Don't Like It? Get Better.
Week 1: Don't Fight the Intro
Don’t Like It? Get Better.
Here we are and thanks for joining in!
What is this? This is a newsletter, among thousands of others. In this newsletter, I’ll detail the ups and downs of a modern dad trying to do a few cool things.
This isn’t about a statement or trying to show how I do something better or do it best. I sure as hell don’t know more than anybody and mess up all the time, just ask my darling wife!
What about those “cool things”?
Well, the big ones are being the best father I can be, the best husband I can manage, and the best human I can aspire to become.
I’ll share silly stories. I’ll share successes and failures. I’ll share my thoughts on life and legacy in being a dad today and what it all means.
Why me?
I guess why not me? A few years ago, I was lost in the wilderness. If you’re unfamiliar, here’s the short version: I was horribly out-of-shape, out-of-touch, and out of inspiration. I was overweight, stagnant, and drinking myself into oblivion.
Then one day my oldest son was playing with his blocks, and I scolded him to keep it down so as not to pain my aching and hung-over head. The confused and hurt look on his face is something I’ve never forgotten.
I went and splashed some water on my face and took a long look in the mirror, the kind they do in thenmovies right before the montage. Only there was no montage. There was just a sad dude mailing it in across all facets of life despite every advantage in the world.
But something changed in that moment. I got back in shape. I quit the drink. I recommitted myself to important goals and what really mattered to me.
Then I started writing. First, I joined a writing community called Ship30for30, which changed all my tomorrows. It started with 30 days, but I then wrote and published for 500 straight days. Then I wrote a book about it, the culmination of a lifelong dream.
And it gave me the confidence to start this new project.
In the beginning, I’ll try to stick to three main sections. Philosophical dad stuff, leadership, and the ultrarunning project.
Why now?
Because I realized these are my “good old days”.
These are the days, right now, that I’ll look back on fondly if I’m lucky enough to grow old. My children are young. I have my health. And I’m still able to pursue crazy dreams.
Speaking of those crazy dreams…
I’ve got a mind to start recording the running journey as well. While it’s not quite a “Couch tonUltramarathon” project, I felt inspired enough by a single video from a Canadian guy named Jeff Pelletier to have adopted a new life goal.
UTMB. The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.
106 miles around the Mount Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland.
The only problem is I’ve never run further than a marathon, and that was 15 years ago.
Not to mention, I now have 2 young kids, a wonderful wife and a career that matters to me.
But the funny thing about important goals is that if our “WHY” is strong enough, we’ll find a way. So it goes.
What to do? I’ve been running my entire life, but this requires learning to run in an entirely different way. I’ll be writing and learning to film and edit. I’ll try to keep the writings short and the videos even shorter. I pawned a GoPro from my nephew and am going to film the process of “dad bod” to running extreme distances. Or perhaps I’ll film a few colossal failures before throwing in the towel.
Either way, it should make for an interesting journey.
So buckle in for the ride!
One way or another, it’ll be a heck of a run. (cheap pun fully intended)
Thanks again for joining and allowing me to share!