A while back I was driving my sons back home with the car, and they got excited about a dope looking sports car they saw. And it led to something I almost never do: I shared advice on how to be successful in life with them.
In this episode, I’ll share it with you too, but more importantly—how they reacted to me sharing these lessons. Just a beautiful little moment that’s dear to me as a father.
Transcript:
202012250000-5 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR 5 YEAR OLDS
[00:00:00] When I was doing the 10 minute writing exercise today was I started writing about my love for my children and my sons.
And I was writing many, many different things. Yeah, no, uh, again, th this one moment popped up, which was one of the kind of sweet, unexpected moments just before I left, uh, left them, um, the couple of weeks ago where. We were driving, uh, home. We’re kind of like an hour long drive home from a trip. And I don’t know how we got to it.
I think there we’re still in the phase. My kids go through phases, all kids go through phases. I’m not sure if boys go through phases just at a warp speed, faster than many other children. Um, but my kids have a new thing like every four weeks or so.
Especially Georgia is like, Every couple of weeks is a new obsession right now. It’s like being a detective, like detective, everything needs to be detective that’s his thing.
He literally, because he’s so obsessed about this. He literally to [00:01:00] Christmas, one of the gifts that he got is like a, a fake pipe and a, like a old, a hat that like a shallow coat.
He has a mask in the last three months. He has a mask 64 loop. What’s that called? Magnifying glasses. Yeah. Magnifying glasses, 64, kind of shitty cheap, small, but he’s just, he’s crazy about it. Anyways. So we’re driving back in. They were still in there expensive car face, where they were like super impressed about when they would see a Ferrari or Porsche Lamborghini or something that is super excited about it.
And so some car passed us by and they got really excited about it. And then I had, I have these only rarely people will not believe me. You’ve spent two weeks with me, mature living at my home with your family. You might attest to this. I don’t have many moments of preaching success, wisdom to my children.
[00:02:00] Almost none where like, tell them how to succeed in life or something. But I was called to that. I felt called to say something about it. So they’re like, ah, this blah, blah, blah, this, that, and the other. And I’m like, well, dudes, you know, one day you could afford one. Right? And they’re like, really? I’m like, of course you just need to make the right moves.
You have to, you have to be very successful. You have to do something. A lot of people want that. Your mass wealth to be able to afford these cars, but you guys are smart. You’re strong. If you work hard and smart, you could get there. And then my oldest is like, did you do it? Like, did you get there? I’m like, yeah.
He’s like, well, why don’t you have a car like that? I’m like, you know, I could buy a call like this, but it wouldn’t make me as happy as it makes you guys thinking about it. So I’m not buying it because it’s too much money for me to have something that doesn’t make me happy, but I spend money on other things that make me happy.
Like you guys you’re very expensive. Each one [00:03:00] of you is like a Ferrari in terms of the expenses that your group. Um, and then. You know, I’m like, listen, I started from very little, you know, your grandmother didn’t have much, we didn’t have much, but if you, if you do the right things, you can get there. And then, you know, just like, what are the right things?
So I’m like, all right, this is my moment. The five steps to six financial wealth and success. First graders, here we go. All right. I didn’t know I was waiting for this moment, but apparently this is it. I’m giving you the speech. And I didn’t, I honestly didn’t know. I started in this just went somewhere.
Right. So I’m like, all right, so first I’m like, all right, let me ask you guys, what do you think you have to do if you want to become rich and wealthy? Give me something, what do you have to do? And one of my boys is like work hard. I’m like, bingo, it’s very good. You have to work hard, right? If you can’t be lazy, if you want to accomplish a lot, if you want to build things, lots of people want, you cannot be lazy.
You have to have a good [00:04:00] work ethic. You have to be productive. Absolutely. But lots of people work really hard and they’re not rich. Right. You know, people that work really, really hard. You know, your grandmother, my mother worked hard, her whole life, incredibly hard. She’s not rich. So what else are you got to do?
Does anybody have any idea? And then my other son is like work smart. I’m like, bingo. There you go. That’s a deadly combination, heart and smart boom. Now you’re dangerous right now. We’re going places. But it’s not enough. You have to do more. And my kids at that point deeply disappointed. Right. They’re both like, even more.
Okay. Like, just think about it. Just give me a third one. What else could it be? They didn’t know. They’re like work hard and smart. What else? Why you have to do more like this doesn’t make any sense. Well guys. You have [00:05:00] to be consistent, right? You can’t just work hard and work smart some of the time.
And be lazy and dumb. Most of the time you have to do it day in, day out. If you feel like it or not, you always have to do it. And I’m like, uh, okay. That kind of makes sense. All right. We get that. I’m like, what else? Any other guesses, like, no, at this point I felt I was certain I’ve lost the audience, right?
This is the moment the artist is checking out. It was fun until now, but now it’s not funny anymore. But I was too deep into this and I’m like, I can’t jump off the bandwagon here. I’m committed. Like this train is gonna end to its final destination and whatever. Maybe something will sink into the skulls for later in life.
Maybe not. I don’t know, but I can’t stop right now. And there are already. I can see them looking out the windows. They already now, like there, one of them is playing with a toy in his hand. Like they’re not fully with me anymore. Right. I’m not heavy eye contact [00:06:00] anymore. Nothing. I’m like, anyways, I’m like, listen, work hard, work smart work consistently.
Or be a consistent person. You have to have courage. You have to be courageous because you’re going to have to do things that you’re afraid of. You’re going to have to take risks. And that’s a big thing. Most people that could accomplish huge things, but because they’re afraid they’re never tempo. They could really do.
If you have the courage to do things you’re afraid of. Chances are you’re going to become very successful. It’s important. It’s hard to be very successful for long, without some courage, you have to be courageous, just like the heroes are you. You have to have courage and be like, I am, but I’m not getting big responses anymore.
Right. The work hard work smart that got strong engagement from the crop. But since then, like nothing, and then I’m like, all right, one final thing. Yeah. How do you know, what did I say? What was the final thing that I said? Um,
Work hard work, smart [00:07:00] work consistently be courageous. One more fucking thing, right? Yeah. But it was, it could be another thousand things I could come make up. You should do, you know, you have to have fun. You have to love what you do. Like whatever you have to be honest. Oh, I know what it was instinctively.
Probably the thing that they least were interested in patients. Right. It’s like, you gotta be patient because I’m like many, many times. And trust me, your father has experienced this painfully himself. You work really hard, maybe somewhat smart, maybe somewhat consistent with all your courage and your might.
And just success is waiting a little further away from you. And you just have to be patient. Keep going. If you give up too early. Many of people have never reached their richest or their full potential because they gave up too early. You have to be patient if they’re in it for the [00:08:00] long haul. And I say those laws, words remain and not even an acknowledgement of those words.
And I’m like, all right, this is. I don’t know when I started to be talking to myself, but it’s the last couple of minutes. Like it’s almost, when you talk to somebody on the phone and then you realize they’re not on the line anymore. Right. You lost the connection and you don’t and you wonder how long have I been talking to myself?
That was kind of the. It’s kind of the vibe that I was getting and sound like, all right, whatever, that’s it guys, this is all, this is, this is how that made it. And what I expected, I swear to God at that point because my kids give me shit. Right. And we were very playful and fun. That way they oftentimes are like, ah, dad boring or whatever.
Like, so then I expected like a lame or something. Some kind of like. Give me shit for this. So I’m like, yeah know that was it. That’s those are the five things that I did to [00:09:00] go from nothing to something. And then my oldest goes that I’m like, yeah, he’s like, you’re my hero. You know? I have many heroes, but you are my biggest hero.
You did all five things, right? All five of them. I just want to be like you one day. And I had to hold onto my fucking, to the steering wheel. Not to fall out of the car. I didn’t expect that at all. Like that should go my hero. You did all five things, five things, and you did all of them, right? You are insane.
That you’re just the best, you know? I mean, I just, I, you just, I just want to be like you one day. Okay. All right. Well, as I’m driving and then my youngest, [00:10:00] my youngest never ceases to amaze me in different ways because my youngest in that very moment goes, ah, dad, I’m like, yeah, Did you know that mom saved the kid’s life last week in school?
I’m like, no. It’s like, yeah. You know, but you know that mommy works at school. I’m like, yeah, honey, I know that. Yeah. And there was a kid that fell down and hit himself. He was bleeding and mom came and helped him. She saved his life and I’m like, dude, your mom is amazing. Huh? He’s like, yeah. Mom is amazing.
Mom is a hero. Right. She’s like, yeah. I’m like, okay. All right. I get it. My youngest is kind of the. The equality police. And it’s not just about his mother about any, he just, he cannot, he can’t, he’s in physical pain. If you give somebody something and then everybody else hasn’t got the exact same amount, like here’s this incredible sense for fairness.
So he was [00:11:00] like, wait a second, dude. You can’t save. Dad is the greatest mom. It’s also the greatest he’s like that. Did you know moms saved the kid’s life. Fuck your five rules to success. She saved somebodies life. Okay. Your mom is amazing. I get it. But that was a moment I will cherish. It was a shocking moment of love.
Like I was, my heart was completely unprotected for that move. Uh, and it hit very hard. And I, uh, I had to think of it today, but it was funny. I thought nobody gave a fuck anymore about this shitty story with these five rules for success, it was like preaching. And then he’s like to hear the fucking best, all five things, five you’re amazing.
I’m like, Oh shit kids, sometimes they’re not half bad, you know?