Skip to content 
I was out on the golf course the other day—a beautiful Sunday afternoon—working on my short game at a local par-three course. I had my earbuds in, finishing up a podcast between Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neurobiologist, and Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis. I was breathing intentionally through my nose, getting in about 6,000 steps, soaking up sunlight, moving my body, doing something rotational and restorative—something I plan to do for the rest of my life.
There was a moment in the conversation that really hit me.
They were talking about how we, as humans, are evolutionarily wired to move toward ease. Historically, we had to hunt and gather. That meant intense bouts of movement and effort followed by intentional rest—times to conserve energy, connect with others, and reflect. We didn’t have constant stimulation from screens or blue light. But even then, we were always pushing forward. Growth is wired into our DNA. We seek to evolve. We want the future version of ourselves to be better.
That’s why something I’ve noticed really stood out to me again in that moment.
Parents are often eager to invest in their kids’ development—especially when it comes to sports and physical performance. And don’t get me wrong, that’s a good thing. But often, it’s easier for parents to push their kids to improve than to do the hard work themselves. We send our kids to train, to compete, to suffer in pursuit of growth, but we avoid that same suffering in our own lives.
If we want to raise strong, resilient kids—athletes or not—it starts with us. Kids are deeply visual. They’re watching, soaking in what we model. They’re not just hearing our words; they’re reading our actions. That’s why the most powerful way to influence them isn’t through instruction. It’s through demonstration.
Lead by example.
If we want our kids to develop grit, to commit to something over the long term, to show up day after day even when it’s hard, then we need to do the same. You don’t wake up one day with a double bodyweight squat. That kind of strength takes years of reps, consistency, and patience. The same goes for life.
So yes, invest in your kids. Enroll them in programs. Give them opportunities to grow. But don’t forget to invest in yourself. Your health. Your strength. Your resilience. Because the habits that shape them are often built by watching you.
Show them what it means to do hard things. Show them how to move through discomfort. Show them what strength looks like over time.
Lead. By example.
If you’d like to learn how we help build this with our athletes, young and old, consider a free drop in and talk to a coach today.
