Going All In: My 5 Non-Negotiable Commitments as a Dad in 2026
Jan 01, 2026
December 26, 2025 – Fort Collins, Colorado
Dad, let’s be real for a second.
You’re sitting there, kids finally asleep (or at least quiet), scrolling on your phone, and you know deep down that another year just slipped by. You meant to get in better shape. You meant to cut the junk food. You meant to plan that big family trip. You meant to get serious about the money side of things so you’re not always feeling the squeeze.
But life happened. Work was insane. The kids’ schedules were relentless. And now it’s almost 2026.
I’m 43. Former firefighter. Dad of three beautiful, chaotic kids. And I’m done with “almost.”
I only have about seven more seasons left with my eldest under my roof before he’s off to college or whatever path he chooses. Seven. That number hits me in the chest every time I say it out loud.
So 2026 isn’t going to be another year of good intentions. It’s going to be the year I go harder than I ever have — for my kids, for my wife, for the man I still want to become.
These are my five non-negotiable commitments. I’m putting them here in writing, publicly, because I know some of you need the same kick in the ass I do. Read this, steal what works, and let’s make 2026 the year we stop coasting and start building the life our families deserve.
1. Health Mastery: Know Your Numbers, Extend Your Life
Most of us dads treat our bodies like a rental car — drive it hard, skip the maintenance, hope it doesn’t break down until the kids are grown.
That stops now.
Three months ago I ran a full panel through Function Health. It tests over 100 biomarkers — things your standard annual physical completely misses. My results? Biological age of 39.3. I’m chronologically 43, but my cells are acting four years younger. That’s a win, but I’m not stopping there.
Your 2026 Blueprint:
- Step 1: Sign up for Function Health (I’ll drop my affiliate link below — it doesn’t cost you extra and helps the site). Do the baseline blood draw in January.
- Step 2: Add on the cancer screening panel if you have any family history (I do — my dad passed at 68 from something that almost certainly could have been caught earlier).
- Step 3: Consider a full-body MRI like Ezra if you can swing it. I did. Zero cancer signals. Peace of mind is priceless.
- Step 4: Feed every report into an AI (I used Grok) and ask it: “Based on these markers, what are my top five levers to improve longevity and performance?” Mine told me to focus on inflammation, sleep, and a couple micronutrients I was low on.
- Step 5: Retest every 3–6 months. Track the trend. Make it a game.
When you know exactly what’s going on inside, “getting healthy” stops being vague and becomes engineering.
2. Sugar Discipline: Cut the Poison, Reclaim Your Energy
I read (well, listened to) Good Energy by Casey Means this year, and it wrecked me in the best way.
The core message: Modern processed food — especially sugar — is quietly destroying our metabolic health, energy, mood, and lifespan.
In 2025 I went almost zero added sugar. One pump of syrup in my coffee instead of four. No desserts. Read labels religiously. Result? Dropped two pant sizes, energy through the roof, zero 3pm crashes, and workouts felt easier.
Your 2026 Blueprint:
- Week 1: Audit everything. Track every gram of added sugar for seven days. You’ll be shocked.
- Week 2–4: Ruthless elimination. No soda, no candy, no “healthy” bars loaded with sugar. Coffee black or one pump max.
- Ongoing: Cook real food. Prioritize meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, healthy fats. Buy organic when the budget allows — especially for the Dirty Dozen produce.
- Cheat strategy: If you must have something sweet, make it yourself with stevia, monk fruit, or small amounts of honey/maple. But make treats rare, not routine.
- Mindset shift: Sugar isn’t a reward. Energy, clarity, and confidence are the reward.
Do this for 90 days straight and you’ll feel like a different man.
3. Consistent Training: 4 Days a Week, No Gym Required
I used to run. Knees said no more. Now I row and do bodyweight circuits. It’s simple, fast, and effective.
My routine: 10 minutes hard rowing + 10 minutes bodyweight (push-ups, crunches, curls). Four days a week. Done before the house wakes up.
That’s it. Twenty minutes. But the compound effect is massive.
Your 2026 Blueprint:
- Commit to 3–4 days minimum. No zero-weeks.
- Equipment needed: Ideally a rower (Concept2 is gold standard). No rower? Jump rope, air squats, burpees.
- Sample session:
- Warm-up: 2 minutes easy row
- Main: Row 2,000–2,500 meters as fast as you can (aim for sub-8:30 if you’re fit)
- Strength circuit (3–4 rounds):
- Max push-ups (perfect form)
- 20–30 crunches or leg raises
- 15–20 bodyweight curls (or use resistance bands)
- Air squats or lunges
- Progression: Add distance, rounds, or intensity every couple weeks.
- Bonus: Get the kids involved once a month. Family row challenges build memories and model discipline.
You don’t need two hours in a gym. You need consistency. Twenty minutes compounds into the dad who can still toss his kids in the pool at 50.
4. Family Time: Savor Every Remaining Season
My eldest turns 10 soon. That means roughly seven more winters, springs, summers, and falls before he’s likely gone.
We can never get time back. Only make it count.
Your 2026 Blueprint:
- Block the big trips early:
- Spring break adventure (we’re eyeing Canary Islands)
- Summer Europe trip (London + wherever the kids vote)
- Multiple ski weekends (we’re in Colorado — Keystone is a favorite)
- Daily presence matters more than the trips:
- Phones down during dinner and bedtime.
- One-on-one “dates” with each kid monthly.
- Bedtime stories, wrestling matches, deep conversations.
- Practical tips:
- Create a family Google Calendar and block trips 12 months out.
- Budget for experiences over stuff.
- Say yes to spontaneous adventures when possible.
Be the dad your kids remember as fully there — not the one always half-distracted by a screen.
5. Financial Freedom: Build the Machine That Funds the Life
Everything above costs time and money. If you’re stressed about finances, you can’t be present.
My plan: multiple streams, aggressive compounding, and entrepreneurship.
Your 2026 Blueprint:
- Stream 1 – Content: Grow this blog/YouTube channel to help more dads while creating revenue.
- Stream 2 – Investing:
- Dollar-cost average into quality assets.
- My current focus (not advice, just transparency): Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Cardano, Tesla stock, plus diversified index funds.
- Retirement accounts maxed and left alone.
- Stream 3 – Entrepreneurship:
- Side projects using AI tools (chatbots, newsletters, digital products).
- Study creators like Chris Corner who build small-scale businesses that scale.
- Test fast, fail cheap, double down on what works.
- Mindset:
- Live below your means so you can invest the gap.
- Track net worth monthly.
- Read one investing/entrepreneurship book per quarter.
The goal isn’t Lambos. It’s freedom — saying yes to family missions, retiring your wife early if she wants, giving generously.
Bonus Commitment: Faith
I almost left this out, but it’s too important.
Leveling up your spiritual life grounds everything else. For me, that means consistent prayer, church when possible, and studying Scripture.
If you’re looking for a starting point, watch my interview with Brandon Robbins. It changed how I think about faith and fatherhood.
Your Turn, Dad
Pick at least three of these commitments and lock them in for 2026.
Write them down. Tell your wife. Tell a friend. Post them in the comments below.
Because our kids aren’t waiting. Time isn’t pausing.
Let’s make 2026 the year we become the strongest, healthiest, most present, most prosperous versions of ourselves — not for us, but for them.
Who’s with me?
— Ryan Fields-Spack Dad. Former firefighter. Trying like hell to get this right.
Links & Resources:
- Function Health (affiliate): https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=RFIELDSSPACK10&_saasquatch=RFIELDSSPACK10
- Good Energy by Casey Means: https://amzn.to/4b91OBZ
- Brandon Robbins interview on faith: https://youtu.be/e80RTngSh9o?si=PvNegHEuR9fS47rV
- Chris Corner’s channel for entrepreneurship: https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice
See you in the fight, brother.