est. 2013
from a father, while there’s still time

Letters
to Lucca

A collection of letters I’ve written to my son since the day he came home. Some are about discipline. Some are about regret. Most are about figuring it out, together, in real time.

12
Years & counting
28
Letters
24,531
Words
scroll ↓
Twenty-eight chapters written by a father to his son, on the principles that matter most — drawn from a decade of watching him grow, and a lifetime of trying to figure out what to say.

Letters to Lucca · 2013 — present

There is no substitute for putting in the work.

Putting in the Reps · Dec 2023

You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Coach · Oct 2021

It is not the critic who counts. The credit belongs to the man in the arena.

The Man in the Arena · Mar 2020

The archive.

28 letters  /  2013 — present
28 A Letter from My Friend Jake to His Son My friend Jake Taylor's letter to his son at 18 — live by an inner scorecard, work hard when it's boring, choose integrity even when it's costly Jan 2026 27 Carter's Letter to Lucca for EOGs FamilyCuriosity Carter cheering on his little brother before the EOG science test May 2024 26 Putting in the Reps DisciplineWork On Arnold, Nono, and the will to work — there are no shortcuts Dec 2023 25 Coach SportsResilienceFailure Flag football and Michael Lewis's Coach — learning to be uncomfortable Oct 2021 24 The Universe Wants You to be Typical IdentityCharacter Bezos's last letter — differentiation is survival, never be made typical Apr 2021 23 Regret Minimization RegretCharacter Bezos's regret-minimization framework — in the end we are our choices Apr 2021 22 Take a Walk StoicismCuriosityFamily Pandemic walks and solitude — where the best thinking happens May 2020 21 The Man in The Arena ResilienceFailureCharacter Roosevelt's Man in the Arena — dare greatly, never stop trying Mar 2020 20 No One Knows What They Are Doing FamilyResilience On turning six and the move to Charlotte — no one knows what they're doing May 2019 19 Steve Nash's 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Speech DisciplineSportsWork Steve Nash's playbook — set small goals, outwork people, play the long game Jan 2019 18 King James DisciplineSports LeBron's basics — diet, sleep, family, loyalty, consistency Dec 2018 17 What I Learned from Stoicism StoicismDisciplineCharacter An unsent draft distilling the life lessons of Stoicism Nov 2018 16 "“Cheesy Dad” Readings and Reflections" BooksFamily A curated list of the cheesy-dad articles and books that shaped him Aug 2018 15 Bruce Wayne vs. Leonardo da Vinci CuriosityBooks Da Vinci's boundless curiosity, told on the morning drive to school Jan 2018 14 Success FamilyCharacter A definition of success — being the dad his kids can tell anything Dec 2017 13 Lessons Learned DisciplineWorkGratitude A year of journaled lessons — plan, reflect, and success is the journey Aug 2017 12 The Tail End TimeFamily The Tail End — how little in-person time with parents actually remains Jun 2017 11 Peter's Laws CuriosityResilience Peter Diamandis's creed for the persistent and passionate mind Feb 2017 10 The Story of the Emperor's Three Questions StoicismBooksTime Tolstoy's emperor parable on mindfulness — the present moment is all we have Jul 2016 9 You Left for Dog Island GratitudeCharacter Zuckerberg's letter to his daughter — use your gifts to better the world Jul 2016 8 Father Forgets FamilyRegret Father Forgets — a plea to expect less and love the boy as he is Mar 2016 7 "Mind Gym: Mental Toughness" ResilienceSportsDiscipline The seven C's of mental toughness, training the mind like a muscle Dec 2015 6 It's the people in your life that will shape you. Appreciate them. CharacterFamily Pete Sampras's letter to his younger self — appreciate the people who shape you Aug 2015 5 Dinosaurs & Nemo! FamilyTime A blur of toddler play, dinosaurs and Nemo, and a tearful father Mar 2015 4 "Sweetness: Characteristics of True Champions" CharacterSportsWork Walter Payton's 16 characteristics of true champions Oct 2014 3 First Hike . . . First Birthday FamilyTime First hike up Table Rock, first steps, the eve of a first birthday May 2014 2 Pull Ups Family The first letter ever written — a Dallas flight, missing his boy Mar 2014 1 Welcome Home Lucca FamilyGratitude The first announcement — Lucca born in perfect health, coming home from the hospital May 2013