Growing up, I watched my parents sacrifice a lot for me and my brother. They fled the Vietnam war, to France, then eventually moved to the US. I always appreciated and admired their sacrifice because they created a life for us out of nothing.

But I noticed that they ONLY worked. They worked normal 40 hrs like many do, yet they never made the effort to go do the things they loved (tennis and piano). Like many, they sacrificed parts of themselves, "for the family".

This lead me to believe that growing up = get a degree, get a job, work, take care of family, then retire at 65 and die. I thought that being a great Dad and provider meant I would have to sacrifice time for the things I loved doing for myself.

Over the years, however, what I witnessed, similar to what I saw with my own parents, was that when people give up their hobbies and interests "for the family", they are actually limiting their growth. They are limiting their ability to realize the best version of themselves.

When my wife and I found out we were having a baby, made a promise to myself that I would be the best possible version of myself for me and my family. I wanted our daughter to witness her parents always growing and improving themselves, just as we would preach to her.

As soon as my daughter was born, I immediately understood what everyone was telling me about how little time would be left for myself. It was a huge adjustment to go from training everyday (between jiujitsu, strength training, running) to just a few times a week for each. It was a huge challenge, but I found a way to make it work.

I always kept my parents situation in mind, telling myself that I couldn't become like them. I realized there are many other dads out there that aren't doing what they need for themselves, whether they realize it or not. I wanted to help them make a change for the better.