The
Making
of a
Mission-Ready Leader
The Origin of
the LionHeart Protocol
I attended and graduated from The United States Military Academy at West Point, where I was a Division 1 starter in both Army Football and Army Baseball.
After graduating, I was commissioned as a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant in Field Artillery. I went on to play professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds.
Then came two combat deployments with the 1st Cavalry Division to the Middle East. I saw the world through the eyes of humanity navigating a war-torn Iraq—a determined enemy trying to kill us. The pain of loss. The heartache of helplessness. The longing for an answer. I saw it all.
I’m just a kid from Cleveland, Ohio.
My parents were both teachers. My brother and I didn’t want for anything, but money was always tight. Vacations were local. Eating out was a special occasion. Mom and Dad worked hard to give us a better life.
My dad, Mike Holden, coached me in football at Hudson High School. Spending every day on the practice field, and under Friday Night Lights, with him was one of the greatest gifts I was ever given.
No handouts, no inheritance, no free lunches. Simply hard work, the realization and acceptance of the specific gifts God put inside me, and a relentless dedication to excellence.
The elation
of coming
home from war—there is no equivalent.
The “Paul in Damascus” moment.
I earned an MBA from The Ohio State University. Worked to become Sales Rep of the Year in 2024 at BioTissue. I now lead 12 sales reps across the United States, selling arguably the most sophisticated, yet simple, technology to the best surgeons in the world.
Physical strength has been the constant throughout the journey.
I tried it all—bodybuilding, HIIT training, yoga, CrossFit, you name it. Several months of gains and improvements, and then BOOM… hit a wall, reach a plateau, get bored, peak.
Then came my “Paul in Damascus” moment. The simple solution is the beautifully elegant, the ruthlessly efficient, the answer hiding in plain sight.
Physical strength is the most important thing in life
The truth will set you free
This is true, whether you want to believe it or not.
Yet somehow, through this realization, I was able to transform myself from weak to strong in all areas of my life—emotionally, mentally, spiritually.
I have eliminated NEEDINESS from all aspects of my life. I have embraced my WANTS but I need nothing..
I CAN’T UN-SEE THE TRUTH.
You won’t be able to un-see it, either.
The TRUTH will set you free.
That’s why I built the LionHeart Protocol.