Paper Napkin Wisdom - Podcast And Blog For Entrepreneurs, Leaders And Difference-makers

There are times in life when wisdom doesn't show up quietly. It doesn't whisper. It doesn't tap you gently on the shoulder. Sometimes it arrives like a jolt — like your heart recognizing something before your brain can process it. That's how this episode began. If you've been following along, you know it's been a hard season in our home. Stacey's father — my father-in-law — has been moving through the final stages of his cancer journey. And while there is an entire conversation to be had about the health, the living, and the complexity of that experience… this message isn't about that part. This one is about emotion. The kind that sits heavy and deep. The kind that reshapes you quietly. It started with a simple clip of Steve Harvey telling a story about his dad. In it, he said something that froze me in place: "Your father is the only man who truly wants you to be better than him. The only one who can say 'I'm proud of you' without competition." And as he said it, he broke — emotionally — because when his fat