Tools to Become the Dad You Want to Be in 2026

In this special episode, we're dropping you into a live segment from our Ignite 2026 online summit with our brother and coach, Matt Drinkhahn, host of The Eternal Optimist podcast.

Matt walks us through what it actually takes to live in alignment with your true identity as a family man with a business — not a businessman with a family. He shares the story of a life-altering accident that stripped away his old identity (tall, athletic, successful in business) and forced him to rebuild who he was from the inside out, rooted in faith, fatherhood, and core values.

From there, Matt gets intensely practical. You'll be guided through the same exercises he uses with high performers to:

• Name and disarm your deepest fears

• Rewrite the script of your inner critic

• Build tiny daily tweaks that compound into massive change

• Use a simple "emotional artifact" to stay present with your wife and kids
  
  

This isn't theory. It's reps, practice, and a long-game approach to becoming the man 2026 requires of you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why tying your identity to business, status, or your body sets you up for collapse

• How acceptance (not denial or hustle) unlocked a new identity for Matt after spinal surgery

• A journaling prompt to expose the voice of your "villain" or inner critic

• A simple script for welcoming fear to the table so it loses power over you

• How to craft one tiny daily tweak that keeps your calendar and habits aligned with your true identity
  
  Why an "emotional artifact" (a small object in your pocket or on your desk) can anchor you in presence with your family
  
  

If you're serious about making 2026 your most aligned year yet — not just with goals, but with who you are as a husband, father, and leader — this conversation is a powerful place to start.

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 🚀 You're building a business—but are you building your family with the same intention?
These books helped us do both.
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