Over the past several months, we’ve been spending a lot of time with the Saboteurs — the Judge, the Pleaser, the Avoider, the Stickler, the Hyper-Achiever. If you’ve been following along, you may have recognized yourself in some of these voices and thought, “Well, that’s a little uncomfortable.”
Good. That awareness is exactly where transformation begins.
But the Positive Intelligence (PQ®) framework isn’t just about identifying what’s working against you. It’s about discovering what’s already working for you — a part of your brain that the Saboteurs have been drowning out for years. In PQ, we call this the Sage.
What Is the Sage?
The Sage is the part of you that is wise, calm, curious, and grounded. It’s the part of you that, even in the middle of a hard situation, can see the bigger picture. It responds rather than reacts. It leads from values rather than fear.
The Sage operates through five powers — and if you look at these through a pastoral lens, they will feel deeply familiar:
- Empathy — “The compassionate pastor within.” How would I speak to a beloved congregant in this situation — and can I offer myself the same grace?
- Explore — “The curious disciple within.” What if this challenge is an invitation to learn? What am I being shown here?
- Innovate — “The Spirit-led creative within.” If nothing was off the table, what bold new response might I try?
- Navigate — “The wise elder within.” From the end of my life, what would matter most about how I handle this?
- Activate — “The faithful doer within.” What is one small, loving action I can take in the next 24 hours?
For pastors, the Sage will feel immediately familiar — because it sounds a lot like what you’ve always known the Spirit-led life to be. One pastor made this connection explicitly:
▌ “Over time, I’ve noticed a steadier presence in the pulpit, greater clarity in decision-making, and an ease in returning to the ‘sage’ mindset — what I would describe, in Christian terms, as the Spirit-led, non-anxious presence we hear in Galatians’ fruit of the Spirit.” — Pastor Scott W.
The Sage Was Never Missing — Just Outvoted
Here’s what I want you to understand: you already have a Sage. You’ve always had one. It shows up in those moments when you said exactly the right thing to someone who was grieving, when you stayed calm in a meeting that was spiraling, when you found a creative solution to a problem that seemed impossible.
The work of PQ isn’t to create something new. It’s to strengthen something that’s already there — to give your Sage more airtime than your Saboteurs.
Pastor Lucy S. described it this way:
▌ “The PQ program helped me to see my choices weren’t just exchanging one devil, one saboteur, for another; it helped me see I also have a sage. And just like in physical therapy, in my thinking I can make small movements to effect positive change. The Sage perspective you can get to know is vastly better than the devils you know very well. The PQ program is like the fresh air that enters through the opened door of a stale old house.” — Pastor Lucy S.
And Pastor Carl S. described what it felt like to operate from Sage Powers in a real pastoral situation:
▌ “Through PQ, I have developed the ability to use my Sage powers when I may feel my judge trying to get me to fall into the victim role. I have a new sense of freedom to appreciate that child in my picture and to help see the child in others.” — Pastor Carl S.
How to Access Your Sage Right Now
The fastest way to shift from Saboteur to Sage is through your body. Here is a simple Sage-activation practice:
Step 1: Pause — When you notice a Saboteur voice, don’t argue with it. Just pause.
Step 2: PQ rep — Spend 60-90 seconds focused on a physical sensation. Breathing, touch, or sound. Let your nervous system downshift.
Step 3: Ask a Sage question — “What is the gift or opportunity hidden in this challenge?” or “What would love do here?”
That last question — “What would love do here?” — is one of my favorites. Because for pastors, the Sage and the gospel speak the same language.
Email barbara@clergylifecoaching.com with the subject “Inner Voices” and I’ll send you my Guide to the Inner Voices of Ministry — a one-page reference showing all the Saboteur voices, their impact in ministry, and the Sage shift that counters each one.
If you’d like to experience the full PQ program and spend 6-8 weeks building your Sage muscles in a small group of fellow pastors, Email barbara@clergylifecoaching.com with the subject line “tell me more” and I’ll share details about the next cohort.
