not the my way or the highway mindset. Real leadership is about true service. It has been called, and I'm sure you may have heard the term servant leadership. Jesus modeled this. He washed the feet of his own followers. He listened before he spoke, which I talk about more in the previous episode, number 106, Why Silence Is Your Secret Weapon for Success. Jesus lifted others up, even as he carried the weight of something that was obviously far bigger than himself.

Linton Bergsen:

Jump back into today and you'll see that the very best CEOs, the ones who truly shatter limits, and certainly the very best ones that I have worked with in all my years of organizational development, share that same spirit. They create safe places for people to express themselves and work productively. They listen to feedback. It's not always easy, because it can be very painful sometimes and sometimes very humbling. They stand up for their teams, they can celebrate individual achievements and they're never afraid to say I don't know everything, but I'm here to learn, to empower and to serve.

Linton Bergsen:

Ask yourself this question. Can you say that and mean it with authenticity, from your very core, in life and in business, in your own personal leadership and professional and individual world? So here's the million-dollar question for you today where are you being called to serve today? Whose life might you touch with a kind word, a gesture or an idea? What is the vision you can carry, not just for yourself, but for the entire world that you surround yourself with? In order to be authentic, in order for you to move forward, in order for you to be effective, you need to have what I call radical courage and make authentic connections.

Linton Bergsen:

Both the CEO of YouTube and Jesus have stood, or still stand, before unimaginable challenges. Contemplate on this for a moment. Think of the criticism, the pressure and the misunderstandings one can face in the wild jungle of social media. All the hate comments, digital storms. On the other, persecution, doubt and, ultimately, sacrifice. What do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus have in common? They both lean into something extraordinary, which requires radical courage, and I'm not just talking about the chest-thumping superhero kind. I'm talking about the courage to be truly vulnerable, to admit mistakes, to say I am human too, to keep believing in the light when all of the external noise says no.

Linton Bergsen:

Ultimately, people follow authenticity. We are all innately and intuitively wired for it, and I talk about and use intuition as examples for many things throughout every episode, because we are spiritual beings first and human beings second, and we understand when our inner voice and our intuition are talking to us and we recognize authenticity at a deep, inner, intuitive level. When you hear a leader or any soul speak from their core, you lean in, you remember what they said, you imagine what could be. In today's episode, I really want to share something with you and I want you to remember this your story is enough. Your voice matters.

Linton Bergsen:

It's very important for you to leave your mark and make your impact every day in what you say, how you act and who you are. That is the purpose of the self-realized individual in their everyday life. So What Do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus Have In Common? They both started where you are right now, today, with questions, with dreams, doubts, with a desire to connect and make something more meaningful in their life, a contribution, something that's sustainable for your own well-being and the well-being of others in a very positive way. Every movement, every single breakthrough, every ripple in the pond of history started with a single person saying I want to make an impact. That is you.

Linton Bergsen:

It doesn't matter if your stage is a boardroom, the dinner table in the evening or a WhatsApp chat group. You have this power every day to encourage someone who is doubting, who needs a helping hand that you can extend outwardly, for them to hold onto and give them hope, to speak up for what's right. With compassion, you plant an idea that grows into something bigger than you. When Mohan helps the creator find their audience and when Jesus lifted someone from despair to hope, the pattern was the same Connection, service, courage and vision. Let me give you a challenge, a call to action to stretch your heart and your mind, and here it is this week.

Linton Bergsen:

Ask yourself this where can I serve, connect and lead with courage in my own circle? Is it conversation that you've been avoiding, an apology that you may need to make? Or maybe it's time to finally launch that passion project that you've kept hidden, that you never started, that you never felt you could do, but you can, because you do have the radical courage to live your vision. Write it down, speak it aloud, share it with someone you trust and then take the first step. Because when you choose to shatter your limits, it isn't about waiting for a miracle or a title, or waiting for permission. It's about realizing that your life, right now, right where you are, is a story the world needs to hear. You have a message because you are unique and you are authentic, and your life is something you can talk about from your perspective and help others to understand what you've been through. That is a worldwide message that creates a connection between us all, our individual stories about the struggles of our life. Whether you're searching for your why at 3 am in the morning I know I've woken up at 3 am in the morning many times wondering why this, why that or if you're just running a company, changing diapers, just living your life on an everyday basis, know that you too are a visionary. You have a vision. You have the seeds of greatness within you. All you have to do is to take the first step to planting that seed and watering it, and you will be amazed at how that seed can grow into something way beyond your greatest imagination. If you nurture it, take care of it and make sure that no one gets to trample on it.

Linton Bergsen:

What do the CEO of YouTube and Jesus have in common? Well, Neal Mohan says the key to success on his platform is authenticity really wanting to help people and connecting at a soul level sincerely with your audience. I think Jesus did that very successfully. Did he win everyone over? No, he still hasn't, but I would suggest to you that he has a lot more followers than most people do 2,000 years later, after he is no longer around. Contemplate on that for a moment. There must be something to this word. Authenticity. Begin to live by it today and you too will unlock its magic and true meaning in your own life. I sincerely appreciate you listening to the podcast. Please subscribe so you do not miss any upcoming episodes. What ever platform you are on please leave a rating and review I would greatly appreciate it. Any additional information on me Linton Bergsen and my five star reviewed book Purposeful Vision is available at selfrealized. com, which is all one word. You can also leave any comments or suggestions on the website. I look forward to connecting with you very soon and take good care of yourself.