A really important essay that should start a lot of conversations. How can men be both ambitious at work, and ambitious about being great dads. It can be managed, doesn’t need to be one or the other.
My strategy is pretty simple: stay focused, don’t waste time on bullshit, keep improving execution. I do this by carefully clarifying what I want my work to be, focusing on health to maximize energy, setting clear rules on time with kids (weekday dinners, weekends prioritize family) and completely removing time-wasting activities. With clear goals and discipline, my plan is to achieve compounding gains.
I am writing this because I never hear anyone say it.
Be ambitious enough to be an ambitious dad.
Source: Being ambitious and being a dad | Nicholas Charriere
I have a handful of real regrets from my working life and not being more intentional about balancing “dad” and worker is one of them. I did my best, but it was very much a real-time, “do your best” sort of thing. In the end, I was pretty good at both, but I had it in me, i think, to be very good or great at both at that same time. I’m afraid I made compromises without being conscious of them. Choices without really choosing.