Category: Basic Training

My last post described the Sigma Male, a slang term for a primarily male archetype romanticized for its independence and self-reliance. Sadly, too many men have adopted this mindset to detach from traditional social hierarchies, responsibilities, and relationships. This post describes the ways boys and men are struggling today and why better friendships can help overcome this isolation and “lone wolf” mentality. Males are Falling Behind Despite what many in the media and culture believe, statistics show that boys and men in the United States today are failing. Males of all ages are falling behind girls and women educationally, economically, and on many indicators of social well-being. Since the 1970s, boys have struggled to learn properly in elementary school and high school. Young men are now far less likely than women to attend or graduate from college with the ratio approaching two female undergraduates for every one male. Many males

This series about Becoming a Well-Balanced Man concludes with a post about how better friendships can help men learn proper balance which is critical to mature manhood. Earlier posts covered The Benefits of Becoming a Balanced Man and how steadiness and stability (synonyms for balance) in our emotional, mental, and physical health, our financial and social life, and spirituality can help us find peace, contentment, and purpose. This last post contains the practical ways that friendships that help create mature men who learn balance, rather than the immature and unbalanced “boys” we see too often in the world today.    Better Friends = Better Men My book Get Out of Your Man Cave: The Crisis of Male Friendships provides practical ways to develop closer, more genuine relationships that help us become better men. Written as part guidebook, part memoir, and part confessional, the book comes out of my struggle with workaholism

As I continue this series about Becoming a Well-Balanced Man, I realize I have not covered an important aspect: maintaining financial balance. Financial balance – let’s call it financial stability, supports your adult lifestyle without undue worry or stress. It also provides security to pursue your long-term aspirations. As with the other areas a man needs to find balance, financial stability increases your satisfaction, happiness, and fulfillment with life. The series includes previous posts, The Benefits of Becoming a Balanced Man, and others on Emotional Balance, Mental Balance, and Physical Balance. After this post about financesyour money, I will conclude with one about Social Balance, followed by the need for spiritual balance since all are critical to becoming a well-balanced adult man.   Men Need Financial Balance  Becoming financially balanced typically means achieving a state where your income, expenses, savings, and investments are all managed in a way that supports your