Episode 125 · Personal Development

They Don't Make Men Like They Used To: Mentorship, Fulfillment, and Raising Kids with Purdeep Sangha

Guest: Purdeep SanghaThe SkilledDad Podcast

About This Episode

Zach sits down with Purdeep Sangha — bestselling author of The Complete Man, host of the Complete Man and CEO Anonymous podcasts, and a business advisor with a background in neuroscience and performance psychology. The conversation centers on why so many men feel unfulfilled and how true fulfillment comes from internal character and development rather than external achievement. Purdeep shares how his grandfather, a lifelong military and spiritual man, mentored him not just through words but by living his principles — and how the erosion of extended family, mentorship, and respect for elders across generations has left men more isolated. The two dig into practical fatherhood: the challenge of pursuing high performance while raising a healthy family, and Purdeep's honest, real-time struggle helping his 11-year-old son navigate self-image, willpower, and entitlement reinforced by grandparents. Zach closes with his "knowledge plus action" framework and the oxygen-mask analogy: fill yourself first so you can pour into your family and community.

What You'll Take Away

01

Knowledge alone is trivia; knowledge plus repeated action is what builds skill.

Purdeep's grandfather imparted the wisdom, but Purdeep still had to carry it and apply it himself to get results.

02

True fulfillment comes from within — your internal state drives your external world.

Chasing money, achievement, or "shiny objects" externally won't fill the gap; character, discipline, and personal development do.

03

Mentorship is caught more than taught — especially for teenagers.

Kids over 13 stop listening to lectures and start watching what you do. Living your principles has a bigger impact than talking about them.

04

The decline of extended family and respect for elders has isolated men.

Kids now turn to social media and the internet for wisdom instead of grandparents who lived through real challenges — and much of that online information is inaccurate.

05

High performance and a healthy family require harmony, not balance.

The biggest challenge Purdeep sees in men is being driven, task-oriented achievers while also raising a healthy family.

06

Don't forget the fun.

Dads carry roles to protect, provide, and mentor — but rekindling play (RC cars, gel blasters, wrestling before bed) is a blessing and a core part of the job.

My grandfather used to say a simple life is a good life.
— Purdeep

Put It Into Practice

Pick one principle you want your kids to learn and this week model it visibly instead of lecturing about it (mentorship by demonstration).

Do a 6-month self-check: ask "Who was I six months ago and how have I grown?" — focus on internal character, not external wins.

Read How to Raise Mentally Strong Kids by Dr. Amen (Purdeep's direct recommendation for every parent).

Schedule one recurring "fun" activity with your kids that lets you be a kid again (RC cars, gel blasters, wrestling, a family show like AGT).

Start a small group of 2–3 dads you can meet with regularly to talk through real victories and challenges — don't stay isolated.

One Email a Week. Worth Your Time.

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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