After seven years of coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, which included a Super Bowl loss, Dick Vermeil quit. He was burned out. Over the next 15 years, he worked as an NFL game announcer. While covering different teams, he would talk to coaches and, in the process, he learned a lot. He returned to coaching in 1997, with the St. Louis Rams. This time, he was wiser, having gained valuable insight in those years away from coaching. He went on to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory with an undrafted, second-string quarterback named Kurt Warner. The years between coaching jobs gave him the growth needed to rise to the occasion.
Being an NFL coach is a big, high-profile job, but it doesn’t compare to the importance of being a dad. Over the years, your kids will need you to rise to the occasion as they face difficult decisions and painful situations. They will need your discernment, wisdom, and guidance. Are you ready? Here are 5 things dads need to rise to the occasion in fatherhood.
1. They need to know themselves.
The first thing every dad needs is a strong sense of self. We are all wired differently with various talents and abilities. It’s important that you know how you are made and what you bring to the table. Even further, you need to embrace who you are and your natural strengths. When you do that, you give permission to your kids to embrace who they are. It’s also important to know your weaknesses so you can get help where you need it.
2. They need to know where they come from.
Our past experiences play a powerful role in who we become. Victories and positive experiences have built our character and self-confidence. But unfortunately, there’s also plenty of junk that negatively affects our perceptions of the world, our relationships, and ourselves. It causes wounds and biases that affect our judgment and temperament. Dads who rise to the occasion can sift through all of that with clarity and a willingness to pursue healing.
3. They need to know their why.
Why are you a dad? That question might be easier for you if you have wanted to be a dad your whole life. Some of us didn’t plan to be dads, but if you’re a father, it’s for a significant purpose. Figure out what that purpose is. What about being a dad gets you excited? Find your passion for being a father.
4. They need to know where they want to be.
If you want to make a difference in your family when it counts, then you have to know where you’re going. What type of man do you want to be? What type of people do you want your kids to grow up to be? What do you want your family to look like in five, 10, 20 years? Once you have answered those questions, then the values you need to model and instill will become clearer.
Take a moment every morning to focus and to remind yourself how important your role as a dad is.5. They need to have endurance.
You are going to make plenty of mistakes. Rising to the occasion in fatherhood isn’t about being perfect; it’s about having the endurance to stay with it. It’s about modeling to your kids a person committed to doing his best to learn, grow, and improve. Take a moment every morning to focus and to remind yourself how important your role as a dad is. Then, stay engaged with your kids.
Earn some points: Are you married? If so, share this iMOM article with your wife: 8 Things Kids Say That Prove You’re a Great Mom.
Sound off: What has helped you be a better dad?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What do you think it takes to be the best you can be?”