“Let’s take a break here for a second,” I said nonchalantly, as if it were for both our benefit. It wasn’t. My muscles were on fire, and I was out of breath and soaked in sweat—despite it being 40 degrees outside. I took a wobbling step out of the canoe onto shore, my headlamp illuminating the condensed warm air rising from the river and my body.
My dad and I were 2 miles into a 3-mile canoe trip upriver. It was 4 a.m., we’d packed about 50 extra pounds of gear into our boat, and our destination was a piece of Ohio public hunting ground accessible only by water. I scouted this spot using online maps prior to the trip, and the river had appeared to flow lazily south. Instead, we arrived to find a fast-flowing ribbon of black water, engorged by recent heavy rainfall.
I lift weights, run the occasional marathon and do my best to eat clean. That said, I expected our 3-mile paddle to be a “type 2 fun” challenge to kick off our hunt. Yet, there I was, 2/3 of the way through, wondering if we had bitten off more than we could chew.
Thankfully, I had neglected to consider one important variable: Dad Strength. For those unfamiliar with the term, Dad Strength is the extra gear that fathers across the world seem to find when it is needed most, and my dad didn’t slow down—he shifted into something I didn’t have. We stepped back into the canoe, dug our paddles into the water and laboriously finished the final mile of the journey. My dad jumped out onto the gravel shore and casually looked back, saying, “I feel pretty good.” As for me, I felt completely exhausted.
My ego bruised, I spent some time thinking about where my dad’s toughness comes from, and the answer is obvious: a lifetime of discipline. I’ve seen him work 70+ hour weeks all summer long to meet hard deadlines. He’d always make time for family dinners, even if it meant heading back to the office until the early hours of the morning. I never needed a mechanic at home, because no car issue was unfixable for him. I’ve seen the sacrifices and his unwavering commitment to his faith and family—day in and day out. The compounding effect has produced a level of mental fortitude that cannot be achieved through physical fitness alone. This is Dad Strength, and it’s the standard I am chasing.
These principles can just as easily be applied to your financial life. Discipline compounds. Depending on your goals, time horizon, risk tolerance and cash-flow needs, discipline might mean increasing 401(k) contributions after a raise, staying committed to a long-term plan during market volatility or choosing a home that leaves room in the budget.
These decisions may be uncomfortable now, but not making them can yield much harder ones later. You don’t have to be a father to have financial Dad Strength, but you do need the discipline that builds it.
The opinions expressed are those of PYA Waltman Capital. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as investment advice.
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