If there’s one thing I’ve learned from a life full of ups, downs, door knocks, and wild pivots—it’s that grit is everything. Talent is great. Intelligence helps. But at the end of the day, the people who keep showing up, who can take a hit and keep going, those are the ones who win. And now, as a father of three, I’ve made it my mission to pass that mindset down to my kids.

We live in a world where comfort is easy to find. There are apps for everything, help around every corner, and a constant push to avoid failure. But I want my kids to run toward the hard stuff. Because that’s where real growth happens.

My Childhood Shaped My Perspective

I’m the ninth of ten kids, raised in a military home with a dad who was a Colonel in the Air Force and a mom who didn’t take nonsense from anyone. Our household wasn’t built on making things easy—we learned how to figure stuff out. If you wanted attention, you had to earn it. If you made a mistake, you faced it. And if you had a dream, you had to work like crazy to chase it.

That kind of upbringing didn’t always feel fun, but looking back, it was the greatest gift. I didn’t learn to expect handouts. I learned to fight for what I wanted. And that’s exactly what I want my kids to understand.

Teaching Grit Starts Young

You don’t teach grit by talking about it. You teach it by putting your kids in situations where they have to struggle—where things don’t come easy. Whether it’s encouraging them to try a new sport, solve a tough problem without stepping in, or letting them lose a game without sugarcoating it—I believe in letting them feel that discomfort.

Why? Because every little moment they push through something hard, they’re building confidence. Not the fake kind that comes from trophies for participation, but the real kind that sticks when life punches back.

Letting Them Fail (And Letting That Be Okay)

One of the hardest things as a parent is watching your kid fail. I’ve seen the look in their eyes when they strike out at bat, mess up a line in a school play, or get frustrated trying something new. And while every part of me wants to jump in and fix it, I don’t. Not anymore.

Instead, I remind them: “This is part of it.” We talk about how failure feels. Then we talk about what they learned from it. And most importantly, I remind them that the only way they truly lose is if they stop trying.

Failure is the best teacher there is. And if they can learn that lesson early, they’ll be ten steps ahead in life.

Sports as a Training Ground for Life

Sports played a huge role in shaping who I am today. I was always the younger brother watching my older siblings crush it on the field. I wanted nothing more than to be like them, so I practiced hard—baseball, football, you name it. I eventually earned a state championship in high school football, and while the wins were great, the process is what shaped me.

Now, I’m getting my kids involved in sports too. Not because I want them to be pros, but because I want them to learn the grind. The early mornings. The setbacks. The discipline. The teamwork. These are the lessons that don’t just stay on the field—they show up in relationships, school, and business.

Celebrate Effort Over Outcome

We live in a world that’s obsessed with results. And while I’m competitive by nature (and I love to win), I’ve learned that the journey matters more. I try to celebrate my kids’ effort more than their achievements.

If they studied hard and still got a B, that matters to me. If they played their heart out and still lost the game, I’m proud. I want them to know that their worth isn’t tied to perfection—but to their persistence.

Because if they fall in love with the process, they’ll keep going—even when things get tough.

Grit in the Small Moments

You don’t need a life crisis to build grit. It’s in the everyday stuff. When my kids clean up their room without being asked. When they sit down and do homework after a long day. When they say “thank you” even when things don’t go their way.

These tiny moments, repeated over and over, build resilience. They learn they can do hard things. That their attitude matters. That they’re in control of how they respond.

And that’s the kind of power I want them to carry into adulthood.

Final Thoughts: Raising Resilient Humans

At the end of the day, I don’t care if my kids become CEOs or artists or athletes. I care that they grow into people who can face the world with confidence, courage, and character. I want them to be the kind of people who show up when it’s hard, who keep pushing when things get uncomfortable, and who don’t quit just because something didn’t come easy.

That’s why I’m teaching them grit now—while they’re young, while they’re watching, and while their hearts and minds are still forming. Because if they can learn to embrace challenges today, they’ll be ready for anything tomorrow.

And honestly? That’s the greatest legacy I could ever leave them.