
What happens when the corporate ladder you've been climbing leads to a cliff edge?
At 49, Jason had everything on paper-successful career, family, financial security. But beneath the surface, he was drowning. Depression, hypertension, high cholesterol, fatty liver, pre-diabetes. The price of "success" was killing him slowly.
Then came the moment that changed everything: leaving his corporate job to actually be a father, not just play one on weekends.
In this raw episode of The Dad Project, Jason shares his journey from outsourcing parenthood to a nanny, to rediscovering himself through a simple Instagram post of Bilbo Baggins that sparked a complete life transformation. From barely able to walk up Surrey Hills to becoming a personal trainer at 49, helping others escape the same trap he was in.
This conversation digs deep into:
• The identity crisis that hits when your job title is your identity
• Why "manning up" is the worst advice for struggling men
• The fear that drives midlife transformation (and why it's not what you think)
• How staring at a photo of your 3-year-old self can unlock who you really are
• The brutal truth about aging: will you be a burden to your children?
(00:00:00) Introduction: Breaking the Silence on Men's Mental Health
(00:01:45) Leaving Corporate Life to Become a Present Father
(00:05:20) The Power of Presence: Redefining Fatherhood
(00:12:13) The Identity Crisis: When Your Job Title Disappears
(00:15:10) Depression, Diabetes, and Rock Bottom at 49
(00:22:10) Finding Your True Self Through a Child's Eyes
(00:28:03) The Hobbit Moment: When Everything Changed
(00:36:07) From Wine to Wellness: The Journey to Sobriety
(00:41:02) Rediscovering Adventure at 49: Mountain Bikes and Swimming Lessons
(00:49:01) From Client to Coach: Finding Purpose in Fitness
(00:58:20) The Mental Game: Why Fitness is Really About Self-Image
(01:17:44) A Father's Promise: Don't Become a Burden to Your Children
Jason's message is clear: "If you can't get up off a chair by 70, you're heading for a care home. The promise you made to that newborn baby—to do anything for them—does that include becoming their burden?"
Whether you're stuck in corporate burnout, struggling with your identity, or just know something needs to change—this episode will challenge everything you think you know about strength, success, and what it really means to show up as a father.
🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations about men's mental health, fatherhood, and finding purpose in midlife.
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