“You Are No Longer the Priority — They Are”
Location: Colorado
Gig: Offers programming for military and everyday gym goers
Kids: Three (ages 15, 13, and 1 month)
Dad Superpower: Showing up, no matter how full the plate
If you know Josh Bridges, you probably know him as the former Navy SEAL turned elite CrossFit athlete, or maybe as the guy who can outwork just about anyone. But if you ask him what role defines him most these days, he’ll tell you: dad.
Bridges has three kids — two teenagers and a newborn — which means he’s living every chapter of fatherhood at once. His mornings start early, because they always have. “Wake up, make breakfast, get them to school,” he says. “Come home, work out, get work done, then pick them up and get them to whatever sport they’re in. Come home, make dinner, get their workout in, then relax and watch some TV before bed.”
It’s a rhythm. It’s a grind. And it’s a choice.
When you’ve built your career on intensity, slowing down doesn’t come naturally. “The hardest part of parenting has been realizing you have to let them fail so they can learn,” Josh says. “Not being overbearing, but pushing them when they need it.” That balance — discipline without control, guidance without suffocation — is something he’s still refining.
But when he talks about his kids’ passions, his tone shifts. “Watching them grow and have passions of their own,” he says. “That’s the most rewarding part.”
It’s easy to see how his background bleeds into his parenting style. The SEAL mindset — attention to detail, structure, endurance — now applies to school drop-offs and youth sports. Yet, even in that structure, he’s learned to loosen his grip.
“Never wish them to be any other age than they are,” he says. “They’re that age once.”
That’s not something he picked up from a leadership manual. It’s a lesson earned in the daily, sometimes monotonous, always sacred reps of fatherhood.
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Just Show Up
When Bridges first became a dad, he says he didn’t realize how much life would reorient around someone else. “You are no longer the priority,” he says. “They are.”
It’s a simple truth, but one that carries weight. His advice for other dads isn’t about optimizing time or hacking routines. It’s about presence. “Just show up,” he says. Whether that’s for school pick-up, a backyard catch, or just sitting in the living room while they talk about their day.
“I try to be present in whatever part of the day I’m in,” he adds, “and give it the attention it deserves.”
That kind of focus doesn’t come from a self-help book. It comes from reps — from treating each part of the day as a set that matters.
Golf, Grit, and Gratitude
When he does get a moment to himself, you’ll find Josh on the golf course or getting another workout in. Physical movement isn’t just habit; it’s his reset button.
He’s not a “favorite part” kind of guy, but when pressed, he admits there’s something special about watching his kids compete. “I wouldn’t say favorite,” he says, “but I really love watching their sports.”
And if there’s one thing he wishes he’d known before becoming a dad? “That time is a gift,” he says. “Never take any moment for granted.”
The message is simple, but it hits hard. For a man whose career revolved around pushing limits, fatherhood isn’t about performance — it’s about presence.
Josh Bridges isn’t trying to be the perfect dad. He’s just showing up, every single day. And maybe that’s the whole point.
Follow Josh: @bridgesj3
Editor’s Note: On a personal note, I’ve been following Josh’s Operation LFG programming for a while now — and it’s been awesome. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense training plan built by a dad who still walks the talk, this is it.
