What does it actually mean to be yourself—as a father, a husband, a professional, and a man?

In this episode, Sam and Cole unpack a realization that hit on the road after a show: the rare gift of not having to switch identities depending on where you are. From music scenes and corporate boardrooms to family life and friendships, they explore what it looks like to live with one consistent core—and why that matters so deeply for our kids.

The conversation moves through childhood conditioning, school systems, emotional responsibility, masculinity, and the subtle ways parents (often unintentionally) teach kids to trade authenticity for approval. They talk about why many men struggle to admit what they don’t know, how “must be nice” thinking quietly erodes leadership, and why modeling humility, curiosity, and emotional honesty might be one of the most important things we pass on.

This episode isn’t about having parenting figured out. It’s about asking better questions: Can you be the same person at work, at home, and with your friends? Are your kids learning who they are—or who they think you want them to be? And what kind of family culture are you actually building?

A grounded, honest conversation about identity, fatherhood, and the freedom that comes from telling the truth about who you are.

What happens when your kids look back and tell the story of you as a father?

In this episode, we ditch the outline and go somewhere deeper. Drawing on 15+ years of real-world grief recovery work, Cole shares what he’s seen time and time again when adults “graph” their relationship with their fathers—what hurt, what helped, and what never got resolved.

The surprising takeaway? Most dads weren’t bad. They were well-intentioned, hard-working men who simply didn’t have the emotional tools their kids needed.

We talk about:

• Why anger often becomes a man’s emotional armor—and how it pushes kids away

• How unresolved pain with your own father quietly shapes how you parent

• Why being a provider isn’t enough in 2025

• The difference between masculinity and emotional absence (it’s not either/or)

• How kids internalize belief systems that were never theirs to carry

• Why emotional completion—not perfection—is the real goal of fatherhood

This episode is a call to evolve—not to abandon strength, but to expand it. To be the kind of father who can protect fiercely and connect deeply. The kind of dad your kids won’t need to emotionally “recover” from later.

If you’ve ever worried about getting it wrong… If you want your kids to feel safe bringing their hearts to you… If you believe fatherhood deserves more than just “showing up”…

This conversation is for you.

Resources mentioned:

• The Grief Recovery Handbook

• When Children Grieve

• Support: support@thegriefrecoverymethod.com

If this episode resonated, please leave a rating or review—it helps other dads find conversations like this, and it means more to us than you know.

Being a father changes everything—including how you approach fitness. In this episode, Sam and Cole get real about what working out actually looks like when you have young kids, a demanding job, and zero hours to spare.

They break down the uncomfortable truths nobody shares: there is no perfect schedule, your progress won't be linear, and you'll have months where everything falls apart. But here's the thing—that's all part of the deal.

Sam and Cole challenge popular fitness culture that ignores family life entirely, from Instagram influencers with 8-hour training days to CrossFit programs that leave people burned out. They make the case for why every dad should be lifting weights (not cardio), building a a simple home gym, and lowering expectations while staying consistent.

Topics covered:

• Why time isn't given, it's created
• The benefits of working out in street clothes at home
• How lifting weights impacts everything from mental health to patience with your kids
• The dark truth about cardio culture
• Building a prison gym 2.0 in your garage

If you're tired of fitness advice from people who don't have kids, this one's for you.

Key Topics: fatherhood, fitness for dads, home gym, weightlifting, staying in shape with kids, parenting, men's health, testosterone, workout motivation