
Self-Worth: What I Learned Growing Up Without My Dad
From Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts by Tony Taylor
May 4, 2026 · 17 min · Episode 148
About this episode
In this solo episode, Tony Taylor shares his personal journey of understanding self-worth in the absence of his father and its impact on his life.
Self-worth isn’t something I learned from a book. I learned it in the absence of someone who was supposed to be there. In this solo episode, I share a moment from my childhood that shaped how I saw myself for years… and how that belief followed me into my relationships, my work, and how I showed up in the world. Fam, This isn’t a perfect story or a “here’s how I fixed everything” conversation. It’s my truth. We talk about: what it feels like to not feel chosen how that belief shows up later in life overextending, people-pleasing, and staying too long the shift from proving your worth to understanding it If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn being chosen… this episode is for you. Not feeling chosen early in life can shape how you see yourself Overgiving is often rooted in trying to earn love or validation Just because you feel something doesn’t mean it’s true Your worth isn’t based on how much you prove or give You don’t have to keep carrying beliefs that weren’t yours to begin with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) The importance of support, community, and honest conversations If this resonated with you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with someone who might need to hear…
People in this episode
Host: Tony Taylor
Topics covered
- self-worth
- childhood experiences
- relationships
- people-pleasing
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- support and community
Keywords
- self-worth
- absence of father
- relationships
- people-pleasing
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- validation
- support
- community
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