12. SuperDad Pete

Sorry, mate, I haven't got the RDM T shirt on.

That's right, mate. I won't hold against you, but just 100 push ups.

Osaka. Osaka.

We're moving out into Osaka. There'll be an RDM in Osaka, mate. 2021. Some of the Japanese dads on board. Cracker, mate. Awesome. Well, Pete, hey, thank you for joining me.

Thanks for having me, mate. That's right.

Welcome to Real Dad Bourbon podcast, everyone. This is Al, Big Al. And I've got Pete, special special guest with us today. Pete's one of the founding fathers of rdm and he's a legend of a guy and a true leader within the group and obviously within his own family and continues to inspire us and get the most out of us as well as him himself in. What's it been now, Pete? Maybe nearly nine months since we spoke on the first eight months.

Eight months was November, remember? Early November. There we go.

Time flies when you're having fun, mate.

Hey, that's it. My hums are feeling it. Yeah.

The last eight months we just over on the RDM protocol, just so people out there know is we just do arm curls every single day. So eight months down the track. Pete's arms are a little bit sore now.

Training program.

Unreal. Unreal. Well, look, Pete, thanks for joining us, mate. Love to start with yourself and a little bit of your journey, mate you spoke because we have connected. I flew down to Melbourne while ago and we got in touch, mate, which was awesome. And got to hang out in person, in the flesh. And you told me about some things you encountered and what you went through when you were younger. I'd love you to touch on that, mate. Both, I guess, what it feels like as well for yourself, mate. Losing your parents at such a young age and traveling the world, mate.

Yep. Yeah, cool. Thanks, Al. Yeah, well, I'm 50 now, so I'll start from there, but we'll wind back. But I lost mum when I was about 15 and dad when I was 18, 19. So both from cancer. I suppose that's a critical part of my life. Before then I was the youngest of six kids. I still am, but I think being the youngest, you always spoil and get looked after pretty well. I think having that period of my life was when I changed a lot from being someone who was fairly dependent on others to becoming fairly independent or dependent on myself. And I was at university at the time that dad passed away, so I got to spend some time with him as a good university student. Wasn't at uni all the Time. So it was a pretty special part of me, even though he was critically ill, is to get to know my dad better at the time. And when he passed away, I think I finished my uni course, but I partied a bit. I suppose there was no borders, there was a bit of rebellion, there was a bit of, I suppose, feeling sorry for myself. But I don't always reflect that in being depressed and down. I think I reflected that at the time of just going in, having a good time and coming. When I finished university, I took off overseas for a while and backpacked through India and started in Thailand, went to India, went to Nepal, went to Pakistan and spent a year backpacking. Then came back, had about $200 to my name and started building up my own career. And since then I think I've had a fierce, independent of myself. Sometimes reluctant to have others in, sometimes being about my own company. But I enjoy friends. But there's always been that guarded protection. My 20s just worked, still enjoyed myself, I suppose it wasn't until I travelled overseas, Started building up my career as an engineer.

Yeah, what was that like, mate? Just before you dived into becoming an engineer, like traveling around and travelling around parts of the world at such a young age as.

Well, look, I think it was great. I think. I think a lot of kids should do it. I think at 19, 20, it's a perfect time to do it because you're stupid enough not to fear him. We're not going to be worried about things, but it just teaches you that there's a bigger world out there, there's how to be independent. You've got to look after yourself. There was no one providing funds to me. I had to sort that out for myself, had to meet people I travelled with, I met friends, then I'd go off and travel by myself. And it forced me to get out there and meet other people too, in different cultures. And I think that's paid me well too, in regards to how I can connect with others. When you're in a remote place in Pakistan, you've got to get to know the locals around Pakistan, you know, you find out they're beautiful people and it's great and we're all human beings. And that's one of the things that you learn when you get out there and find out it's a great big world out there outside of your little country town you grew up in.

Yeah, that's incredible, mate. Pakistan as well. Not many people would have been there or will probably ever go there. It definitely stands out as something different to the norm of just going to USA or an island like Fiji or Hawaii for holidays. Being in Australia, I loved it, mate.

It was one of the favorite places to go because of the ruggedness and the remoteness of the place.

Unreal, mate. And were there any meetings or interactions or anything that stands out in your times when you did travel, in terms of engaging with other people? Anyone in particular or anything with the culture or the food or.

Yeah, look, I think the generosity of people. I remember backpacking, hitchhiking up in Pakistan. I was trying to head up to a mountain region, so I thought I'd walk up there. I got picked up by a busload of what happened to be school teachers heading up that way, and they picked me up. They barely spoke English and my ADU was nonexistent, but they took me to their favorite spot up in the mountains. We had lunch together. They showed me around, they brought me home. You know, I was just this foreign person. I didn't have to do that. There was another time I was on a train in India. I was heading up to Amarissa and leaving from Delhi, and there's some blokes talking to me. And this young guy came up, he's 16. He sat next to me and said, oh, can I talk to you? I said, yeah. He said, oh, they're planning to rob you when you make it to the next station. Really? He said, yep. He said, come and sit with my father and my family. So I went and spoke with them and ended up spending the night at their house in Amarissa and their family and having dinner, I think learn a lot about the human race and the good things about the human race. I mean, the news features lots of bad things, but I've found in my time, in my travels, there's a lot more good people.

Yeah, absolutely, mate. That's pretty. Pretty good having someone like that look up, who is they, mate? Were they just a group of people who are planning on robbing or something or what's.

Yeah, yeah, they were. They'll get at the next train station. Basically what they do is they crowd you, and then basically, when you're not looking, the bags are gone and they're gone.

Wow. Jeez.

They keep you occupied by doing something else. Yeah, they just happened to be this young kid, 16, and his dad, who was nearby, decided to intervene.

Yeah, see, that's nice, mate. And you're spot on there, Pete. There's a lot more. A lot more good than bad in the world, but sometimes we hear the loud minority instead of the Solid majority, don't we, mate? Especially in mainstream.

That's it. And the news just feeds us the bad news, the good news.

Yeah, that's right, mate. But pretty amazing though, mate. And then what you got into engineering and then started, once you got home, started to build a career for yourself.

That's right, that's it. So I started in mechanical engineering, started a company called Deutsche Diesel Engines and then eventually joined Holden and got into design and well, got me through different engineering aspects at Holden and then eventually through various career changes within Holden, got into design and that's where I am now. And we're designing cars for the world and I hit up the engineering department in design. I love it.

Wow, that's unreal, mate. So literally designing cars, like the shapes, the engines, all that sort of stuff.

That's the exterior and interior. Full exterior, full interiors mainly for GM products around the world.

Geez, mate. You're able to design a big red car, you reckon, mate? For me.

Or it's big red car, like a.

Luxury car but with monster truck wheels or something.

I will do a big dual wheel, a big red.

Oh, mate, there's some big red kangaroos painted either side, mate. That's. That's incredible, mate. And pretty. Yeah, pretty amazing job and your career and how long have you done that for now, Pete?

I've been holding out for 20 years, but I suppose I've been engineering a lot longer than that. I mean the thing with corporation like this is the job you can move around and have many different jobs within one corporation feel like you've done. I'm not the sort of person who can sit there doing the same thing for 10 or 20 years, but I suppose in 20 years I've had six or seven different positions. That's what I've loved a bit.

Yeah, definitely, mate. So you've got an established career with that and then before that traveling around to different parts of the world that some of us may never see, mate. Quite some intimate exotic places. And then where does meeting the love of your life and fatherhood come into all of that, mate?

Okay, what's I finish off from work is it's also given me the chance to travel all over the world too. I've been to all over Asia, US quite a number of times. Got to live in Japan for quite a while. It's been great. But where did I meet my lovely Megan? Megs and I were friends actually. And then I did. I remember exactly. I was single, she was single. I'd just come back from doing Everest base Camp with a couple of friends. And I suppose friends became more than friends at a party a couple of weeks after that. And I think it's been an awesome foundation for our relationship because she was my best friend. She was my best friend. And having that connection with your wife, I think is extremely important because it helps you through the good times and the bad times. And we've got two kids, Olivia and Will. Olivia turns. Well, she's seven. She'll turn eight this year. And Will's five. Will turn six. So I'm an older dad, which is part of the reason why RDN served a great purpose for me. But we'll get into that. Yes, that's fairly much. And the kids love them and they came over to Japan with us. It's been great.

Yeah, that's awesome, mate. And, yeah, a little bit of an older dad. What's that like, mate? What's the reason and how do you feel? That's both been a help and a hindrance in being older, but a bit wiser, but obviously a little bit older than the norm for other people having children.

I think it's give or take, man. So, yeah, I'd love to be in my 50s and being a grandparent, but I also know there's a whole heap of things I did in my twenties I wouldn't have done if I had kids and into my 30s. So I don't regret anything. I've got two beautiful kids. But being an older parent, you're definitely aware of your fitness and your ability to keep up with them, especially as they get to about this age. And that's, I think, the biggest thing you've got to. They keep you young mentally, but physically, you've got to make sure you keep yourself young because they need your energy. You can't just sit there and tell them to go out and play. You need to be part of their life and be part of their life. You need to be running around doing everything they want you to do.

Yeah. What's the alternative, mate? If you don't, that's.

Fuck you can. You just. You cannot neglect them and they'll end up hating you. But that's not a choice. My choice priority in life is my kids and my wife and everything else comes under that. So that's how I felt about since having kids. I think it's the best thing I've done in life. Yeah.

Yeah.

And it's fairly weird because I don't know what it'd be like to be a younger dad and also know that I probably Wouldn't have Will and Olivia if I was a younger dad. So it is what it is.

Absolutely, mate. Yeah. And you're right, mate, it's. That's father, I feel is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me in my life. And it's not just holding them in your arms or playing with them. It's who it forges you to become, mate, in that process, in that journey. And your kids obviously are older than mine at the moment, but at the moment they'll always remain older than mine, wanting it age quicker. Well, I'll tell you what. Stella's Billy, three going on 33.

Olivia seven going on 17.

70. Yeah, that's right. The little bosses, mate. They're unreal. But talk to us, mate. So what obviously you reached out to rdm. What was it like the first call we had and everything that went down and I guess the reason behind you reaching out and responding to my initial call for fathers to join this movement.

For a couple of years back in my 30s, I was fairly fit and I used. I had goals like doing Everest base camp that used to drive when you get fit. Then after I did that I sort of not exercised as much. I think that was my routine in life, which is okay when you're in the 30s, but obviously as you hit your 40s and metabolism is nowhere near what it used to be. And I have had depression before in the past. Not just mild pressure, not too depression. But I remember what helped get me over that, not only talking about it but also getting active. The physical exercise found was a huge link and what you eat and how you look after your body. So there's been about two years, I suppose, leading up to the time I saw you, where I started running and doing things. But I was only ever half committed. You know, it got too cold, wouldn't do it. So then months would go past, go for another run. So I think I saw it was a comedian recently talking about running. Someone posted on RDM and they go for the yearly run. I was pretty close to that. And then I'd look at the 20, the different challenges were around and I just, I thought I tried to connect to a couple, but I don't think psychologically I was engaging enough or getting into it. And it's funny, I don't know you talk about karma or connection in life. I think about the time I saw your advertising was the time I was really seriously thinking I need to do something. If I don't do something, I'm going down a bad road. I Need to do something psychology psychologically and physically. So that's why I reached out to me, I think you showed a podcast of one of the dads you've been working on who had a lot of back issues, etc. And knew that playing cricket with his kids. And I thought, well, it's worth a try. And I reached out to you and I remember we had a, we set up a call and we had the initial conversation and you asked me am I committed? And I gave the half assed answer of 60% and you challenged me on that. And that's what I liked about it, right, because you were challenging me and I think you sort of connected that I needed to be challenged. Right. And I didn't know what I was doing and that connected. And about the same time as that, as a colleague, a friend had a stroke. He was 60, only 10 years older than me or 11. And it was all happening at the same time. And I thought, well no, if I don't do something now, I'm never going to do something, right? Next thing I'll be 60, then I'll be 70, then I'll be 80. So yeah, decided that I'd have to commit to you and I did that. I have been doing that and it's changed a lot. Just not physical. The physical is a huge benefit. Lost a lot of weight, therefore I can move, put on a lot of strength, therefore I can be strong. Just the education, the eating, you can be educated in many things but I wasn't educated on how to look after myself. And through you, Shannon, etc learned about nutrition, it's not about being a monk, but the right times to eat things. The right times to eat things. And then you made also a comment, I think when we were first getting into it about these things becoming a habit. And it does become a habit. I think now I know when those little self doubts come in, it's the habit that kicks in and gets me motivated. That's something I never had.

Just becomes a part of who you are, mate, and it's not easy. And is it funny, mate, like what you touched on there and looking at people who are willing to invest in everything else outside of themselves but themselves, especially fathers. So many different things.

You said it once in regards to if you don't. Well recently if you don't invest in your, if you're not 100% invested in yourself, you're not going to invest in others. And I've found that, right. So I do more with the kids now than I've ever Done. Even though I'm exercising and doing things for myself. So I became a nippers coach. Take them to the park a lot. I'm out there running, flying a kite, teach them how to ride a bike. I find more hours in the day because my mind's motivated. I've got. I'm not dwelling on things, I'm not sitting there procrastinating, you know, I probably don't do things around the house as much as I should still, but I do a lot more.

Likewise, mate. I put my hand up for that friend listening to this. I'm just kidding.

And that's it. I do a lot more and less. I try not to put things off so much anymore. That's both at home and working, etc. I just try. I find myself a bit more proactive in life than reactive, I suppose. And I'm a pretty crazy guy, always have been. I think sometimes that craziness has also caused me a bit too laid back, a bit too procrastinating sometimes. And one thing I've learned on this journey too, it's the body, it's the nutrition, it's the mind. The mind plays a huge aspect of this. I get bad days, but I don't dwell on those days, days on end. Let them eat me up as much as possible. I get over them quicker and I learn how to compartment work. You know what I'm talking about?

Yes. I won't try and save mate, because I'll probably muff it as well.

Yes, that's a huge win. It's funny because, you know, when I started the challenge with you, it was a 28 day challenge and then we, then you said if you want to keep continuing, let's continue. And I did. And now I'm up to nine months and I know if I walked away from this now, it's just still struggling. That's not because I'm not strong. It's because I've still got so much to learn within myself and outside. So I find it, it's my thing for me and yeah, love it.

Yeah, I appreciate that mate, and appreciate the plug. I'll send that money to you later to mate. But it's so true though, Pete, because people look at it and the biggest thing is you've not only do you feel, correct me if I'm wrong, you feel like this is something that you do and you could walk away and you're still strong, but it's something where you feel like you've got so much more to learn, but it also Opens your eyes to what's possible as well. Mate. There's so much more that we can achieve that we can all achieve together in our own right. And that's one of the big things that you'll know that I'm big on not settling, not settling in life and being resilient, which is like you said, overcoming those down days, which we all have in a quicker way to move us forward to where we wanted to get to which, you know, a lot of these realizations would have, you look back now would have been hitting home without knowing the answer or the pathway, the way forward. When that fellow died at work, mate. 60, so young.

Yes. You know, and it wasn't like he was unfit either. It was just, you know, and having lost my parents in their late 50s both, it's, you know, I don't want to be. I don't want the kids to go through what I wasn't. It wasn't a horrible life. I actually had a fantastic life. But I want to be there for them into their adult life and I've got to give myself the best chance. I don't know, I can't predict that I'm going to get hit by a bus, whatever, but can certainly try and give my best shot in regards to health and give it all. So that's part of that and part of it's just better. Dad. It's not a bad. No. Angry after work. Less angry.

Yes, that's right. That's right. Absolutely. Mate. How do you feel that the kids have benefited from the changes that you've made, mate, how does it affect their life and how do you feel it will as they get older?

Yeah, well, I think they see me exercising. That's number one. They ask questions about what I do. Little Will tries to copy bench tips, a few things. We were at the park. Yeah, he's doing chin ups and stuff. You know, it's, you know, they say it's by habit. Right. It's how kids learn and yeah, they set an example. I don't force them to do anything. But my daughter's keenly interested in my jobs and wants to join me, do little jogs together. So it's a perception of them. It's in the diets. You know, we start cutting out things like white bread. We start, we talk more things about sugar and they become awareness about what's sugary and what's not sugary, ask questions. Is that true? Is that not trigger just for the fact they ask questions? I don't deny them going to a Birthday party and having mollies. But at home we do better in regards to what we've got lying around and best love traits. But they see it and they see that I'm more active. I think I've got a better relationship with them. So it's tired dad and more like I always try and get home on time to, to get them to bed, read him a book, spend that time with them each day. Might not see him in the morning every day, but I think my relationship's pretty ticks.

They don't miss a beat, do they, Pete? They don't miss anything. Like you said. Just asking you what you're doing with your training, your exercise or like for those of you listening, we did it. We've got a game going at the moment. Winter wars with different teams and the dads and one of them, one of the challenges I gave out was I think 48 hours they had to do 100 push ups and video and stuff like that. Just seeing that like that is easy. Even if they don't speak the words to you or you don't communicate to them, they're taking in exactly what you're doing and it'll contextualize and piece together everything that forms up when they start doing sport at school or other things like, oh, yeah, my daddy used to do that years ago. Even if they don't say that, they know it, mate. It's a part of who they are.

We talk about it. My son loves Bondi Rescue. Bondi Rescue a plug. But he just loves it. They're his heroes, all the guys on Bondo Rescue. And he talks about nippers and he talks about going down the beach and becoming a lifesaver and he wants to be a Bondo rescue man and he starts talking about what I've got to do to do that and exercise. It's awesome to see, man, because it might be just a little five year old talking, but I don't know whether I make a difference to that. But I just love the way he looks at that. Guys are really fit and healthy and looks at them as aspirational.

Yeah, it doesn't just stop there, Pete, that's for sure, mate. Because I remember I started soccer when I was three, being a big lad in under sixes. So by the time I was six, I was obviously dominating the sport because I was an even bigger lad and I had three years under the belt and was the old man. Being Italian helped a lot with soccer, but I still remember saying to him that I want to do this I want to play soccer for Australia, dad, and I want to do this, this and that. And I do remember that between the ages of like four and a half to six, when I was just living and breathing that. And one thing that rings true, especially on my down days, mate, was not so much the accolades and the performance of scoring X amount of goals every game, blah, blah, blah, it was dad's belief and remembering going to the park with him and kicking the ball around with him and him saying, he al, you can do anything you want in this world if you put your mind to it. And geez, that's helped me so much, mate. Not just in sport of fitness, but just in life. When I have those down moments, I think of that and it hits my heart all the time. Even right now, I'm like, anytime when I face a challenge and I hear that because one day I'm not going to hear my father's voice. And that's something that's real for me and I understand that. And it's a hard period, mate. You've gone through it at an earlier stage in your life and Jesus, how you've come out, mate, which is credit to you, Pete. And it really does ring true with the stuff that we give say or don't say to our children, but act and the actions we show them that will forge who they become, mate. And it's a big part of them.

Yep, yeah, it's true. And I look, I remember back as a kid too. It's the difference between encouragement and not encouragement affects you a lot. So I played footy, Australian rules. That's the real football.

Yes, mate, I should have played that. Bloody hell. Rugby league.

Under 12, under 13s and being a coach who played all the really well, like I was 6 foot when I was 13, right? So I was not coordinated. I was like a piece of spaghetti. I sat on the bench a lot, right, Or I sat on the field. I didn't get a lot of kicks and I didn't play a lot. And at the same time I played basketball and had a coach, always played every kid, no matter what. And I went on to like basketball, the passion for basketball. I love basketball, right, But I played anymore. But to me at that age, right through to about your teenage years, it's the positive approach. It's the people, as you say, who give the affirmation and push you that, that makes a huge difference. And I think it's a coach, it's a dad. Just got to be that positive role model and not drag them down Let them, as you said, be what they're going to be. Let them dream. If they dream, they'll turn into reality.

Absolutely, mate. And then somewhere along the line, as fathers, we seem to just either not engage as much or team get togethers and sports or revolve around drinking or other half hearted things. But it's interesting, mate, because like you said then having the coach or a father or people around you to help mentor you and keep you accountable, that seems to disappear. Which is why I feel even as we go along, especially as dads, there's no rulebook to this, there's no rulebook to how to be the best father in the world. But environment plays a big role, mate, which I feel very passionate about, as I'm sure you do with rdm. The environment we have with other fathers.

Yeah, it is, it's great to see the different stories coming from the other fathers. Everyone's got a different story in life but in the end, you know, kids is a huge focus. And I do remember the day Olivia was born, oldest child. I remember vividly in the hospital room with her in her crib, looking at her and the first thought in my head was, oh my God, I've got to look after you for the rest of my life. It was just daunting, it was overwhelming. It was life changing. Regards to the fear, it wasn't like a bad fear, it was just like, there is no part time here, you're not going back. It's like, I'm your dad.

It's so amazing, isn't it, when that just happens. It's literally, it's. People tell you all about it and no one knows it. Then when it happens it's like, oh, here we go. Then it's gone from something that's in the womb which you connect it to, but you don't. And then it's out and then it's on.

And Livy, my daughter just started doing presquad in swimming and just watching her do that, God, she's growing up. She's gone for this little baby that I was teaching in the pool. So now doing about 30 laps in her true squad training and thinking, yep, and then I'll blink again and she'll be 18. You know, I still like to enjoy life, but balance, I think I've got a better balance in life these days. I've still got friends and I think influence my friends too. There's lots of questions about this push up challenge.

Yeah, absolutely. That'll be good fun, mate. Good fun. I wouldn't mind just touching on one of the performance goals that you've achieved and what you've changed. So before you jumped into rdm, what was your running like and where is it now? Just one thing, just your run. Like, what sort of run can you you do?

I could probably do. Before I did rdm, I could probably do two or three K's at the most. Non stop. Before I'd have to walk, get puffed out and sore. Now I can do a comfortable 10k run. The difference being not only fitness, but weight loss. Obviously I don't have the pressure on the joints. Learning how to stretch, I think has helped a lot in doing that. But yeah, I can kick a 5k as a really quick run now I can do a 10k and I can probably do more, but it's usually at a time. But up until I'd have I tried and tried. It was always this dream to get to 10, 12K run. But you know, I'd get to 3K and stop. Get to 3K and stop. And I think too mentally as well. I'd say, hi, man, that's enough. Got to stop. And I find now that you've just you with the running and also the gym, you just got to try and get yourself into a zone where you push past the thing in your brain so you can stop. And then if you do, if you learn how to do it, suddenly you feel like you're in a meditative headspace. Make it that way now, Ronnie, where K's just click by and I'm not conscious of it. Yeah, me, the ground, the music.

Yeah, it's awesome. It's times like that as well, isn't it? When you're training, you hear that voice, all those things. And that's what I say to some people and some of the dads don't think, you don't have to think. Or sometimes where that voice is coming from is a version or a person in there that doesn't have your best interest at heart. Even when it's yourself, it's the same.

Voice that I've heard many times in life. If it wasn't fitness, it was the same voice. And I've always been one in my work time to take on a challenge. So when I've been offered positions that are out of my comfort zone, I've taken it. It's been extremely difficult because I do get anxious, but I've learned how to control it, move on. I think it's the same with fitness. It's just something you have to be Educated in fitness, you can get anxious about the challenge or you can just go and try and do it. And it's like when I first talked to you about chin ups and you had chin ups on the pull ups and chin ups on the training. I said, God, I can't do them. I just can't do them. You said something about if you can't and won't. And then I showed the footage of a guy who was a lot older than me doing them. So then I thought, well, why can't I? I should be able to. So I kept practicing and then I could do them. And I think it was when I stopped thinking too much about it and I started doing it. It's a bit of saying working life and I stop overthinking it and just do it. I do it. Didn't fail. I do well, move on and promoting. And same with the fitness. When I don't think about it too much, I just do it, do it, do it well, move on and grow for it. So it's. That's one thing I said is don't overthink it.

Absolutely, mate. And that's. I remember with one of our conversations, I think it was the. Might've been one of the roundtables. We're talking wins and challenges, as we do with our. With our dad's wins and challenges for the week. And I think one of them, you were like, didn't have time. So I just went and did a quick 5 or quick 7k run and we just, we just all started laughing. Just the way in which, the context in which, the way you said it was hilarious because, like, oh, this is Pete, who couldn't put together two to three K's at once. He just, yeah, ran out of time or it was getting dark quickly, so I just had to knock over a quick 5 or 7k or whatever it was. It's unreal, mate. Just that just like you said, the mindset, just who you are now, it is.

And it's part. I enjoy it, you know, makes me feel good. I can do the exercise. I try and do a lot of the gym work in the morning because it starts the day well, as you say. But, you know, if I can't do it in the morning, I'll try and do it lunchtime and if I can't do that, I'll do the run or whatever at night. It's, I think, learning how to the whole. Just do it, stop overthinking it, just find time to do it right. If it's just Work, Yeah, one time and do it later. That's what I found and that helps me to my work. It's. Obviously I've got to think about things when I'm engineering it, but don't overthink the history. Just look at. You've got the history, you got the ability, you got the experience.

Definitely, mate, absolutely. And it's one which now you're one of the leaders in our group, Pete, and setting an amazing standard for everyone else, especially the new dads and sharing your story and what's next, what's on the horizons for Pete Dunlop and what holds in the future, mate, for you and what you want to achieve and where you want to get to.

Well, look, definitely staying with Adi, I mean that's just the base of my life but you know, it's always thinking about things as a family and what's our next thing. And you're thinking about. Megs and I are always looking how we're going to move, what are we going to do around the same area. But as part of that, looking at the family, looking at changing houses, that sort of stuff. In regards to myself, you know, I've got in the back of my head trying to think of. There's once a time I was passionate about doing things like climbing Everest Base Camp. Wouldn't mind going giving thing like a coat of trail or something, a crack. I think now I've got the ability to do it just now trying to put the thoughts about when and putting it into action. So if not that, then the Tassie Yoga Lander are just, you know, bigger, bigger things that I've. I suppose it's not done over the last 10 years, whereas previous to that I used to do a lot of that sort of more adventurous, not dangerous, but bigger walks and more foreign places.

Yeah, unreal.

And one thing I used to do a lot was dive, was to spear into tech. Scuba diving talked about that. But I used to get down to shipwrecks down around 55, 60 meters and got to travel a bit of the world on that sort of stuff and was right into it. And then I'm not saying the kids were responsible, but just four kids stop doing it and then use it as an excuse and then haven't done it in about eight years. And so now part of my head, I've looked at some of the equipment I've still got in the shed and it's starting to talk to me again.

That'd be awesome.

And yes, I'm thinking about getting back into that too. Just Ignite some of that. And I've been getting into the bands with some dads from the primary school Torto goes to. It's reigniting things I haven't done for.

Quite a while back in the boy bed at base. That's awesome, mate. Yes.

It goes back to. I find I can do that and still spend a lot of time with the family. It's not eating into that. You just realize that it's time that you could. You're probably in the past sitting there watching.

Hmm. Incredible, mate, incredible. The difference in, like you said, purely from a time point of view, how you feel you can allocate and utilize the time that we all have. Instead of feeling like you don't have enough, you're actually doing more than you ever have for yourself and for your kids and with extracurricular type stuff and recreational activities and handling it better than you ever thought you would have.

That's right, man. And it's. We went back to. I think we had a conversation because we go back to my age, but we're talking about the age difference between yourself and myself. And I've never looked at you as Van Tyne, who's younger. I've just looked at someone who's highly skilled and knowledgeable and watching too. And if you impart a huge positive vibe and a can do attitude, which I needed at the time and I still need them and it's just deciding the job with me. I'm sure there's others like you out there that people might connect, but it's what connected with me.

I appreciate it, Pete. Thanks, mate. I'll never stop, mate, because your success is mine and that's what I'm massively passionate about. And this isn't an advertisement by any means for dads. I mean, guys, people listening to this will almost certainly be able to see, access and have access to me anywhere and everywhere to find out what I'm about. But what would be your advice, Pete, to a dad who will be listening right now and he may be fit, he may not, he may be a bit out of whack, out of shape, or mentally struggling a bit. Like, what would be your advice to someone who feels like they've, I don't know, I guess lost themselves a little bit to a degree, or they're struggling.

Like, what would you say? I don't think you're on your own. I think there's a lot of dads who are in exactly the same boat or have been in the same boat. Just through my journey on this, I've felt that my journey, as unique as I thought it was, seems to be a common voice throughout many a dad's. And don't put it off because I tell you, it doesn't get easier when you're 50. Things do creak more and do feel a bit more stiff in the morning and it's just. You just get on. Don't overthink it because it's not a commitment. You don't overthink about the thing for life. I just think about that. You've got to get moving and it's some of the stuff I try to tell some of the new dads. It's. Don't look at the someone who can run 10k and stuff that didn't start off that way. You just got to just look at moving and doing something and cutting something out and changing some of your habits and then you'll find they'll roll onto other habits. So I could talk to any of the dads out there that may listen and maybe thinking about it, just get active because by getting active you'll find that your mind will get clearer and things will get better.

Absolutely. The man. Wealth of knowledge, Pete.

Nine months.

Nine months. All the other areas of your life, mate. I'm gonna have to come down to Melbourne, mate, and have a look at how these machines get made. It'd be unreal if you'd have me, mate, and take me out for a tour.

That'd be great. It's pretty secretive, mate. You have to give me one of those mind flashes once you finish.

Yeah.

Slightly better than.

That cracker.

It is one of those jobs, though, man. You can. A lot of friends ask what I'm working on. You can't tell them it's got a smile.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. No, I understand, mate. For sure. It's pretty incredible what you do, mate. Definitely. But look, well, thanks for. Thanks for jumping on today, Pete, and sharing your story, mate, and a bit of your background about fatherhood and being an older father, I guess. I mean, there's obviously fathers out there that are older, but having kids at a later stage and. And imparting some of your wisdom and experiences, not just with myself and rdm, but from your line of view, which I agree, mate, don't overthink stuff and just start by putting one foot in front of the other and those sorts of things can really lay a bigger foundation and platform from which people can launch into the change that they want in their life. I think it's important.

Yeah, no, thanks. Oh, thanks for giving me the chance.

Pleasure, mate.

Mumbling my way through the year.

Very, very cruisy and charismatic man, mate. All at once it all flowed. Well, it was great. But look, thanks again, guys, for either watching this or listening to this. Hope you've gotten plenty out of today's episode with Pete and where you can come from to move forward into the direction of the life that you truly want, especially your dads out there. You don't have to go it alone and you're not alone in how you're feeling and the things that you're going through. And there's always a choice, there's always a way forward and, you know, sometimes that's just around the corner for you and putting one foot in front of the other and taking some action and starting to move yourself forward. So thanks again for joining us, Pete.

No worries.

Appreciate it, mate. Thank you guys for jumping on today's show. Hope you all enjoyed and catch you on the next one. If I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.

Thanks, guys.

Thanks, mate. See you, guys.