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

I'm Ryan Holiday, and I draw these lessons from ancient philosophy, modern psychology, practical wisdom, and insights

from parents just like you all over the world. Thank you for listening, and we hope this helps.

No need to make excuses. Yeah, some people won't get it.

Some people will think it's weak.

But you, you know that it isn't.

Which is why you make no secret about your other life, about your kids, about what being a good parent demands of you, how it competes for your time and interest at work.

When she was Senate Majority Leader in Arizona, Sandra Day O'Connor got a call

from her son's school. He had dropped the tray of cookies and lemonade that she had made for his class

party. She went home and made another round and she took it to him. Meanwhile, all the actions stopped

on the floor of the legislature. Some of the men, remember this was back in the 1970s, were shocked. They demanded

to know where she was and were aghast when they find out. But when O'Connor returned, she

offered neither an explanation or an apology. Nor should you. If your kid is out sick,

you're out sick. They have a school play, you're out for it. If you have to take some time to

be with your baby,

you should be able to take that time. Public perceptions of paternity leave be damned. If you can

or don't want to go on some unnecessary work trip, which is at least partly an excuse to go

golfing or get away on the company dime anyway, just say so. If your most productive work schedule involves

leaving early for school pickup and then working the rest of the day at home, so be it. If you need

to nurse at the office commandeer some space for it, if you need a child care stipend,

fearlessly negotiate one at your next performance evaluation. Your priorities are clear. You have other more important

demands on your time. You have stuff you got to work around. And there's not only nothing wrong

...