Masculinity is something that many aspire to, but few achieve. Unfortunately, manhood is not a skill you can practice. Rather, it is a spectrum of traits that should be developed throughout life. By honing your masculine characteristics, you will make the most of your physical, mental and emotional potential. But be careful: being masculine is not easy, nor should it be, real men know how to savor challenges.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Becoming a Masculine Man
Step 1. Get in shape
Manly men don't have to look like Conan the Barbarian, but they should take care of their bodies. Other men, as well as women, admire strength and athleticism. If you are not already in good shape, immediately set aside time in your schedule to exercise every day. Motor activity will make you feel and look your best. It can also help prevent depression, better preparing you to pursue your other male goals. Here are some steps you can take to develop your manly physicality.
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Lift the weights. Strength-building exercises help develop masculine muscles and burn fat. Use the correct technique and go slowly if you are new to weightlifting - you can get hurt if you don't train right.
If you are unsure how to proceed and can afford it, hire a personal trainer. It will help you define an exercise routine that fits your specific needs
- Masculine men are aware of the image they convey: they stand straight and walk as if they have a purpose. The upright posture makes you seem more confident and can even actually make you feel this way. A hunched posture makes a person seem easy to beat and to subdue.
- If you have too much fat in your body, consider going on a diet. This is not a sissy thing. It is a responsible act. Losing weight can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues throughout life.
Step 2. Accept responsibilities
Real men do not run away from challenges or try to make themselves small in the face of their obligations. Instead, they pride themselves on being trustworthy and responsible. If other people feel they can count on you, you will soon learn to trust yourself, which will boost your self-esteem. Accountability comes in many forms, based on the roles you take on. Here are some aspects of life that may require you to take on a new responsibility:
- If you are a husband or father, become a leader in your family. For example, take an active role in raising children and / or balance the home budget.
- If you are a boyfriend, be mature and reliable. Schedule appointments and outings without being asked. Be emotionally available to your significant other when they need it.
- If you have a career, commit to cultivating it. Participate in projects that challenge you, even if occasionally it means staying up late or staying up late in the office. Be that person the boss can count on - you'll earn a lot of respect (and also the confidence to hold onto your business!).
- Emulate masculine role models who excel in their careers and at home, whether they are family friends or famous heroes.
Step 3. Be a human sex dynamo
Let's move on to the fun stuff! A manly man is confident in bed and knows he is the most attractive person when he's in a certain place, so he doesn't fool himself by trying to woo the people he's interested in too much. In fact, she coolly and confidently approaches those she finds attractive and uses her charm and friendly personality to move conversations naturally towards flirting. Masculine men are direct about what they want, but they are not boastful or arrogant. They love to have fun, but always remember that their sexual perspectives revolve around human beings who, in turn, have needs and desires.
- If you are single, work on your sexual safety. Try being dominant when flirting and in bed. Don't get caught up in relationships that aren't even born!
- If you're inexperienced, just start hanging out more. Talk fearlessly with the attractive people they introduce to you: if the attraction is mutual, you will impress, otherwise, you will become better at expressing yourself confidently.
- Apply these principles to all serious relationships of which you are a member. Keep your confidence with your wife or girlfriend, surprise her by seducing her like you would seduce someone you meet for the first time.
Step 4. Improve your emotional health
A common misconception is that manly men experience no emotions other than anger. Nothing could be further from the truth. Masculine men experience a broad spectrum of emotions: joy, sadness, regret, contentment, and all the nuances that exist in between. However, a man never loses control over his emotions. He never allows himself to get so angry that he does something stupid. He never allows himself to be so sad that he ignores his responsibilities. He does what needs to be done to assure himself and others that he is emotionally ready to take charge of his life.
- Honestly criticize your emotional state: do you feel certain emotions illogically? Immediately appease your weakness. Talk to your friends or a counselor to put your emotional state into perspective.
- Both men and women experience clinical depression, but depressed men are more likely to commit suicide. Depression can also lead men to neglect their family and career. If you are depressed, see a doctor. It is not masculine to pretend that there is nothing wrong with it.
Step 5. Sharpen your intellect
Masculine men aren't just sexy and brute-force, they're smart too. They don't necessarily have to be educated, but open to learning throughout their life. A manly man has an opinion on almost everything, but his thoughts will not be well informed if he is not open to absorbing knowledge. Whatever your educational level, try to be as intelligent as possible - this will help you negotiate in business, defuse quarrels at home, make better decisions, and most importantly, live a full and fulfilling life.
- Devote yourself to a hobby! It is never too late to learn to play a musical instrument or a new language.
- Join a debate team! Learning how to argue effectively is an important skill in almost all aspects of life.
- Take a class at a local school. You will find new passions.
- If you are visibly wrong about something, admit it and move on. You earn nothing by stubbornly refusing to change your mind.
Step 6. Develop satisfying interpersonal relationships
Manly men should be confident, but not loners. Cultivating an active social life is great for your career aspirations (networking is a great way to make new contacts and recommendations), but it's also great for meeting single people. Plus, it's just plain fun. Go out today to meet new people!
- Try to fill leadership roles in organizations. You will meet tons of people and earn their respect.
- Join a team to play a sport. It is a good way to improve your social life and your health at the same time.
- Save your most tender, intimate emotions for your relationships, but be a rock for those who are most emotional to hold on to you.
Step 7. Be distinct
Manly men may have role models, but they must aspire to be simply themselves. Be unique, don't give in to trends. Cultivate your style and you will never be mistaken for someone else. The way you dress, talk and behave leaves a lasting impression on people. Make sure it's unforgettable.
- Never show agreement with someone just to be accepted. Real men are confident in their opinions and, when necessary, express their disagreement with others by feeling comfortable and doing it with respect.
- Do what you enjoy doing, regardless of what others will think. For example, do you like knitting? Then work on becoming the most virile knitter in the world.
Part 2 of 3: Maintain Your Masculinity
Step 1. Make sure your physical state stays at its peak
Don't rest on your laurels, keep exercising every day, if only to maintain the progress you have already achieved. A strong and healthy body helps facilitate many other aspects of life. You will have more energy at work, in sports and in love, like a real man.
- Reap the rewards of your new strength and athleticism, but don't freak out. Don't go around bragging about it or showing off your body, unless you're joking, otherwise it will seem like you're desperate to get someone else's approval, not sure about yourself.
- Pay attention to what you consume. Count calories and avoid unhealthy foods.
Step 2. Welcome your curiosity
Stubborn mental closure is often confused with manhood. However, it is much more masculine to actively seek out new experiences: you cannot live your personal growth if you never leave your comfort zone. Always try new things, as long as you do it safely. This will broaden your horizons. You will begin to understand what you like and what you don't like. You will discover skills you didn't even know you had. You will be more interesting to your friends and sexier to women.
- Be open to relationships with new types of people. Talk to everyone, you may find that people from different points of view can make you think differently.
- Take on new responsibilities at work and at home. For example, even if you find that you are not the best at paying the bills, you will know more about the process, which is a gift in itself.
Step 3. Challenge yourself every day
Being manly isn't easy. It is a quality that is shaped by hard work and struggle. Teddy Roosevelt, one of the most masculine men in history, worked hard for years to overcome his precarious health and become more manly. By overcoming obstacles, you get closer and closer to the ideal of masculinity. Face the difficulties of life right away!
- Often, the biggest challenges can come with the grind of career and home life. In this case, the challenge may be as simple as getting to bed earlier so you can get up early to take your child to school. Just because these challenges aren't glamorous doesn't mean they aren't difficult!
- Look for new challenges outside. If your career and home life don't challenge you, create your own! Sign up for a marathon.
Step 4. Enjoy the competition
You are not the only masculine man in the world, sooner or later you will find yourself competing with someone equally confident, strong and with high self-esteem. Do your best: Genuine competition is a great chance to test the manly skills you've matured hard. And, if you don't win, you will learn and be better prepared to succeed the next time you clash with another alpha male.
- If you win, do it modestly. Shake your opponent's hand, look him in the eye and don't brag about victory. Always reflect the qualities you possess that have led you to victory and those that have made it more difficult.
- If you lose, you lose like a man. Never give up before the competition is over, even if you have little chance. Don't complain or make excuses to justify yourself. Instead, try to understand why you lost, so that you can dedicate more practice to these areas.
Step 5. Above all, be the best man you can be in any aspect of your life
No man is perfect, even the most virile man there is makes mistakes and faces great difficulties. Adversity is not a valid reason to give up. Struggle for the ideal of masculinity, confidence and strength, even when it's elusive. Remember, no one is born masculine. It is something that must be achieved with hard work, effort and sacrifice. When in doubt, don't forget that some of the most manly men have had some dark times. Here are some examples:
- John Wayne was once the quintessential symbol of American masculinity and fought over the course of three marriages and an addiction to smoking that caused him cancer. However, he maintained his manhood to the end.
- Long before he was Rocky, Sylvester Stallone was a desperate and struggling young actor. For three weeks, he was homeless, sleeping in New York's Port Authority bus station, until he landed his first starring role, in a porn movie. He became famous years later.
- Mr. T. had a very hard life before he hit fame. Raised in one of Chicago's toughest housing estates and expelled from college after just one year, he worked as a bouncer and bodyguard for years before landing his first film role.
Part 3 of 3: Living Like a Man in the World
Step 1. Treat women with respect
Whether you're dating one or not, you should treat them all like a true gentleman would. This does not mean putting into practice some old-fashioned ideas of chivalry (like, for example, making them sit in the chair), but that you should extend to everyone the respect and courtesy that you would grant to a serious colleague. Listen to them when they talk. Respect their opinions, even when you disagree with them. And most importantly, treat them like men, they are.
- You don't have to treat women the way you would treat a child. Many women love dirty humor just like men. Making jokes (even bad ones) in front of women does not mean treating them with little respect, it shows that you consider them the same as men and that you can let your emotional guard down. But first, try to understand their personalities - if they seem to like your humor, step forward.
- On the other hand, avoid using insults against women, even if you're just kidding. It's easy to get into the habit of using these words, and it's even easier for your intentions to be misunderstood. Masculine men don't hurt other people's feelings on the basis of biological sex.
- Never ever commit an act of violence against a woman - it is one of the least manly things you can do.
Step 2. Treat men with respect too
It's easy to respect your friends. Much more difficult to respect that hateful colleague of yours that you always have on your heels. A manly man respects everyone and does not bully or humiliate people. Also, avoid gossiping. Anything that you would berate your child while on the playground should be avoided by you in the adult world.
- Many times, annoying men don't even know they are. If someone in your office has really bad breath, politely take them aside and recommend that they use mints. Don't make fun of him in front of everyone during your lunch break. There is no reason to make someone suffer for something they are not aware of.
- Life will sometimes spur you to compete with other men. Act as best you can, but remember that these men are not to be despised just because they are your competitors. They deserve your respect even if they are the enemy.
Step 3. Be ambitious (but not greedy)
Pursue excellence in your career and reap the rewards you get through your hard work, but never compromise your integrity or family life for more money. The happiness you get from money is tiny when compared to what a happy home and family can offer you. Behave ethically in all your business transactions. Be competitive, but don't stab in the back - a masculine man never throws anyone under the bus to advance.
- Being considered respectable in the office is a reward in itself. Colleagues and supervisors will notice your hard work. You will earn more respect in the workplace and, above all, you will keep it tight.
- Look for new responsibilities at work, but don't let your career invest so much that you neglect yourself or your family. If taking on a new assignment means you won't be able to see your kids before bed, pass it on to someone else.
Step 4. Be a family man
Your affections should come first, before your career, and even before yourself. This responsibility becomes even greater when you become a father. Make sure you spend time with your family, even if you work hard. They will reciprocate your love. Take the children to visit their grandparents. Spend a weekend with them on the beach every now and then. Watch your children's games and plays. The time you spend spreading love in your family is what you will most fondly remember when you are older.
A survey in which over 1,000 British parents took part showed that they value family more than material well-being. If you are given the option between working the entire weekend to save money and buying a new car and spending the weekend with your family, choose the one that will make you happiest
Advice
- Hurting a woman or a child is cowardly and only the lowest type of person there is (like rapists, if you count them as humans) would do it, not a real man.
- Express what you think and support your friends.
- Be ethical, loyal, honest, humble, charitable, strong, caring, kind, and loving.
- Scout principles are good to follow: they should be dignified, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, frugal, courageous, clean and respectful. Be prepared to always help others and to keep yourself physically strong and mentally awake as well as morally righteous.
- Don't let anyone step on you; read "The Manipulated Man" and "The Myth of Man Power".
- Emulate role models, heroes, celebrities, friends and manly family members.
- Defend women, children and all human beings weaker than you!
- Identifying yourself as a man is the first step; if you feel more comfortable acting like a girl, don't think you have to change!
Warnings
- Don't use steroids.
- Be a man, but not a Neanderthal: constantly remind yourself that a man can have elaborate opinions and think about others.
- Some cultures and some value systems recognize behaviors as masculine, but in many other places they may be considered unacceptable or even illegal. When you strive to have a masculine lifestyle, always ask yourself if, personally, you find your actions acceptable. It's OK to be less manly if that makes you a better human being.
