People often say that children don’t come with an instruction manual.
They’re absolutely right.
If there’s one thing becoming a dad has taught me, it’s that parenting isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about trying your best, learning as you go, and hoping that the example you set leaves a positive mark.
As my kids have got older and made their way into high school, I’ve realised something.
They might not ask as many questions as they used to.
They might not want to spend every spare minute with Mum and Dad anymore.
And they certainly don’t think I’m quite as cool as they once did!
But one thing hasn’t changed.
They’re still watching.
Maybe even more than ever.
When they’re younger, they watch what you do.
As teenagers, they start paying attention to who you are.
They notice how you speak to people.
How you react when things don’t go your way.
Whether you’re true to your word.
How you treat your family.
Whether you’re kind.
Whether you’re respectful.
Whether you work hard.
Whether you complain or look for solutions.
It’s made me realise that the biggest lessons I’ll ever teach my children probably won’t come from sitting them down and giving advice.
They’ll come from the life they see me living every day.
One of the reasons I’ve become so passionate about looking after my health is because I want them to understand that your wellbeing matters.
Not because I expect them to complete Ironman races or spend hours training every week.
That’s not the point.
The point is showing them that looking after your body and your mind isn’t something you do when you’ve got spare time.
It’s something you prioritise because it helps you become a better person.
A better husband.
A better dad.
A better leader.
I want them to see that discipline isn’t about punishment.
It’s about self respect.
The same applies to work.
I’ve always worked hard.
Anyone who knows me knows I struggle sitting still for too long.
But I also hope my children see why I work hard.
Not because I’m chasing money for the sake of it.
Not because success is measured by the size of a business.
But because I genuinely enjoy building things.
I love creating opportunities for people.
I love seeing businesses grow.
I love watching someone develop confidence and achieve something they didn’t think was possible.
If my children remember anything about my career, I hope it’s that work can be meaningful.
That success feels better when you bring other people along with you.
I also hope they see that it’s okay to fail.
They’ve seen me train for events that haven’t gone perfectly.
They’ve seen difficult periods in business.
They’ve seen plans change.
What I hope they’ve also seen is that setbacks aren’t the end of the story.
You dust yourself off.
You learn.
You adapt.
Then you go again.
That’s resilience.
And I honestly think it’s one of the greatest qualities anyone can develop.
Life will always throw challenges your way.
You can’t control that.
You can control how you respond.
As they’ve grown older, our conversations have changed too.
They’re becoming young adults with their own opinions, ambitions and personalities.
I love that.
I don’t want them to become copies of me.
Far from it.
I want them to become the very best versions of themselves.
My job isn’t to map out their lives.
It’s to give them the confidence to find their own path.
To support them when they need it.
To challenge them when it’s necessary.
And to always let them know that home is somewhere they can come back to, no matter what.
The older I get, the more I realise that leadership doesn’t stop when you leave the office.
Being a dad is probably the most important leadership role I’ll ever have.
Not because I’m in charge.
But because my actions carry weight.
Whether I realise it or not.
That thought keeps me grounded.
It reminds me to stay patient.
To stay present.
To apologise when I get things wrong.
To keep learning.
To keep trying to be better than I was yesterday.
Business achievements are brilliant.
Crossing an Ironman finish line is unforgettable.
Building successful companies has given me opportunities I could never have imagined.
But if, years from now, my children grow into kind, hardworking, resilient people who care about others and aren’t afraid of chasing their own ambitions…
I’ll consider that my greatest achievement.
Because long after businesses change and careers evolve, family is what remains.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this:
The little eyes never really stop watching.
They simply grow up.
And that makes the example we set even more important.
