Category: Basic Training

The last post in this series on creating a roadmap to better manhood described how the hard- and soft skills apply to a man’s domestic life: his home and his family. This next post explains how good problem-solving and decision-making apply to those skills described in earlier posts to help men reach the level of maturity that the world needs more of today.  Subsequent posts on planning and goal-setting, and developing an awareness of your legacy, are the final marks of maturity of better men that conclude this series.  First, Have Personal Discipline  Throughout this series, I have suggested that maturity in a young male comes by learning to First, Manage Yourself Well. This maturity comes from applying a set of personal disciplines through all aspects of his life, such as:   Each of these disciplines is shaped by one’s personal experiences, cultural influences, and societal expectations. But how a male

This series about creating a roadmap to better manhood now turns toward the home stretch. In these next several posts, I describe how a mature man applies better manhood skills to four main areas: 1) domestic life, 2) problem-solving and decision-making, 3) planning and goal-setting, and 4) impacts on his legacy. This first post describes how better manhood skills apply to domestic life, which includes taking care of your home, relating to family and friends, and showing up in your community. My Disclaimer: First, I want to state that I have not mastered all of the skills described in this series (see the chart at the end of this post with links to my prior posts on the hard and soft skills all men need). Nor do I want to come across as an expert on manhood because I fail at it often. However, I have developed many of these

Building and maintaining healthy relationships is an important skill for everyone, not just men. In this next post in my series about creating a roadmap for better manhood, I describe why relationship management is another critical soft skill every man needs. I explain how relationships involve our romantic partnerships, friendships, family connections, and professional relationships. I also explain the benefits of mastering this important skill because when a young male masters it, he begins to show up as a mature man and succeeds in this world.  Relationship Management Defined There are several principles and practices that help foster healthy, fulfilling, and respectful relationships. This includes relationships with the opposite sex for dating and marriage if that is in your future. It also includes your ongoing and longer-term relationship with family (parents, siblings, spouse, and children), but also friends, neighbors, and co-workers since each of these relationships contributes to your well-being