If you’ve ever tried to build a home gym, chances are Cooper Mitchell helped you do it, whether you realized it or not.

Coop is the founder of Garage Gym Reviews, one of the most trusted platforms in the fitness world for reviews, guides, and education around home gym equipment. What started as a niche interest grew into a massive resource for everyday lifters who want to train seriously without stepping foot in a commercial gym.

But behind the racks, barbells, and YouTube videos, Coop is also a dad of six.

Yes, six.

His kids range from eight years old to one-year-old twins, and life in the Mitchell household moves fast. When asked about the hardest part of parenting, Coop doesn’t sugarcoat it.

It’s navigating fatherhood alongside all the other responsibilities he has and still wants to keep having. Work matters. Health matters. Faith matters. But so does knowing when to put each in its proper place.

Building a Life Around Priorities

Coop’s days start early. Around 5 a.m., he’s up reading the Bible and praying before heading into his garage gym for a solid training session. From there, it’s coffee with the kids, work, homeschooling breaks, and afternoons filled with play, Legos, throwing balls, and being outside.

Evenings slow down intentionally. Dinner together. Sharing stories from the day. Family worship that includes reading scripture, catechism, singing hymns, and prayer. Then books, board games, and bedtime.

It’s structured, but not rigid. Purposeful, but lived-in.

When everything hits at once, Coop leans on a principle that guides his decisions. Knowing the difference between urgency and importance. Everything feels urgent, but only some things truly matter. His goal is to give his best energy to what’s important, even when the urgent is loud.

The Weight of Time

Before becoming a dad, Coop suspected time moved quickly. Fatherhood confirmed it. The days are long, but the years are short. That awareness shapes how he and his wife process life together. At the end of long days, they sit in bed and trade stories about the kids. Moments they don’t want to forget. A way of slowing time down by remembering it.

The advice that stuck with him most is one he thinks about often. Be the person you want your children to grow into. Not just someone who teaches values, but someone who lives them.

Staying Grounded

When life gets heavy, Coop resets through prayer, time in God’s Word, and lifting heavy. His non-negotiable for dad life is surprisingly simple. Smile. Exude joy. Be the blessing man.

And when he gets time alone, he keeps it classic. Fine cigars and good books.

Coop’s story is a reminder that strength isn’t just built under a barbell. It’s built in routines, priorities, and showing up consistently for the people who matter most.

You can follow Cooper at @homegymcoop, and find Garage Gym Reviews on YouTube.

There’s a certain honesty you only get from musicians who’ve lived a few lives. Tony Kamel fits squarely in that camp.

Tony writes and performs songs for a living. Some people even listen. He’s toured, recorded, chased the dream, and done the unglamorous work that keeps the lights on. Now, he’s also a dad navigating a very different kind of stage.

Tony lives in the Austin, Texas area with his wife and their four-year-old daughter. Their second child is arriving this February. When asked what the hardest part of parenting has been, he doesn’t romanticize it.

Everything is hard. Once you accept that hard is the baseline, it oddly gets easier. That mindset shift matters, especially in the early years. Sleep deprivation, he admits, is a real personality test.

Finding Meaning in the Small Stuff

For Tony, the most rewarding part of fatherhood isn’t the big milestones. It’s the small moments that show up quietly and disappear just as fast.

Right now, he’s his daughter’s favorite person in the world. He knows that season has an expiration date, and instead of fighting it or brushing past it, he’s choosing to enjoy it fully.

That awareness runs through how he approaches both parenting and work.

How Fatherhood Changed His Career

Before becoming a dad, Tony didn’t realize how much parenting would reshape his relationship with touring. It didn’t end his career, but it did change how it feels.

He still tours, just less. Not because he can’t do it, but because he doesn’t love it the same way anymore. There’s more guilt now. More awareness of what he’s missing. In his words, it’s a total blessing, even if it comes with tradeoffs. He also notes, with dry humor, that the middle-class touring world has mostly disappeared anyway.

Fatherhood didn’t shrink his ambition. It refined it.

The Best Advice He Ever Got

The advice that stuck with Tony is short and absolute.

Never go against your wife’s motherly instincts. Ever. Not even a little.

It’s a reminder that partnership matters, and that parenting works best when trust runs both ways.

A Typical Dad Day

Tony describes his days as suburban bliss. Early mornings, coffee and breakfast, school drop-off, yoga if he’s lucky, then work. It’s not flashy. It’s steady.

When work, life, and family all collide, he admits he doesn’t juggle it gracefully. Balls get dropped. Chaos shows up. The key is getting better at picking things back up and riding the wave instead of fighting it. His wife, who he describes as wildly organized, is the anchor. Without her, the operation falls apart.

Yoga and meditation help too, but he’s clear about what really keeps things moving. Teamwork.

Dad Life Non-Negotiables

Tony’s non-negotiable is one every parent recognizes instantly. If his daughter wants a song repeated, he repeats it. Even when it’s annoying.

He remembers what it felt like to be obsessed with a song as a kid. That joy, that sense of wonder, matters more than convenience.

When he gets time alone, his guilty pleasure isn’t glamorous. He paints houses. It’s a survival job. Not very rock-and-roll. Extremely relaxing. Especially the part where he’s not broke.

Playing the Long Game

Tony’s story is a reminder that fatherhood doesn’t end creative ambition. It reframes it. The wins get quieter. The priorities shift. The meaning deepens.

He’s still writing songs. Still performing. Still building a life that works for this season.

You can follow Tony at @tonykamelmusic.

If you’ve ever caught yourself walking backwards down the sidewalk and wondered how you got there, there’s a good chance Ben Patrick is to blame.

Known to millions as the Knees Over Toes Guy, Ben Patrick didn’t rise to fame by chasing trends or flashy fitness hacks. He took off by doing the opposite. He shared his failures. Years of chronic knee pain. Surgeries that didn’t work. Training methods that left him worse off than before. Then he started rebuilding his body from the ground up and documenting what actually helped.

That honesty struck a nerve.

What started as unconventional rehab content quickly became a movement. Ben challenged long-held beliefs around knee health, mobility, and longevity, showing people that the joints most of us were told to protect were actually meant to get strong through full ranges of motion.

Suddenly, athletes, parents, and everyday guys were rethinking how they train, how they move, and how long they want their bodies to last.

And yes, a lot of us started walking backwards. Our neighbors are still confused.

From Rehab to Movement

Ben’s rise wasn’t overnight. It came from years of testing, teaching, and refining ideas that went against the grain. Instead of avoiding knee stress, he showed how to build resilience. Instead of accepting pain as inevitable, he made the case for rebuilding capacity.

His approach resonated because it wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about durability. Being able to run, jump, squat, and move well not just in your twenties, but decades later. For dads especially, that message hits different. Longevity matters when you want to keep up with your kids.

Today, Ben is one of the most recognizable voices in modern fitness, with a global audience and a training philosophy that’s influenced everyone from elite athletes to weekend warriors.

But at home, he’s just dad.

Dad of Two (Soon to Be Three)

Ben and his wife have two young kids, ages three and five, with a third on the way. Fatherhood has reshaped how he sees the world, and not always comfortably.

The hardest part of parenting for him has been realizing how poorly modern systems are set up for kids. The schedules. The environments. The lack of space to move, explore, and grow. Rather than accepting that as normal, Ben’s response has been patience and intention. Slowly building better setups and systems for his family, even if it takes time.

The most rewarding part has nothing to do with fitness or career wins. It’s the smallest moments. The little things his kids do that bring more joy than any physical achievement or professional milestone.

Before becoming a dad, he wishes he understood the importance of land, space, and family over cities, stuff, and outsourcing influence. That realization has shaped his long-term vision. He’s actively working toward moving to land in the coming years to create a simpler, more grounded environment for raising his kids.

A Realistic Dad Day

Ben doesn’t pretend his days are perfectly balanced. He calls it juggling, and he’s honest about the messiness.

Mornings often start with a dog walk before the kids wake up. Breakfast follows, then a fluid mix of parenting, work, and time with his wife and friends. There’s no perfect symmetry. Just seasons.

This year, he also volunteered to coach a high school basketball team. His kids often tag along, and while it’s not always convenient, it’s meaningful. He loves coaching kids and already knows he can’t wait to coach his own.

When work, life, and family all collide, Ben focuses on patience and building better systems instead of sweating the small stuff. His reset is simple. Get at least a couple workouts in for himself. Move his body. Clear his head.

What’s Non-Negotiable

Ben’s non-negotiables for dad life are refreshingly straightforward.

  • Get outside.
  • Take action.
  • Practice good manners.
  • Work hard at something meaningful.
  • Love deeply.

When he gets time alone, there’s no elaborate hobby list. He works out. He plays basketball occasionally. That’s it.

And through it all, his perspective is grounded by a reminder many dads need to hear. The days are long, but the years are short. Put the work in now and you’ll be proud of it later.

Whether he’s rebuilding knees or building a family, Ben Patrick is playing the long game.

You can follow him at @kneesovertoesguy and @atgonlinecoaching

If you’ve ever seen a photo that made you want to quit your job, buy a Sprinter, and chase cold waves until your eyelashes freeze, chances are Chris Burkard took it. The world-famous photographer and filmmaker from Pismo Beach has turned remote landscapes into a global calling card. But behind the wild adventures is a dad with two boys who is still figuring out the playbook like the rest of us.

And that is exactly why this Q&A hits.

Who Is Chris Burkard (Beyond the Screensavers)

Burkard is the guy brands call when they need a shot of someone doing something incredible in a place most of us only see on postcards. His images show the edges of the world, but his life at home is surprisingly grounded. He is a surfer, a husband, and a dad trying to raise two boys with wonder instead of worry.

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The Q&A

When you ask Chris Burkard about the hardest part of parenting, he barely pauses. This is a man who has stood on icebergs and photographed storms, yet fatherhood still brought him to his knees in a way the Arctic never could. He told us the real challenge was accepting that he had no idea what he was doing and learning, slowly, that the early years he once feared were unappreciated were actually the moments that mattered most.

Chris grew up without a father, so he had no blueprint to follow. Every chapter he is writing now, he is writing for the first time. And the thing he learned early is this: showing up is the job.

Ask him about the rewards and his shoulders drop a little, the way people soften when they talk about the good stuff. For Chris, the payoff is watching his boys find joy. Not achievements or polished milestones.

Pure, unfiltered joy. Laughing together. Losing themselves in awe, even when the house feels chaotic. Coming from a guy who has chased awe across continents, it says something that the best version of it still happens in his living room.

If he could go back and tell his younger self something, it would be this: your kids might become your best friends.

It is a truth no one tells you when you’re knee deep in diapers, but it hits like a warm wave once you’re there.

One piece of advice stuck with him through the years. Someone once told him that being a dad is not an old man’s job. He carries that line like a compass. You don’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect bank account, or the perfect career arc. You learn to parent in the mess. And sometimes the mess ends up being beautiful.

A typical day in the Burkard house reads exactly how you hope it might. He drops off his oldest son at school, then sneaks in an hour-long surf before the emails and projects take over. His wife handles the younger one’s school run. Midday is work. Afternoon folds into pickup, food, sports, more food, and the nightly wind-down.

For all the airports and expeditions, the rhythm at home is familiar to every dad. It is proof that even the world’s most adventurous photographer still spends half his life in the same cycle the rest of us do.

Balancing work, life, and family for Chris starts with a simple practice: knowing what he needs each day to show up well. Some days that means sleeping in. Other days it is a three-hour bike ride. The point, he says, is to advocate for your needs and communicate clearly with your partner. Burnout is real, and the best way to fight it is honesty.

His reset button is easy to imagine. The ocean. Even a few minutes in the water recalibrates him. It reminds him what matters.

The one non-negotiable in his dad life is time with his kids doing something that costs nothing. Teaching them how to have fun in nature. Passing down the kind of joy you cannot buy.

And when he is solo on the road, he laughs at himself a little. He admits he spends way too much on boujee snacks and great coffee. Every dad has a weakness. His just happens to taste better.

THE TAKEAWAY

Chris Burkard travels farther than most of us ever will, but his parenting philosophy is simple. Show up. Keep wonder alive. Invest in the moments that cost nothing and matter most. The world will always pull, but the real adventure is at home. Follow Chris here.

If you know country music, you know Midland. The retro-leaning, tequila-toting, Grammy-nominated trio built their whole brand on style, swagger, and storytelling. And behind the bass, and behind the camera for many of their videos, is today’s RAD Dad: Cam Duddy.

Cam lives in that rare overlap where creative careers, family life, and school schedules all collide. One minute he’s on stage or directing a shoot. The next he’s at the bus stop. It’s a very specific kind of juggling act, and he makes it work without pretending it’s glamorous.

Parenting’s Hardest Part

Staying consistent with the school routine. This is the universal dad battle. The spelling lists, the reading logs, the forms that magically regenerate every week. Even rockstars have to track homework.

Parenting’s Best Part

Watching his kids become their own people. No crafting them into performers, no forcing the family business. Just observing two young humans figure out who they are.

What He Wishes He Knew Before Fatherhood

That it goes fast. The kind of fast where ages 5 and 9 arrive before you figured out where the toddler years went.

Dad Advice That Stuck

Try everything. Give kids as many experiences as possible. Not to manufacture prodigies, but to help them build range, confidence, and curiosity.

A Day in the Duddy Household

  • Wake up
  • Coffee
  • School drop-off
  • Work
  • Bus stop pickup
  • Dinner
  • Focus on the kids until they’re down for the night

This is the blueprint. Routine as an anchor, no matter how unpredictable the entertainment world gets.

How He Handles the Pile-Up

He schedules his days. Not in a productivity-guru way. More in a “this is how things don’t fall apart” way.

His Reset Button

Sauna time. Sweat, quiet, heat. A simple ritual for recalibrating when life gets loud.

His Non-Negotiable

Dinner is family time. Everyone present, even if dinner looks like a half-chopped rotisserie chicken and baby carrots.

When He Finally Gets Time Alone

He reads. And he does not want to be interrupted. Every dad deserves a sanctified hobby.

Where to Find Him

@cameronduddy

Dad Day Takeaway

Cam proves that being a great dad isn’t about slowing life down. It’s about keeping the parts that matter steady, even when the rest of your world is moving at tour speed. Family time, real presence, shared meals, repeat. That is the craft.

Donald Scott is the kind of dad who makes you sit up a little straighter. A world-class triple jumper from Ft. Lauderdale. A coach. A trainer. A guy who built a career on speed, grit, and gravity-defying hops, yet says fatherhood is the real gold medal event.

If you follow track and field, you have watched him fly. If you follow fatherhood, you will want to hear him talk. Scott’s journey is not the polished, perfect dad story. It is the real kind. The kind built on long-distance parenting, purpose, and a six-year-old girl who changed everything.

Below is his story, crafted for our RAD DAD series. We highlight men who build a life worth copying.

The Hardest Part: Loving From a Distance

Donald does not sugarcoat it.
“Parenting from a distance was the hardest part.”

For years, he lived states away from his daughter. Flights, calls, and constant wondering if he was doing this parenting thing right. That question haunts a lot of dads, especially the ones who care the most.

But the second they are together?

“Everything clicks. I enter dad mode.”

Presence over perfection. It is the Dad Day way.

The Reward: Watching Her Grow Up Close Again

After three years away, Donald moved back.

You can feel the relief in his voice. School mornings. Homework. Lunch dates. Practice runs. Bedtime stories. The whole beautiful grind.

“The most rewarding part has been watching her development. Being back is so fulfilling.”

In the end, fatherhood is not about doing everything. It is about being there.

What He Wishes He Knew Before Becoming a Dad

This one hits hard, especially knowing Donald grew up without parents present.

“I wish somebody would have told me the kind of love that comes with a child. It is deeper than anything I can explain.”

He did not have the model. So he became one.

The Best Advice He Ever Got

“Do not be so quick to grow your child up. Allow them to be a child.”

Simple. True. A truth we repeat often: kids need space to be kids. They need patience, not perfection.

A Typical Dad Day for Donald Scott

Nothing fancy. Nothing curated. Just real dad life.

  • Breakfast

  • Dog out

  • School drop-off

  • Donald trains like the elite athlete he is

  • Pickup

  • Lunch

  • Homework

  • Dog time, play time, or something fun

  • Sports practice now that she is getting started

  • Dinner

  • Shower

  • A book

  • Bedtime

It is the rhythm of a dad who shows up everywhere that matters.

How He Handles the Juggle

His answer says everything:

“My daughter goes wherever I go.”

-Track practice
-Physical therapy
-Coaching
-Meets
-Work
-Life chaos

She is not an obligation. She is part of the mission.

His Grounding Practice

Donald keeps one simple mantra on repeat.

“Remember your purpose.”

Purpose does not erase stress. Purpose organizes it.

His Non-Negotiable

“When my daughter needs me, whatever it may be, I am there.”

Family first is not an idea for him. It is a lifestyle.

When He Finally Has a Minute to Himself

He decompresses with simple joys.

-DJing
-Bowling
-A bar with good music
-Quiet time alone

A reminder that dads need hobbies too. Recharge equals better fatherhood.

Where to Follow Him

IG and Twitter: @donaldscott_ll

Rad Dad Takeaway

Donald Scott reminds us that fatherhood is not about flawless execution. It is about fierce love, intentional presence, and rewriting the script you were handed.

He did not grow up with parents. His daughter is growing up with a great one.

Meet Zack Telander — Austin-based musician, new dad, and the kind of guy who’ll rip a guitar solo at night and crush a diaper change at sunrise. You can find him on Instagram (@zack_telander) and hear his music on Spotify (search “Telander” and turn it up).

His take on fatherhood is honest, grounded, and absolutely on-brand for the Rad Dad universe.

The Dad Who Had to Slow Down to Keep Up

Zack has lived most of his adult life in go-mode. Music careers don’t care about “balance.” They’re fast, unpredictable, and built on momentum.

Then Charlie arrived.

The hardest part for him wasn’t the sleepless nights, although those are real. It was learning to slow down, to let the world shrink to the size of a baby’s hand gripping his finger.

Funny thing. The hardest part became the best part.

Every morning he goes on a walk with his wife, daughter, and their dog. No rushing. No forcing. Just a young family moving through the world together. He told us it’s the one thing he’d happily do forever.

That’s the type of dad moment you remember when you’re old.

Duty Over Balance

A lot of dads talk about “balance.” Zack laughs at that idea.

He told us, “I don’t. It’s my duty to be a good dad and husband first.” No life hacks. No elaborate systems. Just simple duty and excitement to show up for his family. And when things get overwhelming, he returns to the things that reset him: playing guitar, singing, and lifting. The essentials.

He also protects two non-negotiables:
• Alone time
• Real dates with your partner

Quick Hits From Zack

Hardest part of parenting:
Slowing down. And yes, the sleep.

Most rewarding part:
Those morning family walks.

Wish he knew earlier:
Kids bring emotional balance.

Best advice he’s gotten:
“Your kids are watching everything you do. So do right.”
(A perfect Dad Wisdom fit. )

Typical day:
Up around 6:30, diaper, bottle, walk, play, nap. Repeat until bedtime.

Reset button:
Guitar, singing, the gym.

Flying solo hobbies:
Guinness, wings, YouTube. A legendary trio.

Why This Q&A Stuck With Us

Zack is the blueprint for the modern dad. Creative but grounded. Driven but present. Intentional without being precious about it. He is not chasing balance. He is not chasing perfection (we’ve talked about that one. Progress beats perfect every time. ) He is chasing presence.

Dad Day Takeaway

Slow down. Walk with your people. Keep one ritual that reminds you who you are outside of diapers and bottles. Remember your kids are watching. Let them see a life that’s worth following.

Want more of Zack? Follow him on IG (@zack_telander) and stream his music on Spotify. Perfect soundtrack for that early morning stroller walk. 🎧👶🏼

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Professional CrossFit athlete Noah Ohlsen is used to heavy lifts, but fatherhood might be his biggest challenge yet. The Miami-based fitness icon opens up about his newborn son, the emotional rollercoaster of early parenting, and why staying grounded and smiling matters more than ever.

From CrossFit Podiums to Pampers

Most people know Noah Ohlsen as a CrossFit Games powerhouse, the Miami kid with the golden retriever, the megawatt smile, and the engine that never quits.

These days, his mornings start less with barbells and more with bottles. At just three months into fatherhood, Noah is learning the art of balance: supporting his wife after a tough delivery, finding rhythms as a new dad, and keeping the whole house smiling in the process.

“My heart swells with love thinking about all of the best parts of Oliver,” he says. “He’s an incredibly happy boy, smiling most of the time that he’s awake!”

The Hard Part

Like any new parent, Noah has faced his share of curveballs. Their delivery was not easy. A week-long NICU stay tested everyone’s nerves. Since then, he has been the calm anchor at home, helping his wife navigate the post-birth anxiety that many couples quietly battle.

“The hardest part,” he says, “has been seeing her struggle and trying to support her, reminding her that he’s perfectly healthy now, while still doing all the right things to keep it that way.”

That mix of empathy, patience, and quiet strength is the kind of fitness that does not show up on leaderboards.

The Good Stuff

For every tough moment, there are a thousand small joys. Noah lights up talking about his son, Oliver. The smiles, the chatter, the laughter that fills their mornings. “Seeing him and my wife laugh with each other melts my heart,” he says.

And while new parent life can be a blur of bottles, burps, and naps, the Ohlsens are already finding their rhythm: early mornings, family walks with their dog Max, and lots of tummy time before Noah sneaks in a quick gym session.

Lessons From the Trenches

What he wishes he knew before becoming a dad:

“Two bads and a good: how much your upper back burns when you’re rocking a baby to sleep for 10+ minutes, how little free time you have for simple things like reading a book, and how big you can love something so little right away.”

The best advice he’s gotten:

“Spend as much time with your baby and their mama early on as you can.”

Every story Noah tells circles back to being present, a quality that is as rare in high-performance sports as it is in modern fatherhood.

Balancing the Chaos

When life piles on, training, travel, business, and baby duty, Noah’s strategy is simple: breathe, stay calm, and lead with steadiness.

“Everything always works out,” he says. “I try to be the steady and confident leader in the house that everyone can count on.”

He is also mastering the underrated art of scheduling, making sure work, workouts, and family time do not compete but coexist. “And I always try to connect lovingly with my wife,” he adds. “Bonus if Oliver and Max are part of the embrace.”

Staying Grounded

For Noah, training is not just a career. It is therapy.
“Getting in a workout keeps me mentally and physically healthy,” he says. “But disconnecting from my phone and spending real, quality time with mama and baby, that’s the reset I need most.”

That balance between effort and ease, hustle and heart, defines this next chapter.

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Non-Negotiables

Being a fun and happy dad. That is his line in the sand.

“I want to make sure I’m smiling as often as I can,” he says. “If that’s in his nature too, I’ll know I did something right.”

Off-Duty Dad Mode

When he is not training or changing diapers, Noah’s simple pleasures still look like movement and movies. “Workout again, lol,” he jokes. “And going to the cinema. I miss that a good bit.”

Follow his journey on Instagram and YouTube @nohlsen.

The Takeaway

Fatherhood hits every muscle, the heart most of all.
Noah Ohlsen proves that being a strong dad is not just about lifting weight. It is about carrying the people you love with patience, joy, and a grin that says, we got this.

Meet Sean

Sean Nguyen wears a lot of hats: commercial floor slinger by day, community fish club driver by night, and full-time dad all the time.

He’s raising two kids, ages 20 months and 4, while keeping up with work, family, and a few pre-dawn surf sessions. Somehow, he makes it all work — and still finds time to chase redfish after hours.

The Hard Part

For Sean, time is everything.

“Being present is a non-negotiable promise I made the day my daughter was born. Life moves fast. Work, goals, family—it all blurs if you let it. I used to chase every opportunity like there was a finish line. Now, success means being in the moment, not just moving through it.”

That lesson sits at the core of everything he does. He’s not chasing hustle culture; he’s chasing presence.

The Reward

It’s not the big milestones that hit hardest. It’s the little wins.

“Seeing my kids grow, learn, and light up. That’s the good stuff.”

Lessons Learned

Sean keeps it simple:

  • Listen to your wife.

  • Know your baby gear.

  • And for the love of fatherhood, a swaddle is not a bib.

Advice That Stuck

“One day your kids will tell stories about their dad. Make sure they’ve got something good to say.”

That one line hits like a mission statement for modern fatherhood.

A Day in the Life

The Nguyen house runs on discipline and caffeine. Sean’s up at 5 a.m. for some light training and time with his Rottie before the day kicks off. Coffee brews while he makes lunches and breakfast as his wife gets the kids ready.

Depending on the schedule, they tag-team drop-offs, then it’s go time. Sean spends the day building community, running the Fish Club, and chasing small wins. Afternoons are family-only. Once the kids are down for the night, he hits the gym, clears his head, then resets for the next round.

Balance Is a Team Sport

Sean’s secret weapon is simple: a shared calendar and honest communication.

“When everything hits at once, I step back, rank what matters, and tag-team with my wife. Communication turns chaos into a plan.”

It’s a real-world version of what we preach in Dad Wisdom: Progress Over Perfection — showing up and staying flexible matters more than getting it “right.”

How He Stays Grounded

Reflection is Sean’s reset button.

“Every once in a while, you have to pause and look at what your effort has produced. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Reflection isn’t regret. It’s refueling.”

It’s a practice that reminds him why he works so hard in the first place.

Non-Negotiables

Presence. “If I’m there, I’m all in. No distractions. Just dad.”

Solo Time

When the grind slows, you’ll find Sean chasing waves or stalking redfish with the After Work Fish Club.

“Surfing clears the head. Fishing keeps me patient. Both remind me that the best moments aren’t rushed.”

Follow his journey on Instagram:
@afterworkfishclub / @vin_nguyen

Dad Day Takeaway

Sean Nguyen’s version of fatherhood is simple: show up early, often, and with purpose. He’s proof that being a rad dad isn’t about doing everything. It’s about being all in for what matters most.

Ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes has run across deserts, mountains, and time zones. But his most meaningful marathon? Fatherhood. The legendary endurance athlete shares his take on parenting, purpose, and why leading by example is the real finish line.

Meet Dean Karnazes

From: California + Greece
Kids: Two (ages 27 and 30)
Gig: Full-time adult and part-time legend

If you’ve ever read Ultramarathon Man or seen footage of Dean running through the night, you know this guy doesn’t do “average.” But talk to him about being a dad, and the conversation shifts from medals to meaning. “You only have one crack at parenthood,” he says. “Don’t screw it up.”

The Hardest Part

Even for a world-class runner, parenting came with its own kind of fatigue.
“The hardest part was not stressing over money when the kids were young,” Dean says. “Every day was hectic, crazy, and beautiful.”

Sound familiar? Whether you’re juggling deadlines or diapers, it’s the same balancing act: showing up, staying steady, and hoping the kids see you doing your best.

The Reward

“The lessons we’ve taught each other,” Dean says simply. That’s the real trophy.

He’s quick to point out that his parents have also found joy in the process — grandparenting included. “I’ve enjoyed my kids immensely, but so have my parents. The grandparent experience is special.”

The Wisdom

If Dean has one rule for modern dads, it’s this: lead by example.
“Kids are quick to spot hypocrisy,” he says. “You can’t tell them to exercise and eat well if you’re not doing the same.”

It’s not about being perfect — it’s about being consistent. Whether you’re lacing up for a jog or putting down your phone at dinner, they’re watching.

“A parent must maintain their own life,” Dean adds. “Yes, family consumes most of your time and energy. But don’t lose your outside interests.”

For him, that means running, reading Homer, eating souvlaki, and sipping ouzo. “What more is there to life?” he laughs.

The Takeaway

Dean Karnazes’ parenting philosophy is simple but powerful: don’t just tell your kids how to live — show them. You don’t need to be an ultramarathoner to apply it. Just be the kind of man your kids want to mirror. Be the one who still chases things, still laughs, still finds joy in the daily miles of fatherhood.

Dad Day Takeaway

Be the dad who runs his race, literally or not. Your kids don’t need perfection. They need your pace, your passion, and your presence.