Evren Ozka — a London/Dubai-based entrepreneur behind footwear brand Mallet London and supplement brand Everybody's Nutrition — shares how he hit rock bottom despite achieving his business goals by 25. Smoking two packs a day, drinking heavily, and 55 pounds overweight, he tried and failed dozens of times to quit. The turning point came when his two-year-old son refused to take off his oversized t-shirt saying "I want to be like daddy," which stopped Evren from getting in the car to start drinking again. He replaced his vices with the one thing he hated — running — and three and a half weeks later finished a 100-mile endurance race in 28 hours, rewiring his life. The conversation lands on a New Year theme: don't just ask what you want to accomplish this year, ask who you need to become to get there, and lead your kids from the front.
Evren couldn't just quit drinking and smoking; he replaced those hours with running and endurance training, which stuck where willpower alone had failed dozens of times.
Every attempt to quit for his own sake failed. Seeing his son mirror him was the leverage that finally moved him.
"You could tell them a hundred times a day, but you do B once, they'll follow B." Leading from the front is the real parenting tool.
Goals follow identity — if the goal requires more discipline or patience, work on yourself first and the outcomes follow.
Evren would rather have one great day in nature with his kids than three or four days of TV and sitting around; shared experiences build deeper connection.
Take care of your own health and mind so you have something to lead from — your kids take energy from a father who is working on himself.
You can only do so much for yourself, but when it comes to your loved ones, when it comes to your kids, you can do it.
This year, don't set a 30- or 60-day goal — pick one thing you want to accomplish within 12 months, then break it down into what gets you there.
Identify one bad habit you want to drop, then choose a specific positive activity to replace it with (don't just try to remove it).
Sit somewhere quiet and answer one question in writing: "Who do I need to become to reach my goal?" — then name the traits (discipline, patience, work ethic) to build.
Schedule one meaningful, screen-free shared experience with your kids each week — get outside in nature and let them get dirty.
Set a screen-time limit for your kids and push them into free, creative outdoor play even if they push back at first.
Practical skills, real stories, and one thing to actually do this week with your family. Written by a dad in the trenches, not a marketing department.
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