---
title: "Student Leadership: What's Holding You Back?"
description: What leadership advice would a highly successful entrepreneur give to today's teens? Internet entrepreneur and venture capitalist, David Pakman, a partner at Venrock, told St. Luke's students their minds were the only things holding them back from their dreams.
image: https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_046.jpg
---

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# [Student Leadership: What's Holding You Back?](https://blog.stlukesct.org/whatsholdingyouback)

 by [Kate Parker-Burgard](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/kate-parker-burgard-director-of-community-connections)

![Kate Parker-Burgard: Director of Community Connections](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/Headshots%20for%20Authors/Parker-Burgard_Kathryn442.jpg)

### **David Pakman's Lunch & Lead**

We’ve had many fascinating [Lunch & Lead](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/center-for-leadership/lunch--lead) speakers but never one who had us lay face down on the floor. [David Pakman](https://www.venrock.com/teammember/david-pakman/), Partner at [Venrock](https://www.venrock.com/) and co-founder of Apple Music Group recently had his standing-room-only Lunch & Lead crowd spread across the floor attempting to hold plank position for as long as possible.

Pakman was illustrating the central message of his talk—our brains will often tell us to give up (in this case collapse), when in reality we are capable of much more.

“My only piece of wisdom that I think is worth passing on to you is that your mind is what’s holding you back from doing anything you want to do.”

David is a St. Luke's parent, [trustee](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/list-detail?pk=102389&fromId=250352),  member of [St. Luke's Center for Leadership Advisory Council](https://patch.com/connecticut/newcanaan/st-lukes-announces-powerhouse-leadership-advisory-council)and was a student mentor for the CFL's  [Leadership Lab: The Power of Brand.](https://patch.com/connecticut/wilton/st-lukes-launches-leadership-lab)

Enjoy David’s Lunch & Lead video below:

<https://vimeo.com/319959053>

   
See the [David Pakman Lunch & Lead Photo Gallery.  ](https://slscommunications.smugmug.com/2018-2019-/Center-for-Leadership-CFL/Lunch-Lead/Lunch-Lead-David-Pakman-2-7-19/)![Leadership with David Pakman](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_082R.jpg?width=5184&name=190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_082R.jpg)

 ![Lunch & Lead David Pakman](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_069R.jpg?width=5184&name=190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_069R.jpg)

![190207_Lunch&Lead_David Pakman_114](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_114.jpg?width=5184&name=190207_Lunch%26Lead_David%20Pakman_114.jpg) 

 

---

 

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[Kate Parker-Burgard](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/kate-parker-burgard-director-of-community-connections)

 Kate Parker-Burgard is St. Luke's Director of Community Connections and has been at the school since 2003. Previously, she served as Director of St. Luke's Center for Leadership as well as Director of Character Education before assuming her current role in 2023. Kate holds a BA with a concentration in Religion from Hamilton College and a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary. She was ordained into the United Methodist Church. She is also a member of the Board of the Foundation 4 Orphans.

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-parker-burgard-755541a/>

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