You raised your voice over something small, a spilled cup, a missed shoe, nothing that actually mattered. And now you can't shake the feeling that you failed.
That feeling has a name.
Trusted by 10,000+ dads on Instagram — @thesummitdad
You were outside your Window of Tolerance. It happens to the best dads out there, not because something's wrong with you, but because your window hasn't had the chance to grow yet.
I first came across Window of Tolerance in foster care training, the trauma-informed approach to parenting. I never thought it would explain my own living room. But it does.
Once I saw how small my own window had gotten, I knew something had to change.
So I took it one stone at a time. The energy, the training, time for myself, knowing my own pattern. Those became the four pillars.
Then I put it all into a book. ↓
Everything I use to stay inside my window. For fathers ready to widen theirs too.
THE BOOK
The Open Window
Energy Windows and the Four Pillars. The foundation, page by page.
Energy Windows, Pillar One
Your day split into three windows, each meal with a purpose. The right food at the right time keeps your energy steady, so your window stays open. The Greek Chicken Bowl is what I often reach for in the morning, and the Kebab Roll is one my wife and I keep coming back to in the evening. Simple, and they just work.
The Four Pillars
Energy Windows is Pillar One, and this book goes deep on it. But you also get the other three: Strength, Recharge, and Know Yourself. So when your window closes and energy isn't the problem, you'll know where to look. You'll find all three further down.
50 Recipes
With macros, photos, and a why-it-works note. Every one logs straight into The Summit App in seconds.
59 pages, 50 recipes. Everything that actually worked for me.
Reading about it is one thing. Living it is another. This book is Pillar One, Energy Windows, and explains all the pillars. The app is where you practice them all. ↓
One app. Every pillar. Every day.
THE APP
The Summit App
The app is where you live it all.
Log Your Energy Windows
Every recipe from the book logs straight into the app in seconds, so Pillar One isn't just something you read. It becomes something you actually do.
Strength, Pillar Two
8 exercises with form videos and PR tracking, two sessions a week. That's it. This is how I actually stay in shape and watch myself grow, mentally and physically, without it taking over my whole week. It doesn't take time away from my family. It gives them more of me. Watching the app show me getting stronger over time means more window, more capacity for the people who need me.
Recharge, Pillar Three
You choose your own Recharge in the app, whatever actually gives you energy back. Mine is 10,000 steps, often a walk in the mountains near home. I log it myself, so Pillar Three isn't just something I know matters. It's something I can see adding up.
Know Yourself, Pillar Four
This is the one that changed things most for me. Every time my window closes, I log a Window Repair: what happened, what set it off, what would help next time. Over time, the app shows my pattern, what keeps closing my window, and when.
Once I can see it, I catch myself in the moment. "I'm here right now." And from there, it's so much easier to stay steady.
Pillar Foundation
Log your Energy Windows, your Recharge, your water, and when you Connect with the people you love, so it doesn't get lost in a busy week. All four sit together under Pillar Foundation, with a quiet kind of leveling up built in. Nothing loud, just proof that you're moving in the right direction.
Plus a few more tools that make it easier, streak protection, all built to keep you inside your window.
THE OPEN WINDOW
$49
The book alone. Energy Windows in full, the other three pillars, and 50 recipes. To log your days and your Window Repairs, you'll want the app.
Everything in the book, plus the app. Log your Energy Windows, your Strength, your own Recharge, and your Window Repairs, so you can see your pattern and catch it before it happens.
1. Get instant access→2. Download your PDF or open the app→3. Start widening your window tonight
Questions, answered
Do I need the app, or is the book enough?
The book gives you the start and all the basics: Energy Windows in full and all four pillars. But if you really want to live it, not just read it, the app is where that happens. You log your days, track your Window Checks, and watch your own pattern build over time.
Where do I learn how the four pillars work?
Energy Windows, Pillar One, is explained in full in the book: the logic, the numbers, all 50 recipes. Strength, Recharge, and Know Yourself are in the book too, but they come alive in the app, where you log them and see your own pattern build.
How do I get the app?
It's not in the App Store. It's a web app: open the link on your phone and add it to your home screen, and it works and feels like a regular app from there. No downloads, no waiting.
What if I lose my phone or switch phones?
Your data lives only on your device, nowhere else, so it's completely private. The app reminds you to back it up. One tap copies a backup key you can save and restore from anytime, so switching phones doesn't mean losing your progress.
Do I need a gym?
No. You just need to work all the major muscles in your body, twice a week, that's it. The app shows you 8 exercises with form videos, and each one lists other ways to do it too, so you can swap in what you've got. I started at home with a couple of dumbbells.
What if I miss a day or go on vacation?
Life happens. You get one Streak Freeze a week, a 24-hour pause that protects your streak while you take care of what matters. On vacation I don't even use it religiously. My streak drops sometimes, and I just come back to it afterward. That's the point: not perfection, just coming back.
How does the app know what to eat?
You enter your numbers once, and the app gives you a simple daily target, so there's no guessing. But that's not the end goal. It's there to help you learn your own pattern, what you can eat and when, the same way I did. Once that clicks, the target becomes background noise. You just know.
Do I need to cut out alcohol or treats completely?
No. We're climbers, not monks. Enjoyment is part of a life you can actually keep living. It's an 80/20 rhythm, not a prison. I'll enjoy a glass of wine with my wife, and that's not going anywhere. Just know alcohol isn't free: it affects your sleep, your mood, and how present you are the next day. Lean toward light or sugar-free, and stop before it costs you tomorrow.
Does the app work in kg or lbs?
Yes, both. Switch anytime in Training, and everything updates with it: your Load, your Records, your Progress chart.
What about notifications?
Right now, notifications only work while the app is open in your browser tab: a reminder when a new window opens, or a nudge in the evening if your Pillar Foundation is still waiting. It's a small limit for now, and something I may build out further down the line.
What's your refund policy?
If it's not for you, message me within 30 days at Johannes@thesummitdad.com and I'll refund you. No hoops to jump through.
Johannes, The Summit Dad
A foster dad, showing up for five kids. There was a point where I didn't recognize myself anymore, body or soul. I built this because I needed it myself, not as theory.
Your window shapes more of your day than you'd think. This is how I learned to keep mine open.
