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The Play Deficit: 4 Ways to Reclaim Fun and Feel Fully Alive Again

The Play Deficit: 4 Ways to Reclaim Fun and Feel Fully Alive Again

Why Fun Isn’t Frivolous—It’s Fuel

Geoffrey Griffin
June 06, 2025

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Focused Content

Hey Brother, Today in The Focused Fool…

Focused Purpose
Remember when fun wasn’t something you had to schedule?
This week, we explore what happens when joy slips out of your life—and how a dusty mountain bike helped me remember the version of myself that used to laugh, play, and feel alive.

Focused Partners
Today’s partner spotlight is 1440—a fact-first newsletter that cuts through the noise and gives you the day’s news in 5 minutes, minus the spin. Stay sharp without the overwhelm.

Focused Action
This week’s action continues our Emotional Control theme:
Teach your kids one emotional regulation tool you’ve picked up—whether it’s breathing, walking away, or naming emotions—and let them see calm modeled, not just taught.

Focused Wonder
Build trust and emotional fluency with this question:
How did you feel this morning when you woke up? Why do you think that is?

Focused Motion
Chris Williamson delivers a direct hit in this short clip:
“Listen to yourself. Keep your self-respect.”

Let’s Go!

Focused Purpose

You used to know what fun felt like.
Riding your bike until the streetlights came on.
Laughing so hard your sides hurt.
Getting lost in something for no reason other than joy.

But somewhere along the way, life got heavy.
Bills, meetings, meltdowns, expectations.
Now “fun” looks like a drink after the kids are in bed—or a screen you barely watch.

You’re not lazy. You’re not broken.
You’re just play-deprived.

In this week’s Focused Fool, I unpack the hidden cost of losing joy as a father…
and how a simple mountain bike ride helped me remember who I was before all the roles took over.

❝

It’s not about doing more.
It’s about doing something that brings you back to life.

The Focused Fool

Focused Partners

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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: Emotional Control: Managing anger, frustration, and stress to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting instinctively.

Coach Your Kids Through It

Action: Teach your kids one emotional control tool you’ve learned (e.g., breathing, walking away, naming emotion).
Prompt: How did they respond to learning it from you?

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.