By Dan Weddle

I nearly didn’t write this book.

The creative world isn't usually where you’ll find me. I’ve always been much more of the utilitarian type. If the thing I’m doing doesn’t have a clear and immediate application or purpose, I usually ask myself: why do it?

In fact, until recently, no one in my family or circle of friends even had a clue I had started this project. It was so far out of my wheelhouse that none of them would have expected it.

So, why did I do it?

I asked myself that a lot. I’m not the type to search out personal attention. I have plenty of other things going on—a family to support, a tech business to run, and a foundation to manage. Why take on a daunting project like writing a manuscript?

The answer I kept coming back to was simple: If sharing my story can help even one person, it’s worth all the work.

For most of my life, I was the guy who just knuckled down and did what needed to be done. I developed a habit of packing away my feelings in favor of just moving forward. It wasn’t an easy way to live, but it made surviving possible.

But I eventually discovered that "survival mode" isn't a beneficial way to live your life 100% of the time. It took the worst thing imaginable—the death of my son—to bring me to a breaking point where I realized I had to ask for help.

What You’ll Find Inside

I’m a normal blue-collar law enforcement guy who worked his way into the business world and became a CEO. I’m a conservative white Southerner who always put others' needs before my own.

I wrote this book because I know how natural it is for men to assume their value is tied to being unshakeable. I want to challenge that.

Whether you are looking for business advice, leadership principles, or just a spark of hope that healing is possible after grief—I hope you gain something from my journey.

Life is finite. We never know when our time on earth will end. We can't afford to waste another minute pretending we are fine when we are suffocating inside.

I hope my story encourages you to keep going.

Get your copy of Earned Wisdom here: Earned Wisdom on Amazon