What Did You Learn From Your Dad?

Posted by: Kyle Scott | May 10, 2011 - 4:59pm

Photo by Spirit-Fire
In June, McCombs TODAY will be celebrating dads, and we'd like to hear from you.

How did your dad influence your life and career? Tell us in the comments below.

Comments

#1 When I think of my Dad, I

Submitted by CathyF on May 12, 2011 - 9:17am.

When I think of my Dad, I just think of unconditional love. I see it in his eyes when he looks at his family, when he smiles, and when he laughs. My dad is one of the nicest, most caring, loving and respected men I know. I grew up watching him go to work early every morning and never having a bad thing to say about it. He taught me that loving your job makes your life more fulfilling, rewarding and simply more enjoyable. I believe his love for his work taught me that I should love my job too. I realize that these days this is becoming more and more rare and you are just lucky to have a job at all. But, knowing what a well-rounded and happy life looks like by seeing my father’s life growing up, makes me realize I have that too! I love my work and those I work with. Thank you Dad for showing me how to love – family, work, and life!

#2 My dad has always been my

Submitted by Anonymous on May 17, 2011 - 6:20pm.

My dad has always been my go-to person for career advice. Beyond his valuable experience, I can always trust in his strong moral compass, sound judgment and candor. Thanks, Dad, for being an all-around admirable person. (And for always answering my calls the night before a big meeting/interview.)

#3 My father influenced my life

Submitted by Michelle Casanova EMBA 2012 on May 17, 2011 - 7:42pm.

My father influenced my life and career more by what he didn’t say than by what he did say. Regardless of what new venture I entered into, my father never discouraged me or said that I couldn’t succeed. When I told him that I was going to replace a toilet in my house, he put a box of putty, tubing, and wrench together for me. When I started making films, my father worked as a prop master and investor. When I was a child, my father wouldn’t let me ride my bike in the street because of the dangers. In my adulthood, my father bought me an electric chain saw tree trimmer, a reciprocating saw (for my carpentry projects), a cordless and corded drill, and enough bits to last a life time. My father was the biggest supporter of my goal to enter the UT Executive MBA program. In October 2010, during my first semester in the EMBA program, my father passed away unexpectedly. I learned that I not only lost my dad, but also a great friend and supporter, and miss him every day.

#4 My dad worked never went to

Submitted by Renee H on May 17, 2011 - 8:06pm.

My dad worked never went to college. He provided for his family by working in a factory and played guitar in a band. Yet he gave me two pieces of advice that have helped me in countless ways in my career.

The first: Never own more things than you can fit into the back of a pick-up truck. Even he didn't really adhere to this except late in his life. But I think about it every time I encounter needless complexity, especially when I'm the one making things needlessly complex. Whether you're trying to solve a problem in the material world or the conceptual world, ask yourself first if you've already got something somewhere that will do the job, or can you pare down the solution to something elegantly simple?

The second: It's OK to be different. When I was 15 that meant, OK to be different from other girls who were more interested in boys than books, which was my chief interest. When I was 20 it meant, OK to be different from the other members of my family, when I was the only one who went to college. Since he's been gone, I tell this to myself when I need to. It's a very freeing concept. It's OK to come up with a new idea and try it out. It's OK to change "the way we've always done it."

#5 Aww...I read your comment

Submitted by Blair Smith on May 19, 2011 - 8:43am.

Aww...I read your comment after I posted mine. We were very lucky to have dad's like that :)

#6 My dad taught me a few

Submitted by Blair Smith on May 19, 2011 - 8:41am.

My dad taught me a few things: 1) Don't be afraid to be different. There's never just "one way" to do anything. Just because it's the way "it's always been done" doesn't mean it's right 2) Risks generally aren't scary when you actually play out the "worst case scenario" to the end in your mind 3) (this was for his only daughter) Always earn your own income. 4) It never hurts to ask.

#7 My dad (I call him daddy; he

Submitted by Roanna on May 19, 2011 - 9:53am.

My dad (I call him daddy; he still calls me peanut) was my first comedian. He's a fantastic storyteller, a dear sweet soul, and a first-rate charmer. He has taught me to always express affection and love, to always, always laugh (especially at one's own foibles), and to love and feel good about who I am. If you can't love yourself, he said, then how can you love anyone else? Wise words.

I always had the unconditional support of both of my parents; I've been blessed. He has inspired me to be the poet he always wished he could be, to be careful with money (I'm still learing that one - but it never hurts having 40+ years of banking experience at one's disposal), but to have fun, to live, to do as much living as you can while regretting the least amount possible.

But the biggest gift: I've never once had to wonder if he was proud of me or if he loved me. I am told that every day, to this day.

#8 My dad was a great example to

Submitted by Stephen on May 19, 2011 - 11:02am.

My dad was a great example to me of how to balance home life and work life. He gave me the foundation I needed to start my own career and the advice I needed when I didn't know what to do. He's the primary resource I drew from when I decided to help men become better husbands through writing.
My dad showed me that it may not be easy, but it's always worth standing up for what you believe in. He unabashedly taught me what he believed and allowed me to choose for myself the path I would take. He taught me to be my own man.

#9 I am a McCombs professor and

Submitted by Anonymous on May 20, 2011 - 5:02pm.

I am a McCombs professor and my dad died last summer. He was a professor too. I will always miss him. What I learned from my dad was that life is bigger than me and that I have a responsibility to make things better for others.

#10 My dad was a farmer. He never

Submitted by Jon M on May 21, 2011 - 9:44am.

My dad was a farmer. He never handed me a list of principles or a creed in which to live my life, but what my dad did is live his life as a quiet, simple example. I learned many things, including:

1 - Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. There is no real opportunity for procrastination in farming. My dad had to get in there and do what needed to be done when it had to be done.

2 - Plant the seeds, no matter what. Taking risks is the name of the game in farming. Dad placed bets in what he planted, took care of the land, prayed the rain would come and the bad weather would stay away, and harvested what he could. It all started, though, by planting seeds.

3 - Take a day off, preferably Sunday. With his hard work, dad needed a day of rest. Sundays were not necessarily a day to sleep in, but a nap in the afternoon helped. Dad’s day of rest was a day of renewal in mind, body, soul, and spirit.

4 - Stand tall in adversity. There were not many times when dad had to stand tall when dealing with others, but there were a few. There was a steeliness to his resolve when it came to certain issues, and the farmer transformed into a leader with a clear sense of direction.

5 - Live simply and within your means. Being frugal is a lifestyle, and one frequently found on family farms, including ours. Maybe it was because it was more of an imperative than an option, but dad always spent wisely and sparingly. Simple lives do produce fruitful ones.

These were a few of the things that my dad has inspired within me, and I am very grateful.

#11 This is a very difficult

Submitted by Anonymous on May 22, 2011 - 10:25am.

This is a very difficult subject. Everyone has a father, but for some of us not, including myself, I really really miss it ...I've enjoyed your blog. thnx

#12 Dad taught by example and by

Submitted by DJ Dodson MBA-MA '95 on June 7, 2011 - 2:58pm.

Dad taught by example and by telling (mostly funny) stories.
I guess his major lesson was to never stop learning. (cf, af & am)
He spent a lot of time showing us how to apply ourselves (seven siblings) -
apply ourselves completely - to so very many & diverse things.

He was often seen working his German shepherds
- a "shepherd whisperer" of sorts. Shepherding is "in the blood:"
He was quite the Renaissance man for a man that grew up herding goats and
and chopping-cedar-for-charcaol-sales during the '20s & '30s.
Something of a local native....
Three of his five residences during the 30's are under Lake Travis now...

One of his grand-daughters just graduated first in her class from
UT Dental School.
I can still hear him say, "Hold you horses!"
Fidelitas! Dad. DJ 2 of 7

#13 i love my dad bt hes no

Submitted by Anonymous on September 6, 2011 - 9:50pm.

i love my dad bt hes no more...:(

#14 Back when I played softball,

Submitted by Barbarian Skills on January 11, 2012 - 2:25pm.

Back when I played softball, he taught me how to throw and how to bat. I may not have hit many, but I had the stance of a pro. Even now when I play slow-pitch, I still think of where my hands should be and where I need to stand. I had quite the arm, too. Once, during a practice when I was younger, I made a girl cry because I was apparently throwing it too hard, so I had to warm up with one of the coaches. What dad wouldn’t enjoy that, even a little?

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