Fatherhood Didn’t Arrive When I Felt “Ready”

I was never sure if I wanted kids. Not when I was climbing the corporate ladder. Not when I was pouring everything into building my gym in London. Not even when my friends started settling down.

Back then, I couldn’t imagine having the time or energy that kids deserved. I barely had space for a proper relationship. My focus was narrow: work, training, building something that made me proud.

Kids? They weren’t part of the plan.

And honestly, there was no pressure. My parents were already grandparents, my sister had her children young. I figured I’d carved out a different path.

But in September 2022, Naia was born. And everything changed. But not in the way I expected.

To be honest, I didn’t feel ready.

I didn’t own a home. Didn’t have a big pile of savings. I was still rebuilding a new business after selling the gym. In many ways, I didn’t feel like a “real” adult, let alone a father.

The first few months were overwhelming. I did the nappies, the rocking, the meal prep, but I still felt like a bystander. At that age, babies need their mums more. And I often felt helpless, unsure of how to contribute beyond the basics.

All of this was unfolding while I was carrying the pressure of being a provider, keeping the business afloat, and continuing my own health journey. It was a lot.

But slowly, something began to shift.

I started noticing the small things: Her smile. Her laugh. Her little personality emerging. And I realised, I was there for it.

Because I worked from home, I’ve been able to be there every morning for breakfast. Every night for dinner. Every moment in between.

I’ve been present. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

It’s still hard. Money is a constant stressor.

There’s a voice in my head that questions whether I’m doing enough, earning enough, being enough.

But I’ve learned something powerful: Fatherhood doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence. It’s not about having all the answers, it’s about showing up anyway.

I used to believe that you needed to be “ready” before having kids. Mortgage. Savings. Stability. But Naia didn’t ask for that. She asked for me. She’s still asking for me.

Every day, she teaches me to slow down. To breathe. To listen. To move at her pace, not the world’s.

She’s changing me.

And I want her to remember me, not as the dad who had it all figured out, but as the dad who made time. The one who showed up. The one who taught her about health, happiness, and living by her own values, not the ones the world tries to impose.

This journey is at the heart of what we do inside Midlife Mavericks. Because fatherhood is just one example of what midlife brings: a shift in priorities, a redefining of what success looks like, and an invitation to grow into the man you’re meant to be, not the one you’ve been conditioned to be.

It’s not about abandoning ambition. It’s about realigning it.

Our work helps men like you reconnect, with your health, your purpose, and your people. Not by adding more to your plate, but by helping you tune into what really matters.

Presence. Growth. Responsibility. Love. Integrity.

These are the values we live by, and they’re the foundation for a fulfilling second half of life.

Because at the end of the day, the legacy you leave won’t be about what you built or earned. It will be about how you showed up for the people you care about.