My dads a really smart man.

Read a book a week for 30 years!
Can fix anything!!
Socially strong & networks well!
Great leader!

He never moved up in his company.

I recently asked him why & the answer he gave me brought me to tears!!

Man I love my dad

He told me at 25 he had given up drinking for good.

His father was an abusive alcoholic & he was on the same path until he met Jesus at 24 & I was born :)

He didn’t go to college.
He married my mom at 18 to escape his childhood & at 18.5 they were pregnant with my sister.

He had to grow up fast & took a job at an auto parts store at 18.

He was quickly promoted & promoted again to assistant manager by 20.

At 23 he was promoted to manager & running his entire shop!!

The money was good, but the hours weren’t.
55-60 hour weeks.

His mentor a man named Bill Miller at the auto store & a manager of a bigger store was stepping down after 40 years of service.

My dad went to congratulate him afterward & what Bill told him changed my dads life & ultimately mine

He pulled my dad aside and said,

Garry it’s not worth it.
I’m an old man now.

I gave everything to this company.
I missed my sons baseball games,
my daughters dance recitals.

After 40 years I got this F*cken watch.
He threw it away.

I wish I could go back & not work weekends.
My kids are grown & moved away.

My dad remained friends with Bill & the next year decided to step down as manager.

He went on to work as a parts guy 5 days a week from 730-330.

The thing I always recall first about my childhood is my dad was always home & always there on weekends playing!!

Truthfully, this decision cost our family some money.

We grew up on the bottom cusp of lower middle class :)

But looking back,
My childhood was the greatest!!

I never had the newest anything.
We didn’t eat out or take extravagant vacations.

MY FATHER WAS MY HERO THO!

He worked as a parts guy for Ford & another couple companies over the next 40 years until retiring last year!!

He also:
Coached my sisters teams in soccer
Made every recital of hers
Coached me in:

To this day his nickname among my friends is LEGEND!!

He also ran multiple marathons,
Got my mom into running & working out & they did a marathon together!

He volunteered for our small town 26 years in a row & built a gym there that is used by hundreds now!

He still coaches & mentors youth today in that gym!!

This is last week :)

I reflect back on what my childhood would’ve been like had my dad done the “normal” thing & prioritized work & money over his family & health like a lot of men do.

I’m so grateful he decided to not be “normal” & climb that company ladder.

I’m glad he was home!!

Now that I’m a father I’ve made a similar choice.

I was promoted many times in corporate banking & found myself making great money with great incentives.

Those incentives come at too high a cost for me tho.

Recently, I told my boss I’m stepping down from running my bank.

I’m going to work 2.5 days a week as an entry level employee instead of running a staff & branch.

I’m 37,
my boss was flabbergasted,
Once you go down you never come back up he warned!

They’re training my replacement now.

My daughter (5) is ecstatic dad will be home more soon!

I called my dad to tell him,

Thanks dad,
I love you & I’m going to honor your legacy & continue to pour into what truly matters just the way you taught me!

I’m going to coach all my kids games just like you!
I’m going to lead my family on adventures & pour in daily!!

I know my path isn’t for all.
I also know the role of a man is:
PROVIDE
PROTECT
PRESIDE

I take all of those very seriously & have systems in place we’ve built to provide income streams & passive income to replace a lot of the lost income from my job.

I got super intentional & decided
Less stuff
new cars
vacation home
designer clothes
fancy watch

Weren’t worth me working a job I didn’t love for the next 20 years & being gone 48hrs/wk

I’d rather live frugally & be around the people I love doing things I love more.

Perhaps my kids will grow up & follow a similar path or perhaps my daughter will grow up & be the first female President :)

Either way I’ll support their dreams & I’ll be there each step of the way to cheer them on, support them & love them!

Most important to me, I’LL BE THERE!

So again, I don’t challenge anyone that loves their work & works 80 hours a week that my way is better.
We all make choices that we think is best for us.

My one final thought to you would be
Pause a bit.
Reflect.
Get off autopilot.

If you do work a job you don’t love,

Look around,
Is the stuff worth it?
Ask yourself WHY you keep going day in & day out?

Can you set a plan in motion to get out?

My dads friend Bill Miller once said he would give anything to go back & get TIME with his kids.

TIME is the one thing we never get back.

I’ll forever be grateful my father,
THE LEGEND,

paused a bit & decided he wanted to be present more than just give us presents.

I sincerely hope you do the same & whatever conclusion you come to you go full steam at it & live your best life too!

Cheers & have a blessed day