Gap to Gig – Working Dads' Guide to Fatherhood, Meaningful Work, & Finding Balance in Life

Shaun Dawson on Fatherhood, Identity, and Redefining Work-Life Balance for Dads

What does it really mean to succeed as a dad when work, ambition, and identity are all pulling in different directions? Shaun Dawson, tech leader, father of two, and host of the Raising Men podcast, challenges the idea that success is defined by output alone. He shares a more grounded perspective on fatherhood, work life balance, and what working dads often get wrong when they focus too heavily on providing financially while overlooking emotional presence. Shaun shares how to: * Redefine success beyond income and external achievement * Build emotional security for your kids, not just financial security * Separate identity from output and rethink what actually gives your life meaning * Recognize when ego is shaping your parenting decisions * Stay present during everyday moments that are easy to overlook but impossible to get back * Navigate the tension between guiding your kids and letting them become who they are This is a thoughtful and honest conversation for working dads trying to build a life that balances fatherhood, meaningful work, and a deeper sense of identity. Dig Deeper Conan the Barbarian [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_the_Barbarian] Raising Men by Eric Davis [https://amzn.to/3OaHLu4] Bluey [https://www.bluey.tv/] Dairy Queen [https://www.dairyqueen.com/] Piano Man [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0] Follow Shaun On his website and podcast: https://raising.men/ [https://raising.men/] On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisingmen_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/raisingmen_podcast/] On Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/raisingmen_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/raisingmen_podcast/] On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingMen_Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingMen_Podcast] On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raising-men/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/raising-men/] On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raisingmenpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@raisingmenpodcast] Follow Gap to Gig On Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogig [http://instagram.com/gaptogig] On TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogig [http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig] On X: x.com/gaptogig [http://x.com/gaptogig] On YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg [http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg] On your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/] Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.com [http://gaptogig.com] Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/]

Paul Comfort on Finding Meaningful Work and Work-Life Balance as a Dad

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 [https://www.ea.com/games/command-and-conquer] PEG Channel [https://www.fcc.gov/media/public-educational-and-governmental-access-channels-peg-channels] DiSC Profile [https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc] Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%2527s_hierarchy_of_needs_] Barney [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oeiO19qaDmQ] Free Fallin’ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lWJXDG2i0A] Follow Paul On LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcomfort] On Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paulwcomfort] On his show, Transit Unplugged TV [https://www.youtube.com/c/TransitUnpluggedTV] On his podcast, Transit Unplugged [https://transitunplugged.com/transit-unplugged-podcast/] Check out his book, Find Your X Factor, and take the assessment [https://findyourxfactor.ai/] Pre-order his book from B&N [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/find-your-x-factor-paul-comfort/1148750775] Follow Gap to Gig On Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogig [http://instagram.com/gaptogig] On TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogig [http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig] On X: x.com/gaptogig [http://x.com/gaptogig] On YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg [http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg] On your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/] Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.com [http://gaptogig.com] Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/]

Antwaun Thompson on Raising Confident Kids Through Better Parenting and Coaching

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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Smith] The Flintstones [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8] Let’s Stay Together by Al Green [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXx6RDzR6eM] Follow Antwaun On his non-profit, JLT Fieldhouse [https://www.jltfieldhouse.org/] On his website [https://coachtscorner.com/] On Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders with Coach T [https://open.spotify.com/show/2EGAhBcyKyoSdwAgTv7OmH] On TeenSpeak - Empowering Today’s Youth [https://open.spotify.com/show/3vzYlYjNAKsoWjpKJObObH] On Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coachts_corner] On Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coachtscorner] On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPjJRsI6602F1mGKR3NZtog] On TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/coachtscorner] On LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/antwaunt/] Check out his book, S.E.A. of Success [https://amzn.to/3Ogextu] Follow Gap to Gig On Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogig [http://instagram.com/gaptogig] On TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogig [http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig] On X: x.com/gaptogig [http://x.com/gaptogig] On YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg [http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg] On your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/] Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.com [http://gaptogig.com] Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/]

David Shar on Passion, Burnout, and Work-Life Balance for Working Dads

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 [https://umd.edu] Cold Stone Creamery [https://www.coldstonecreamery.com] The Crips and Bloods [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crips%25E2%2580%2593Bloods_gang_war] Safeway [https://www.safeway.com/] ChatGPT [https://chatgpt.com] Wicked [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426/] Marvel Cinematic Universe [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe] Dinosaur Train [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkMCYae7ua4] The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCqRmx3Dnw] Follow David On his website: http://www.davidshar.com [http://www.davidshar.com] On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshar [http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshar] Follow Gap to Gig On Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogig [http://instagram.com/gaptogig] On TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogig [http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig] On X: x.com/gaptogig [http://x.com/gaptogig] On YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg [http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg] On your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/] Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.com [http://gaptogig.com] Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/]

Alan Lazaros on Meaningful Work, Work-Life Balance, and Living from the Inside Out

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 [https://www.agfa.com/corporate/] Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) [https://www.wpi.edu] Adverse Childhood Experiences Score [https://americanspcc.org/take-the-aces-quiz/] Pride Rock [https://lionking.fandom.com/wiki/Pride_Rock] Hey Arnold [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2EotmVUdDE] Ice Ice Baby [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE] Follow Alan On his website: https://www.nextleveluniverse.com [https://www.nextleveluniverse.com] On Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/alazaros88 [http://www.instagram.com/alazaros88] On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros [http://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros] On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc] On his podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelUniversity [https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelUniversity] Follow Gap to Gig On Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogig [http://instagram.com/gaptogig] On TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogig [http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig] On X: x.com/gaptogig [http://x.com/gaptogig] On YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg [http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg] On your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/] Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.com [http://gaptogig.com] Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/]