What if the reason work feels off is not the job itself, but a lack of clarity about what you are actually built to do?

Paul Comfort has spent decades helping people identify their strengths, align their careers with purpose, and build lives that feel both successful and meaningful. His work centers on the idea that most people never take the time to understand what they are uniquely wired to do.

For dads trying to navigate fatherhood, career decisions, meaningful work, and work-life balance, lack of clarity can lead to frustration, burnout, and a constant feeling of being pulled in too many directions.

Paul shares how to:

• Identify your natural strengths and use them to guide career decisions
• Recognize when you are in the wrong role versus the wrong season
• Align your work with your values, personality, and long-term goals
• Make better decisions about transitions, promotions, and opportunities
• Help your kids think about their own strengths and future paths

Dig Deeper

Command & Conquer

PEG Channel

DiSC Profile

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Barney

Free Fallin’

Follow Paul

On LinkedIn

On Instagram

On his show, Transit Unplugged TV

On his podcast, Transit Unplugged

Check out his book, Find Your X Factor, and take the assessment

Pre-order his book from B&N

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What if the way you show up after the game matters more than the game itself?

After more than three decades coaching and mentoring young people, Antwaun Thompson has seen a clear shift. Kids today are facing more pressure, less confidence, and more noise than ever before. And for many parents, especially working dads trying to navigate fatherhood and work-life balance, it's not always clear how to support them the right way.

This conversation focuses on what kids actually need from their parents, not just in youth sports, but in everyday life.

Antwaun shares how to:

• Build confidence in your kids through connection instead of constant correction
• Give feedback that helps growth instead of creating pressure
• Understand the hidden pressure kids feel from parents, coaches, teammates, and themselves
• Involve your kids in decisions so they build ownership and responsibility
• Create an environment where kids contribute instead of just participate

Dig Deeper

Dean Smith

The Flintstones

Let’s Stay Together by Al Green

Follow Antwaun

On his non-profit, JLT Fieldhouse

On his website

On Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders with Coach T

On TeenSpeak - Empowering Today’s Youth

On Instagram

On Facebook

On YouTube

On TikTok

On LinkedIn

Check out his book, S.E.A. of Success

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Why does work that once energized you start to feel like something you can’t turn off?

Dr. David Shar studies what happens when people fall out of love with their work and why that shift often happens long before anyone notices. His research shows that for working dads, the challenge is not just workload. It is how work connects to identity, purpose, and the life you are trying to build at home.

This conversation reframes passion in a way most people never consider. Not all passion is healthy. Some of it quietly creates burnout, tension, and distance from the people who matter most.

David shares how to:

• Understand the difference between healthy passion and the kind that leads to burnout

• Recognize when guilt at home or at work is a signal of misalignment 

• Identify when your work is integrated into your identity versus competing with it

• Shift from obsessive work habits to a more sustainable, balanced approach

• Influence culture and energy at work even without a leadership title

• Align your impact at work with who you are as a parent

• Create meaningful work without sacrificing presence at home

We talk about fatherhood, identity, and work-life balance that actually holds up under real pressure. Not less ambition, but better alignment between who you are, how you work, and how you show up at home.

Dig Deeper

University of Maryland

Cold Stone Creamery

The Crips and Bloods

Safeway

ChatGPT

Wicked

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Dinosaur Train

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Follow David

On his website: http://www.davidshar.com

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshar

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

What if the biggest gap between your work and your life is not your schedule, but how you define success?

Alan Lazaros built what most people would call a successful life. High income, fast growth, and clear upward momentum. But after a near-fatal car accident at 26, he was forced to confront a harder question. Was any of it actually meaningful?

For working dads trying to balance ambition, work-life balance, and presence at home, this conversation reframes what meaningful work really means and how easily success can drift away from what matters most.

Alan shares how to:

• Shift from chasing external success to building a life from the inside out

• Recognize when your goals are driven by validation instead of values

• Avoid building a life that looks successful but feels empty

• Focus on long-term growth instead of short-term approval

• Close the gap between your intentions and your daily actions

• Redefine meaningful work in a way that actually fits your life

This conversation is not about abandoning ambition. It's about aiming it in the right direction so your work, your values, and your life are moving together instead of pulling you apart.

Dig Deeper

Agfa

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Adverse Childhood Experiences Score

Pride Rock

Hey Arnold

Ice Ice Baby

Follow Alan

On his website: https://www.nextleveluniverse.com

On Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/alazaros88

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc

On his podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelUniversity

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Why do so many working dads feel disconnected from their kids even when they are physically present?

Modern fatherhood comes with pressures that did not exist a generation ago. Constant work demands, two-income households, packed schedules, and technology that never turns off have pushed many families into reactive mode. And when stress builds, connection is often the first thing to break.

Dr. David Marcus, a clinical psychologist with over 40 years of experience working with families under stress, explains what is really happening beneath those moments of disconnection and how dads can show up differently.

David shares how to:

• Become a calming, steady presence when your child is overwhelmed

• Understand why kids fear their emotions will push parents away 

• Avoid reactive parenting patterns that get passed down unconsciously

• Help children develop an emotional language instead of acting out

• Respond in a way that allows your child to open up rather than shut down

• Handle conflict without damaging trust or connection

• Repair moments when you lose your temper and rebuild respect

• Stay emotionally present even when work stress is high

• Recognize when you are “filled up” and shifting into reaction mode

• Create a home environment where kids feel safe expressing themselves

This conversation is for working dads trying to balance fatherhood, work, and emotional presence in a world that rarely slows down.

Dig Deeper

My Big Fat Greek Wedding: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259446/

Michael Jordan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan

The Waltons: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068149/

Cats in the Cradle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u-KWa3tL-0

Father & Son: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6zaCV4niKk

Sunrise, Sunset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBJeF_Lav2o

Follow David

On his website: https://parentrx.org

Email: dsmarcusphd@parentrx.org

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

What happens when you realize the career you built doesn’t actually align with the life you want?

Scott Maderer built a successful career in finance, checked the right boxes, and did the things ambitious professionals are supposed to do. But eventually he realized something important was missing. The work that once looked impressive on paper no longer felt connected to his values, his purpose, or the kind of impact he wanted to make.

That realization led Scott to step away from corporate finance and build a new path helping leaders and entrepreneurs align their work with what truly matters.

Scott shares how to:

• Recognize when external success no longer matches internal fulfillment
• Navigate the uncertainty that comes with major career shifts
• Design work that supports family, relationships, and long term priorities
• Avoid chasing titles, money, or status that don't bring real satisfaction

Dig Deeper

Barney

Sears

Sweet Caroline

Brodie the Goldendoodle

Follow Scott

On his website: inspiredstewardship.com/gaptogig

On his podcast: https://inspiredstewardship.com/podcast/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stewardcoach/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredStewardship

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Inspired_Stewardship

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/csmaderer/

Read his book, Inspired Living: https://amzn.to/472IjZ7

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

What happens when your self-worth quietly becomes tied to your output?

After nearly two decades leading digital transformation work for major brands, Loren Silverman realized that success on paper didn’t equal fulfillment in real life. The titles, the grind, the constant responsibility all looked right from the outside. But underneath, something felt off.

That realization didn’t lead to a dramatic overnight reinvention. It led to something much simpler and far more powerful: pause, awareness, and small, repeatable shifts.

Today, Loren helps high-responsibility professionals untangle identity from productivity, align actions with values, and build healthier boundaries without losing ambition.

Loren shares how to:

• Recognize when your reaction is bigger than the moment

• Separate your identity from your professional output

• Align daily actions with personal values

• Protect energy, not just time

• Use small, consistent changes instead of heroic life overhauls

• Practice active listening to improve presence at home

• Create boundaries that actually hold under pressure

• Reframe slowing down as strength rather than weakness

• Catch burnout before it becomes depletion

• Pause long enough to make better decisions

This conversation is thoughtful, grounded, and practical for any dad who feels stretched between responsibility and presence, and wants a steadier, more intentional way forward.

Dig Deeper

S.M.A.R.T. Tasks

Baskin-Robbins

House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

The Doors

Follow Loren

On his website: https://www.silvermancoach.com

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loren.silverman/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loren.silverman

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorensilverman/

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

What does meaningful work actually look like once you become a parent?

For many professionals, the answer changes. Priorities shift. Energy changes. The things that once felt exciting or important can suddenly feel disconnected from the life you want to build.

Career strategist Julia Toothacre works with high-performing professionals who look successful on paper but quietly feel stuck, burned out, or misaligned. Her work focuses on helping people take ownership of their careers while navigating the pressures of family, ambition, and changing priorities.

Julia explains why meaningful work is often misunderstood and why the answer usually isn’t a dramatic career overhaul. More often, it comes from understanding the season of life you are in and aligning your choices with what matters most right now.

Julia shares how to:

• Understand why meaningful work means different things to different people

• Recognize when feeling “stuck” is coming from internal pressure rather than external reality

• Think about career risk differently once kids enter the picture

• Identify when a job is temporarily demanding versus fundamentally misaligned

• Manage career transitions without making emotional or reactive decisions

• Spot the early warning signs of burnout before they escalate

Dig Deeper

Bluey

Champagne Supernova by Oasis

Follow Julia

On her website: ridethetidecollective.com

On her podcast, Control Your Career: https://ridethetidecollective.com/podcast/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridethetidecollective

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RideTheTideCollective

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ridethetidecollective

On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ridethetidecol

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliakrussell

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On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/