Many guys need to have a new mind-set about fatherhood—a new way of thinking. So what’s this new way of thinking? It’s thinking of your role as a father as being your job—your most important job— because it is. That should be your mind-set.
You also have to understand your ultimate purpose and responsibilities in your job. What would you think of an executive if he didn’t know the mission of his company? What about a football coach who didn’t know the purpose for his team? What would be your reaction if a military general said he didn’t understand his objectives on the battlefield? If a manager was never given a job description, do you think he’d understand the responsibilities of his position? You’d expect all of them to fail, and in some cases, maybe even be fired, right?
So if you agree that being a dad is your most important job and that you must know your purpose in that job, you need to be able to answer the following questions: What is my mission as a father? What are my goals and objectives as a dad? What daily or weekly tasks will I undertake to accomplish those goals? What is my job description as a father?
Are you going to be fired if you don’t have all the answers? Of course not. But without an understanding of each of these things, you won’t be the kind of dad you’d like to be to your children.
In my new book, All Pro Dad: Seven Essentials to Be a Hero to Your Kids, we’ll take an in-depth look at our mission, goals, job description, and management responsibilities as fathers in our quest to become the best dads we can be. Here’s what my good friend Tony Dungy and I have to say about the book.
