I have said almost exactly the same thing to all three of my sons. One wanted nothing to do with the idea that he was responsible for his entire life, including his lack of results, feeling like a victim and being defined by a negative experience that he wants to blame others, including me, for. Another completely embraced the concept early on and has amazing results in his life. The last initially fought the idea but within the past year has said to me, “I thought you were full of crap, but life has shown me that you knew what you were talking about.” Now this same son coaches me when I get into my own stories!

Fathers would do well to speak to their sons the way that Rocky did to his. What the sons do with it will be according to each of them. A lesson can be taught and modeled, but no one can force anyone to internalize a teaching. The best thing fathers can do is live their lives well so that their sons eventually have that moment of, “Maybe Dad knew what he was talking about.”