Welcome to the Daily Dad podcast where we provide one lesson every day to help you with your most important job being a dad.

These are lessons inspired by ancient philosophy, by practical wisdom, and insights from dads all over the world.

Thank you for listening, and we hope this helps.

Be ready to go, wherever they go.

We've told this story a bunch of times, but it's so good it's worth repeating. In high school,

Jim Volvano told his dad he was not only going to be a college basketball coach, he was going to win a

national championship. A few days later, his dad pointed towards the corner of his bedroom. See that

suitcase? Yeah, Jim said, what's it all about? I'm packed, his dad explained. When you play and win that

national championship, I'm going to be there. My bag is already packed. But as my friend and

partner, Neil Parker, pointed out in a recent weekend episode of the Daily Dad podcast, which you

should subscribe to and listen to, it's worth pointing out.

The suitcase is transferable. Jim Volvano's father was not making a statement about basketball.

He was not even telling his son that he expected him to be a great coach.

What he was saying was much simpler, much more visceral. He was saying, I believe in you.

He was saying, I support you.

Had Jim decided to trade basketball for baseball if he'd decided to forego coaching for scouting,

or if he'd traded in sports for literally any other profession, the suitcase would have remained

packed, because it was a metaphor. It could have literally contained clothes,

but it was really full of love and faith and limitless support. We have to remember this with

our own kids. They are going to cycle through different dreams. They're going to go through

different phases. They will change their minds. They will struggle and fail. They will succeed

and get burned out and change their mind. They will struggle and fail. They will succeed and get burned out and change their mind.

...