Focused Fool
Posts
Why More Men Need the Trades

Why More Men Need the Trades

Brotherhood, Purpose, and the Power of Building Something Real

Geoffrey Griffin
April 28, 2025

Focused Content

Today in The Focused Fool:

What if the grit and grind of blue-collar work held the secret to raising strong, grounded kids?

In Focused Purpose, I share a few lessons the trades taught me—about effort, presence, and what it really means to build something that lasts.

Then in Focused Insights, we’re looking at how to raise successful kids without crushing their spirit, what it means to live a life worth writing about, and why chasing happiness might be all wrong.

This month’s Focused Action is all about Presence—and today’s step is a moment to pause, reflect, and course-correct.

And in Focused Wonder, a simple question that just might unlock a deeper connection with your kids.

Let’s dive in.

Focused Purpose

A lot of men today feel stuck—disconnected from their work and unsure how to lead their kids in a world that’s moving faster than they can process.

We talk about raising strong, grounded children… but most of us were never shown how.

What if the answer isn’t another parenting book—but something older, grittier, and more real?

In this piece, I explore what the construction trades taught me about building not just homes—but humans.

About the value of showing up, sweating through the hard stuff, and modeling a life that’s actually worth following.

Because at the end of the day, we’re not just building things.
We’re building them.

Focused Insights

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

The Dad Edge Podcast
“The DAD’s Guide to Raising Successful Children”
MEDIUM
“Dear Son, here’s to a life well lived”
The Atlantic
“Three Myths and Four Truths About How To Get Happier”

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.

Reflect & Adjust

Action: Review your progress over the past three weeks. What’s worked? What hasn’t?
Prompt: Write down one thing you’ll do differently moving forward.

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.