Why Good Fathers Make Great CEO's
I often say that being a good father is alot like running a business. Dad is the CEO, and the one who everyone looks to for guidance, direction and encouragement. At least thats how it’s supposed to work. The commonality doesn’t end there though.
Did you know that 25% of entrepreneurs fail at least once before hitting it big? Just as a good father is no stranger to blowing it, some of the best business minds of our times failed miserably before achieving success. Bill Gates, the eventual founder of Microsoft, dropped out of college and spent 6 years on a business that ultimately failed. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, started and grew his own high-profile company, only to be fired due in large part to the influence of a CEO he helped recruit to his company. Even Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse was rejected 300 times before he became a success.
All three of these men not only survived these lows, but went on to become some of the most recognizable names that built some of the most successful brands in the world today. Just think how different the world would be had these men been too discouraged to keep going. You can follow the same logic for dads. It doesn’t matter whether it was a contentious divorce, being disconnected from the kids, the regret of saying something that shouldn’t have been said, or expressing anger over something that in the grand scheme of things didn’t really matter. None of these things are a good justification for throwing in the towel as a dad. Mistakes are part of the journey.
Much like powerful CEO’s, the thing that good fathers understand is that the road to leaving behind a powerful legacy is paved with failure. In this article, I’ll explain how every dad makes big mistakes and fails from time to time, but only some can shrug aside their own mental beatings and continue to forge ahead. What makes a good father is his ability to celebrate small wins, fail fast, and be brave enough to try new approaches. Discover how to focus on these three keys so you can confidently lead your family to success just as a powerful CEO does for his company.
Progress Trumps Perfection
Show me the dad who claims to do everything right and I’ll show you a liar. Of course, there are alot of good fathers out there, but there aren’t any perfect fathers.
Striving for perfection sounds nice, but if you want to be realistic the better approach is to focus on simply making progress. Just try to be 1% better than you were the day before. You’ll ride the wave of those little victories and eventually be looking down at the lesser dad you were when you started.
Imposter syndrome
That kind of progress doesn’t come easy though. Many men ranging from normal everyday fathers to extremely successful business owners experience something called imposter syndrome. This is the inner belief that even when you do experience some level of success it’s still not enough. Even the most successful people, such as Matthew McConaughey and Paul McCartney have been outspoken in their struggles with this, though there are countless others. Imposter syndrome is an everyday battle for lots of men, but there is a great solution for fighting back against this quiet “success killer.”
Learning to fail fast
One of the most important lessons anyone can learn in life is how to fail fast. It’s important not to let your failures beat you up to the point that you make the decision to quit. Now obviously being a father isn’t something you can “quit” but what many dads end up doing is just as bad. They’ll settle in on the couch to watch the game, work long hours away from the family, or decide to settle for simply being in the same room as their kids, rather than actually engaging with them.
Let’s circle back to our business analogy for a second. Imagine if the founders of those companies gave up when they experienced their first wave of setbacks. The world as we know it would be a completely different place. Your family is no different. Always remember you’re the CEO of your family. If you quit on them who’s going to fill that void. Don’t give up at the first sign of failure. Instead, reflect on what happened, learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward. Master the art of failing fast.
Take Risks
It goes without saying that being a successful business person requires a certain amount of risk. Successful businesses understand that they need to be innovative if they’re going to keep growing. They need to try new things to stay ahead of the curve. The goal of any man who wants to be a good father should be to follow that same blueprint.
Sadly, most dads settle for only doing what they need to do in order to get by.
Cook some meals.
Change some diapers
Read a book or two
Many can’t even manage that. The proof of that is the 18 million children who are living in a home without a father.
Clearly, being innovative looks a bit different for a father than it does for a business, but it’s still very important.
So what does it look like to prioritize innovation as a father? Here are a few ideas to start out with.
Play with your kids.
Create an environment where they feel free to speak with you about anything.
Play an active role in their digital life. Monitor their social media feeds and internet usage.
Teach them how to be thriving adults, by how you live your life.
Some of these things might seem completely foreign to you. They might be well outside of your comfort zone, as it stands today. Remember it’s only when you experience discomfort that you begin to grow. Embrace the CEO inside of you and charge forward with the intention of taking bold risks, being innovative and watching your family grow closer together as a result.
Refuse To Quit
Any successful CEO has a strong desire not to quit at the first hint of adversity. They know that their company is going to go through ups and downs. There will be good days and bad days. The message through all of that is to stay the course. Have the resolve not to quit. When you take even a few minutes to do some basic googling you’ll soon discover that most CEOs possess this quality. In fact, one of the biggest differences between good companies and bad companies, or good fathers and bad fathers is that in both cases the former is 100% committed to continuing the mission, no matter what.
The Choice
You see, like CEOs of fortune 500 companies, both good fathers and bad fathers make mistakes. They’ve all screwed up. They’ve all blown it.
We’ve all been there too. You screw up and get lost in your own head. This is the moment when you’re faced with a choice.
Option 1: Give up. Admit to yourself the pressure is too great and you’re not up to it. This is not the MO of a good father.
Option 2: Make the decision to be a good father day in and day out. A good father isn’t defined by his mistakes, discouraged by his failures, or frightened by taking brave risks. Just as the successful CEO stands firm amidst the storms coming down on his business, so too should a good father stand tall and continue fighting for the heart of his family.
The right choice is obvious, but in the heat of the moment maybe not so much. I want to encourage you to keep making the choice to fight for your family, day, after day, after day. If you want to be the CEO that guides your family to success it’s imperative that you’re able to navigate through your mistakes and make the decision not to quit no matter the circumstances.
4. Conclusion
A good father shares many similarities with a successful CEO. Chief among them are:
Good fathers aren’t good because there perfect, good fathers are good because they’re committed to getting better
They understand that in order to be a good father they must continue to learn new things and fail fast.
Most of all, good fathers refuse to define themselves by their failures or mistakes.
Remember you’re more than merely a good father, you’re the hero your kids deserve and the CEO your family has been looking for. Don’t let your mistakes or failures determine your success as a father. Instead, learn to fail fast, take risks and never give up. Master these skills and earn the right to be called a good father.
Shane Achey | Hero Dad Mission
Shane Achey, founder of the Hero Dad Mission blog, is a devoted husband of 10 years. He is also a father to 4 kids, twin 4-year-old boys, a 3-year-old little girl and his 8-month-old daughter. Shane’s mission is to help dads make the choice to go from ordinary father to hero dad.
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Much like powerful CEO’s, the thing that good fathers understand is that the road to achieving success is largely paved with failure.