We’ve cruised on into a new year for Prime Good Dads! For some, the new year looks like a fresh start, with goals and resolutions to reach for the next 365 days. Some people have scrapped the idea of resolutions as a whole, reasoning that they are too hard to keep.

Whether you’ve got a long list of goals or are winging it, you won’t want to miss our regular biweekly Prime Good Dads blogs on important traits, skills and advice from Prime drivers and for Prime drivers in 2026. We want to ensure our readers are P.R.I.M.E.D for the new year, the theme for this year’s blog posts.

Each corresponding letter in the acronym “P.R.I.M.E.D” will feature a trait or topic that starts with that letter. We’re going to start strong with the letter “P” this week with a crucial trait: patience. Last year, we had a few blogs on the subject of self control and mindfulness. This week on the blog, we’ll be discussing ways to keep your cool from Prime driver father Jimmy Jackson. You won’t want to miss his insights!

Having patience allows you to see different perspectives

When we have a conflict or disagreement, it can be tempting to dig your heels in and refuse to waver. When we don’t see where other people are coming from, it can lead to feelings of anger and resentment, and good luck trying to keep your cool once those feelings start to crop up!

According to Jimmy, patience is a crucial trait for Prime driver fathers. He says it’s important for us not to jump to conclusions, because that often leads to losing your patience.

“(Patience) helps you understand the situation. It gives everyone time to work through whatever is going on from both sides of (the conflict).”

For Jimmy, seeing where the other party is coming from helps both sides of a conflict to understand each other’s mindset. Keeping your patience during moments such as this will help you reach your goals.

Being patient means having good listening skills

Jimmy referred to his wife as being someone who demonstrates patience. One of the ways she does this is simply by sitting back and listening. He described himself as more of a “fix it” guy when it comes to problems, but he admitted that mentality doesn’t work for every situation.

He said that his wife has helped their family with listening and problem solving skills. When someone has a problem, she clarifies whether they want that problem fixed or if they want someone to listen to and some advice.

When problem solving for his kids while over the road, Jimmy says he’ll video chat to talk through a problem. Sometimes it means allowing them to take five minutes to collect their thoughts, to breathe and to wipe their eyes and nose. The same goes for in person problem solving.

With two sons and two daughters, Jimmy says there isn’t much difference when it comes to drama, upsets and heartbreaks. However, they all have ways of acting when it comes to handling conflict. Every situation is different, and Jimmy says it’s important not to rush, another key part of patience.

“Slow down before mistakes are made or tempers are flared,” he said. “Sit back and look at all the angles.”

On the job, patience is a matter of safety

A loss of patience equals a loss of focus, and driving over the road requires 100% of your focus. Jimmy trains other drivers, something that requires plenty of patience. When a student or teacher loses their cool, “everything falls apart,” he said.

This can lead to a domino effect. Losing patience could mean the loss of a practice session, which leads to a loss of revenue and income. However, Jimmy said it’s better to step back and wait than to ignore the feelings of frustration.

“That’s when accidents and mistakes are made,” he said.

Obviously, nobody is perfect. We all have off days where we’re quicker to anger. However, it’s important to take a break and analyze these feelings rather than push through and risk somebody getting hurt.

Find strategies to help you keep your cool

Jimmy has plenty of strategies to help him keep cool. Take deep breaths and get some fresh air, even if it’s cold or rainy outside. Listen to music you like. Call or video chat with your family.

Jimmy said he’ll park his truck and scroll through pictures of his kids and grandkids. When he takes the time to take a few deep breaths, he says he feels an, “overall sense of calming.”

“When you sit back…breathe a few times, an overall feeling (of calm) flows over the body, making you feel a lot better.”

Find strategies that work for you. Some of them may seem silly at first; it’ll take some practice! It’s important to remember you’re not alone while you’re over-the-road either. Ask around and see what fellow drivers do to help them stay calm, cool and collected.

Final Words

There’s a phrase “good things come to those who wait,” when it comes to patience. While Jimmy clarified that nothing comes to you for free, there’s still a nugget of truth in it when it comes to stepping back and taking a breather to solve problems and stay focused.

“If you just wait, you might see that patience is a virtue,” he said.