Last weekend, I did something I never thought I’d do: I traveled to Kroger Field in Kentucky to watch my beloved Florida Gators get absolutely demolished by the Wildcats, 32-7. A complete blowout. And for anyone who knows me, you know that a Gators loss doesn’t just ruin my Saturday; it ruins my entire weekend!

But here’s what was different this time.

I brought my sister, my nephew and his wife to the game. They’re all true-blue Kentucky fans, born and raised. This was their first time experiencing a Kentucky-Florida game in person. I sat there watching my nephew’s face light up with every touchdown, watching my sister cheer louder than I’ve ever heard her cheer, and something shifted in me.

Sitting there, watching them celebrate their hometown team, I realized that their joy meant more to me than my team winning. And honestly? That felt better than any win I’ve watched in the Swamp.

This week’s newsletter isn’t just about football. It’s about recognizing when your priorities need to shift. Sometimes we grow out of the things we used to care so much about. Sometimes this happens in order for us to reach those things that matter more.

I’ve talked about this before: how I chose to skip a speaking engagement so I could show up at a friend’s daughter’s homecoming with my McLaren sports car. All I did was drive a car over so some ninth graders could take pictures. But the smiles on their faces, the excitement from their parents; that brought me more joy than standing on a stage talking about leadership.

That’s what I’m learning as a man, as a father, as someone who wants to leave a legacy: that bringing joy to other people’s lives matters more than personal wins. One of the pillars we talk about in the Raising Alphas Project is community — showing the next generation what’s worth pursuing, what’s worth sacrificing for, and what real leadership looks like. I can’t think of a better example of community this week than showing up to the Kentucky-Gators game with my sister and my nephew – even though the Gators lost!

Speaking of community, this Saturday, the Raising Alphas Project is proud to be a title sponsor for the Live for Bri Foundation’s softball tournament, our third year supporting this incredible cause. Founded by Chrislie Lopez and Josean Velez after the tragic drowning of their daughter Brie, this foundation helps families grieving the loss of a child to drowning. They provide grief counseling and teach kids water safety and swimming lessons, turning deepest pain into purpose and protection for other families.

That’s the kind of leadership we want to model. That’s the kind of service that defines what it means to raise Alphas. We’re raising kids who serve, who show up, who bring light into dark places.

Next, this is your insider’s look at the latest in parenting and leadership!

Experts say Veterans Day offers families a powerful opportunity to teach gratitude, empathy, and service. Psychologists explain that the holiday helps kids connect with real people behind the uniforms: neighbors, parents, and grandparents who sacrificed to protect others. Age-appropriate activities range from preschoolers making thank-you cards to teens reflecting on what freedom and service look like in their own lives.

Being a first responder and serving in the military, I’ve had people thank me for my service my entire adult life. And honestly? It was always hard for me to respond to, because to me, service was just something I wanted to do. I didn’t think of it as this huge sacrifice. It was my calling.

I’m third-generation U.S. Army — there was my grandfather Earl, my dad Danny, and then me. I want my sons to understand that legacy. My youngest son, Caiden, woke me up this Veterans Day with a drawing he’d made. It’s a Black Hawk helicopter with “What my Daddy rode in” written on it and “Thank you for your service” signed at the bottom.

Caiden knows I flew in Black Hawks as a medic because he built a Lego Black Hawk a few weeks ago when he was at my dad’s house. My dad, his grandfather, told him, “Your father used to fly in one of these.”

That drawing is hanging on my fridge right now. It’s the best thank you I’ve ever received. Here’s what I learned from this beautiful gift:

The smallest gestures can matter the most. Therefore, we should teach our kids that gratitude and service aren’t just for the holidays – they’re everyday values. One of the kids in my neighborhood used to make cards for every veteran he knew and drop them in their mailboxes. He gave these gifts out regularly. His parents did something right in raising him that way. Today, that same kid runs his own car detailing business and has built a client list full of exotic cars and daily drivers. Service was part of his foundation, and you can see it in who he became.

Get your kids involved. Have them make cards. Take them to ceremonies. Let them see that gratitude is expressed through action, not just words.

Thanks for reading Raising Alphas Project! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

In Boynton Beach, Florida, 83-year-old Vietnam War veteran Allan Monack has spent the last 16 years serving his community through The Soup Kitchen. Twice a week, Allan is up before dawn cooking breakfast for volunteers and helping to feed the hungry. After earning the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Vietnam, Allan dedicated his civilian career to pediatric dentistry and now teaches kids and parents about dental hygiene through the kitchen’s “New Beginnings” program. His message:

“If everybody volunteered a few hours a week, America would be better off.”

Allan’s story teaches us that real leadership is measured by consistency and humility, not rank or reward. This man has been showing up for 16 years. Not for recognition. Not for a spotlight. Just to serve.

I think we’ve gotten away from that kind of American tradition, the kind where we look after each other, where we see a need and we fill it. We need to get back to community. We need to get back to having strong humanity, a belief that we all have the ability and the responsibility to help others, no matter how big or small that help might be.

Allan has been doing that for nearly two decades, and he’s still going. That’s the example I want my sons to see. That’s the kind of man I want them to become — not just successful, but service-minded.

Credit for this story goes to CBS12 News’ Sam Kerrigan.

In a recent episode of the Raising Alphas Project, I sat down with entrepreneur and speaker Sean Whalen for an essential conversation about modern masculinity and fatherhood. The discussion challenged prevalent cultural narratives and examined how fathers can reclaim their roles as intentional leaders within their homes and communities.

The conversation centered on a fundamental question: What does authentic manhood look like in today’s world? With fathers serving as the primary model of masculinity for their children, the responsibility to lead with strength, integrity, and purpose has never been more critical.

This is an episode you won’t want to miss! You can check out the entire episode at the link above.

This week, I want to challenge you to do something that might feel uncomfortable: do a good deed for a complete stranger.

Not someone you know. Not a friend or a neighbor or a coworker. A stranger.

Maybe you buy lunch for someone behind you in line. Maybe you write a note of appreciation to someone whose work you’ve noticed. Maybe you help someone carry their groceries or pay for their coffee or just stop and listen when they need to talk.

And here’s the important part: get your kids involved. Have them make a card for a veteran in your neighborhood. Have them hold the door open for someone at the store. Teach them that kindness to strangers isn’t just nice; it’s a lost art.

Let’s bring this lost art back, fathers. Let’s model it for our kids. Let’s show them what it means to serve others with no expectation of return.

Leave a comment

Do you have a parenting or leadership question you want some real talk on? Email us at admin@raisingalphasproject.com and put “Ask an Alpha” in the subject line.

Share:

• Your parenting challenge in one or two sentences

• What you have tried

• What you hope to achieve

We may read your question on air and give you a clear next move!

Thank you,

~ Chief Stephen Davis

link.me/chiefstephendavis