Focused Purpose

Your kid says “fine” and disappears into their earbuds.
You’re left staring at the dashboard, wondering if you missed your shot to connect.

I used to think the problem was that my kids wouldn’t talk.
Now I’m starting to realize—it might be how I’ve been listening.

In this article, I’m sharing the 6 shifts that changed everything.
No lectures. No perfect scripts. Just real tools that are helping me build trust, one car ride and awkward silence at a time.

If you’ve ever felt the distance and wanted to close the gap, this one’s for you.

Focused Insights

Curated recommendations to challenge your thinking, inspire action, or simply make you pause and reflect.

• FutureMe.org 

  Want a quick exercise that’ll stop you in your tracks and make you think?

  Go to FutureMe.org and write an email to yourself—set to arrive a year (or five) from now.

  Tell your future self what matters to you right now.
  What you’re working on.
  What you’re afraid of.
  What kind of man, father, or husband you hope to become.

  Why?
  Because perspective is powerful.
  And when that letter shows up down the road, it won’t just remind you of who you were—it’ll show you how far you’ve come.

  Small act. Big impact.

• Nathaniel Drew Youtube 

  “How I Organize my Thoughts: A Simple Guide”

• Farnam Street

  “The Ultimate Deliberate Practical Guide: How to Be the Best”

Focused Partners

Is pushing kids to get good grades the fastest way to raise successful children?

Surprisingly, the answer is NO.

Focusing solely on academics makes up just a small part of what truly nurtures a child's self-belief and independence.

So what's the real game changer in raising unstoppable kids?

It’s all about getting them to learn critical life skills.

Did you know skills like problem-solving, creativity, financial literacy and resilience make the difference between those who succeed and those who struggle later in life?

This is way more impactful than just pushing for good grades.

Unfortunately, many parents waste hundreds of dollars every month on tutors and academic programs focusing only on rote learning.

While adding tremendous amounts of stress to young kids.

Smart parents are discovering this simple solution to spark their child's fire for self-driven achievement, raising confident leaders fast.

Focused Action

Every month, The Focused Fool brings you a series of Focused Actions—practical, bite-sized steps designed to help you grow as a father, husband, and man. Each month follows a specific theme, broken down into 12 structured actions (3 per week) that build on each other over the course of the month.

These actions are designed to be simple, achievable, and impactful, helping you establish new habits, strengthen relationships, and refine your personal leadership. Whether you follow the entire series or just a few steps, each action is a stepping stone toward becoming the man you want to be.

This month’s theme: Presence—Building intentional time with your kids and spouse.

Listen Deeply 

• Action: Have a conversation where you focus entirely on listening—no interrupting, only asking clarifying questions.

• Prompt: Write down what you learned by truly listening.

Focused Wonder

Focused questions designed to spark meaningful dialogue—whether at the dinner table, during a car ride, or at bedtime. Use these questions to build trust, curiosity, and laughter in your relationships.

What’s something you wish grown-ups understood about being your age?

Focused Motion

Curated videos to help make you think, to motivate, or to just laugh.

@justaskjefferson

something to talk with your kids about over the holiday break :) #communicationskills #communicationtips #parenttok #parentsoftiktok