This week, I get to do something I've been dreaming about for as long as I can remember π₯Ή
My first ever member-guest golf tournament. With my dad!! ποΈ
If you grew up in a golf family, you know what this means. It's not just a tournament. It's a tradition. It's the kind of thing you watch older guys do for years and think.. someday.
Someday was last week for me! π
When my dad called me four or five months ago and asked if I wanted to play.. I had to take a second. Because it hit me harder than I expected.
This is someone I've looked up to my whole life.
Someone I've had hard seasons with. Someone who wasn't a perfect dad.. and someone who got more right than I ever gave him credit for when I was younger.
Playing with him last week and reflecting on this tournament has made me think a lot about that.
So this week, I want to share 4 things my dad did really well!! Things I now teach to families every single day and why I think they matter more than most parents realize π
#1 He brought me into his world
My dad never sat me down and said "here's what passion looks like."
He just lived it!
Golf was his thing and he never hid that. He brought me into it young. Never pushed, never forced. Just loved it out loud and left the door open.
And I walked through itποΈ
There's something I come back to constantly in my coaching: you can't teach passion, but you can model it. Great leaders (and parents) know the way, go the way, and SHOW the way.
Your kid is watching.
- what lights you up
- what you give your energy to
- what you choose to do when nobody's making you do anything.
Share your world with them. Even if they roll their eyes at first π
This week: bring your kid into something you love this week. Not as a lesson or lecture, but as a small invitation.
#2 He let me fail
You might be tired of hearing me say this, but I think it's everything!!
My dad rarely asked about school. He wasn't helicoptering over my homework or checking my grades like the morning news.
At the time.. I didn't always love it. Part of me wanted him more involved (aka doing my work for me haha) π
But looking back, what he was actually doing was trusting me with my own life. Giving me room to figure things out. Letting me feel the weight of my own choices without rushing in to soften every landing.
That space taught me something no classroom ever could: I was capable of handling hard things on my own.
If you're a parent who rescues a lot.. this one's worth sitting with π
The next time your kid hits a wall, pause before jumping in. Ask "what do you think you should do?" instead of solving it for them. Guide them with questions instead of preaching at them with advice.
#3 He zoomed wayyy out.
This is the most important I think!
My dad never made me feel like my worth was tied to a result.
- A bad round of golf.
- A rough semester.
- A season where nothing seemed to click.
He kept his eyes on who I was becoming, not just what I was achieving.
That's really rare. And I didn't realize how rare until I started working with families and saw how many kids are quietly measuring their value by their last grade or their last performance.
Character over results. Always.
It's something I say to every family I work with now.. and it started with watching my dad live it. π
The next time you feel anxious or overwhelmed with your kid(s), pause and zoom out from the situation.
"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
#4 He led by example - sometimes a little too confidently π
My dad has what the kids these days would call aura.
He just.. knows he's going to be okay. Or at least he makes it look that way π
Growing up I watched how he handled failure. How he dealt with people who doubted him. How he carried himself through hard seasons without letting it break his stride.
I didn't always mirror it in the moment. And I think that's where a lot of parents get frustrated...
Maybe you're going to the gym, saying your affirmations, modeling everything right.. and your teenager seems completely unfazed π€ͺ
After coaching teens for the last 5 years - and being one not that long ago - here's what I've come to understand..
Leading by example is iceberg work.
What you're doing on the surface rarely shows up on the surface right away. The real work is happening underneath. The roots you're planting during these years won't always be visible yet. But they're there. Growing quietly. Getting stronger.
If you feel discouraged in your parenting, read that again.
And one day, usually when they're out on their own and have no one else to lean on, they'll reach back for everything you modeled.
My dad's confidence, his resilience, his refusal to shrink in hard moments.. it lives in me now. And for that, I'm forever grateful.
It took years to show up, but it's there.
The roots always take. You just have to trust the process long enough to see it π
I'll be honest.. I didn't know if this tournament was ever going to happen.
There were seasons where my dad and I weren't close enough for something like this to even feel possible.
And now here we are π₯Ή
That alone tells me something about the power of time, patience, and two people who never stopped trying.
If you're in a hard season with your kid right now.. please hold onto that.
Relationships can cover a LOT of ground over the years. More than you think is possible from where you're standing today.
Keep planting. Keep showing up. Keep leading with character even when the scoreboard doesn't reflect it yet.
The roots are taking - even when you can't see them.
And one day (sooner than you think) you might just get your member-guest moment too β€οΈ
Have the best week!! So grateful for youuu.
-Coach Will
P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you and your fam!
#1: Looking for someone other than you to plant these seeds? Unstoppable U Coaching helps kids ages 12and up with motivation, confidence and time management! >>> Click here to apply to work with my amazing team!β
#2: Have you listened to my Podcast for Kids? Come check out my latest episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! I break down everything I wish I knew when I was a kidβ¦ perfect to throw on when youβre with youβre in the car or chilling at home! Leave a review if you donβt hate it!
#3: Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more tips, tools and techniques to help your child succeed.
