Most men can push through intensity. A lot of dads still struggle to hold it.

On this episode of the 4 Fit Fatherhood Podcast, Rod Richard sits with Morgan Rich (author of The Invitation Beyond and creator of Threshold Coaching, “Training for the Unknown”) to talk about staying present under pressure, leading with integrity, and building healthy masculinity inside real fatherhood.

You’ll hear:

• What “threshold moments” are and why they change everything

• Rod’s “matrix moment” that reshaped his life as a father

• Cold water + breath as nervous system training (that applies at home)

• Healthy masculinity: presence, vulnerability, flexibility

• A simple in-the-moment reset for chaotic parenting moments

If you’re a dad trying to lead better:
Like, subscribe, and share this with one father you respect.

#fatherhood #parenting #masculinity #leadership #mindset #4fitfatherhood

0:00 Pushing through vs holding intensity
1:03 What strength looks like for dads
4:00 Morgan’s background + The Invitation Beyond
7:01 Loss, grief, and inner guidance
10:10 What a “threshold moment” is (Allegory of the Cave)
12:58 Rod’s fatherhood “matrix moment”
24:46 Moving through change with integrity
28:04 Cold water training and parenting tantrums
29:37 Healthy masculinity vs control/shutdown
46:39 What to do when home gets chaotic
54:25 “Listen with the ears of your heart”
56:42 Where to connect with Morgan
58:16 Outro recap

What’s your biggest “threshold moment” as a father so far, and what did it change in you?

Episode overview

Most men over 40 think their best days are behind them. Ben Brown would disagree.

In this conversation, Rod and Ben talk about what it takes for high-performing fathers to build a body they are proud of, without wrecking their marriage, career, or sanity. They break down time, stress, hormones, training, and the mindset shifts dads need if they want long-term health, not another 6-week sprint.

• The story of Ben’s dad, weight gain, and the wake-up call that shaped Ben’s mission

• How Ben’s own health crash and fatigue changed the way he sees training and nutrition

• Why high-performing men often feel exhausted despite “doing everything right”

• How to run a simple time and screen-time audit to find training windows

• What fathers over 40 need to change in their training plan

• How to think about fatigue, labs, and hormone health without panic

• The idea of a personal “operating system” for health, not random hacks

• Practical non-negotiables for sleep, steps, lifting, and food

• How being a husband and father of three shapes the way Ben coaches men today

Ben Brown is the owner and head nutrition and fitness coach at Body Systems, a virtual coaching company focused on helping high-performing men 40+ build a body they can be proud of through personalized nutrition, strength training, and lifestyle systems.

He is the co-founder and head coach behind The Smart Nutrition Made Simple Show, a long-running podcast where he interviews experts on nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle for long-term health.

Ben is a husband and father of three, and he coaches from the same principles he uses to manage his own health, work, and family life.

• Site: https://www.bodysystems.com

• Instagram: @bodysystemscoaching

• Podcast: The Smart Nutrition Made Simple Show

• Free Father’s Roadmap & resources: https://4fitfatherhood.com

• Coaching for fathers: https://youcancallmecoach.com

• Fatherhoodies gear: https://fatherhoodies.printify.me

• Grow Down brand drops and updates: share in your captions and Stories

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/4fitfatherhood

• Share this episode with a dad over 35 who says he “doesn’t have time”

• Leave a rating and review so more fathers can find the show

• Screenshot the episode, tag @4fitfatherhood and @bodysystemscoaching, and post your biggest takeaway

Healing the Modern Man with Dr. Michael Brasher

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Michael Brasher for a real conversation about fatherhood, masculinity, and emotional leadership. Michael breaks down why so many men carry unspoken grief, how it shapes the way we show up at home, and what it looks like to finally deal with the weight we’ve been avoiding.

We get into generational pain, emotional honesty, and the difference between power over and power with. Michael shares practical tools for building daily emotional strength and why vulnerability is a skill every father needs.
If you're working on becoming a more present, grounded man, this one hits deep.

• The moment that pushed him into men's healing work

• How generational wounds show up in fatherhood

• Why men default to control instead of connection

• What emotional presence looks like day-to-day

• How to model strength without shutting down

• The role grief plays in becoming a better dad

• Why healed men lead differently

• Small daily habits that change the way you show up

• You can’t heal what you refuse to feel

• Your reactions are often rooted in old pain

• Connection creates influence; control destroys it

• Vulnerability builds trust with your kids and your partner

• A healed father leads with clarity instead of fear

Instagram: @lifeunboundcoaching
Website: lifeunboundcoaching.com

Here’s everything you can use to grow in your faith, family, finance, and fitness.

If you're ready to lead your family with confidence and consistency, my coaching programs are built for fathers who want real change.
👉 4-Pillar Fatherhood Coaching: https://youcancallmecoach.com
👉 Book a Strategy Call: https://youcancallmecoach.com/apply

Gear that represents who you are and what you stand for as a father.
Hoodies, tees, and more.
👉 Shop the collection: https://fatherhoodies.printify.me

Short-form content, resources, and tools for men who want to grow deeper and lead stronger.
👉 Grow Down on Instagram: @growdown.co

Daily content, videos, and tools to help you become the father your family needs.
👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/4fitfatherhood
👉 Podcast website: https://4fitfatherhood.com

If you valued this episode, share it with another dad who needs it.
Your growth creates theirs.

🎓 College planning without breaking the bank? In this episode of the 4 Fit Fatherhood Podcast, Rod sits down with Paul Compeau, Certified Financial Planner and founder of BridgeWise College Planning.

Paul breaks down how to help your kids attend top-tier universities like NYU, Stanford, and Michigan — without derailing your retirement or going into debt. We talk mindset shifts, 529 plans vs Roth IRAs, and what it means to build a financial legacy for your family.

💬 Topics Covered:
– What most financial advisors miss about college planning
– The $40K mistake middle-class families make
– How to plan for your child’s future and your retirement
– Why connection > cost when it comes to college
– How dads can lead financially and emotionally

📌 Book a Free Consultation: https://www.bridgewisecp.com

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with another dad who needs this message.

🎧 Listen to more: https://www.4fitfatherhood.com
📸 Follow Rod: https://www.instagram.com/4fitfatherhood

The banks don’t buy what they sell us. They buy cash value policies and use them like a vault. Today, Coach Doug Peacock shows dads how to run that same play at home.

After 40 years on the football field building young men, Coach Peacock is now helping fathers become the financial leaders of their households. This episode covers:

• Why football taught his kids more than school ever could

• The problem with 401ks, college loans, and Wall Street lies

• Why “being the bank” can change your family's financial future

• How he sets up policies to create generational wealth and liquidity

• The difference between being insured vs building a legacy

Doug simplifies complex financial concepts with the same clarity he brought to the football field—coaching dads to lead, protect, and provide.

🔗 Connect with Doug Peacock:

• Website: Peacock Wealth Group

• Facebook: Coach Doug Peacock

• LinkedIn: Doug Peacock

🎯 Don’t just play defense with your finances. Learn to be the bank.

Connect with Rod:

www.ucancallmecoach.com

www.4fitfatherhood.com

www.4fitfatherhood.caard.co

Executive coach Jeff Hittner, founder of Ambitious Dads, joins Rod to unpack why so many high-performing men feel confident at work yet uncertain at home. Jeff shares his personal journey into intentional fatherhood, the six big gaps he sees in modern dads (balance, confidence, emotional regulation, community, clarity, and aligned co‑parenting), and how to raise emotionally intelligent kids without losing your identity. We go deep on triggers, repair, redefining what it means to “provide,” and integrating your leadership skills from the office into the living room. If you’ve ever thought, “I’d die for my family,” Jeff challenges you to grow for them—starting today. Practical, vulnerable, and immediately actionable.

In this episode:

• Jeff’s intentional path to fatherhood and why it changed his definition of “dad.”

• The Six Gaps modern fathers face (and how to close them): balance, confidence, emotional regulation, community, clarity/vision for home, co‑parenting expectations.

• Triggers → tools: spotting overreactions, tagging out, apologizing, and repair.

• The new meaning of “provider”: nurture and presence alongside finances.

• Integrating leadership: using your strengths from work to create calm, clear systems at home.

• How to talk with your kids sooner (and better) about hard topics.

Resources Mentioned

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success — Carol Dweck

• Ambitious Dads (blog, podcast, programs) — ambitiousdads.com

• Coaching site — jeffhittner.com

Connect with Jeff

• Web: ambitiousdads.com | jeffhittner.com

• Podcast: Ambitious Dads

Connect with Rod

• Podcast hub: 4fitfatherhood.com

• IG: @4fitfatherhood

CTA
If this hit home, share it with a dad who’s leading at work and wants to lead with love at home. Rate the show ★★★★★ and drop a review—it helps more fathers find the conversation.

• 00:40 Welcome • The four pillars & why fatherhood changes the world

• 02:46 Jeff’s story: intentional fatherhood & redefining “father”

• 04:50 From 50 to 200 interviews: what ambitious dads are missing

• 07:19 Confidence at work vs. uncertainty at home

• 08:23 The “low bar” of dad success—and raising the standard

• 09:14 The Six Gaps: balance, confidence, emotions, community, clarity, co‑parenting

• 12:37 Kids mirror us; building emotional self‑awareness & repair

• 15:53 First steps: notice overreactions (triggers) & ask for help

• 19:54 Buckets, valves, and overreaction vs. effective response

• 29:42 Change is uncomfortable: helping kids (and dads) stick with it

• 31:34 Provider, redefined: nurture + presence, not just income

• 35:09 Why two incomes are common—and rewriting role expectations

• 38:48 Integrating work leadership at home (authenticity & energy)

• 55:01 Prepping the “hard talks” (sex, tech, culture) before school does

• 1:01:21 The message Jeff hopes his sons will say about him

• 1:03:12 Rapid fire: book, unlearn, one word, reconnection, brotherhood

• 1:05:23 Where to find Jeff & Ambitious Dads

In this episode of the 4 Fit Fatherhood Podcast, Rod sits down with Matt Morizio — husband, father of seven, former pro baseball player, and wealth advisor — to talk about faith, family, fitness, and finance.

Matt shares his journey from professional baseball to fatherhood and finance, how chapel in the clubhouse grew his faith, and why being intentional is the secret weapon for parenting. Together, Rod and Matt dive deep into:

• Why intention > busyness when raising kids

• Practical ways to teach kids about money (including “Money Mondays” and chocolate chip economics)

• Shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset

• How faith, family, fitness, and finance work together to keep the “roof” of fatherhood standing

• The most powerful words every dad must say to their kids

If you’ve ever struggled to balance providing for your family while being present with them, this episode will give you encouragement and practical tools to lead well.

Follow Matt:
Instagram: @mattmorizio
Free Money Mindset Course: DM him “COURSE” on IG

Follow Rod & 4 Fit Fatherhood:

• Instagram: @4fitfatherhood

• Podcast: www.4fitfatherhood.com

• YouTube: Potential 4 Performance

📝 Episode Summary

On this episode of the 4 Fit Fatherhood Podcast, Rod sits down with Myer Krah, Navy veteran, father of five, and the voice behind the Here 4 The Dads movement. This is more than just a conversation—it’s a powerful exchange between two men committed to breaking generational cycles and showing up as intentional fathers.

Myer shares how vulnerability became his superpower after military life and why the three C’s—Conversations, Community, and Coaching—are the foundation of everything he’s building for fathers. Rod and Myer dive deep into emotional intelligence, co-parenting empathy, mental health, and the messy, funny realities of raising kids.

Whether you're crushing grapes, forgetting church shoes, or just trying to get your kids to tie their laces, this episode reminds you that you're not alone. It’s honest, funny, and packed with moments that will challenge and encourage any dad to grow.

📍 Learn more about Myer at hereforthedads.com

🎙️ Founder of Here 4 The Dads Podcast & Platform
📍 Website: www.hereforthedads.com
📸 Instagram: @here4thedads
▶️ YouTube: @Here4theDadsPodcast

🔗 Connect with Rod Richard (Host)

🎙️ Host of the 4 Fit Fatherhood Podcast
📍 Website: www.4fitfatherhood.com
📚 Coaching: www.youcancallmecoach.com
📸 Instagram: @4fitfatherhood
▶️ YouTube: @potentialperformance
🎧 Spotify: 4 Fit Fatherhood on Spotify