It’s time to start taking the responsibility of being a man seriously. It’s time to start taking accountability for everything in your life. As a man, can you honestly look at yourself in the mirror and say that you are doing everything in your power to be the best man you can be? Below is a list of 40 things that we should all strive for, as men. And for women, you should settle for nothing less than what you deserve. You should look for these traits in a man. Men, it’s time to man the fuck up.

Protect Your People At All Times

• Open the car door for your wife/girlfriend/kids. Not only is it gentlemanly, you need to be vigilant about their safety. It’s your job to protect them.
• Walk on the inside track when walking with your people on a road. It’s your job to protect them!
• Get fit and jacked. If a crisis/emergency situation happens, are you ready to protect your family? Can you fend off an attack? Or are you going to be gassed after 15 seconds?

Provide! Take Care of Your Finances

• Get out of debt
• Spend less than you make
• Invest
• Be intentional with your money

Lead By Example

• Show Up
• Keep your promises, especially to yourself
• Develop self confidence
• Take care of your physical appearance
• Work hard. Harder than everyone else.
• Cut down the drinking
• Eat healthy
• Get fit and jacked
• Stop Complaining
• Cheer for other people’s success
• Love
• Find your purpose
• Practice gratitude
• Set big goals

Be a Great Friend

• Listen
• Show Up
• Cheer on your friend’s success. Support them.
• Hold your friends accountable
• Be honest with them. Call them out when they are behaving in ways that are not in line with who they say they want to be.

Be a Better Husband/Boyfriend

• Stop always being the nice guy. Women don’t want the nice guy. Women don’t want the pushover. They want a man, not a boy. A man of action. A man that is ready to defend them. A man that can make simple decisions, such as which restaurant to eat at. Book the babysitter, take your wife out to a nice restaurant and just make a decision for once. Stop being so damn indecisive. Your wife likely makes over 80% of the decisions for your family. Take some of the load off of her.
• Help with the household chores. Women don’t want another child to clean up after. Do your part. Help out. Don’t look for praise. Just do it. It’s your house too. Take some pride in your castle. Many men wonder why their wives don’t want to have sex with them anymore. It isn’t like it used to be, they’ll say. It’s because you stopped trying. After a long day at work, clean the damn house for 10 minutes. Pour her a bath. Take the kids outside to play. And then watch what happens. It’s not rocket science. Love her and she will love you back 10 times over.
• Treat her right. If you’ve committed to her, fully commit. Prioritize the relationship over everything else. Stop behaving in ways that go against this commitment. Or move on.
• Stop comparing how much you do compared to how much she does. Just commit to doing more. Man the fuck up and take ownership of what you’re doing.

Be the Best Dad

• Spend quality uninterrupted time with your kids.
• Get to know your kids. Their favourite animal, song, colour, movie, etc. Know who their dentist is. Know the name of their teacher.
• Lead by example. It’s Mom’s job to raise the baby into the boy. It’s Dad’s job to turn the boy into a man. Teach him things. Choose realism over idealism. Teach him what it means to be a great man. It is your obligation.
• Listen to them. What truly interests them? What are they drawn to? And do everything in your power to let them explore that passion.
• They are always watching. Teach them what is means to be a good man. A good person. Practice what you preach.

This is by no means, an exhaustive list. It’s time for us to do better. Be better. Myself included. It’s time for us to show the world what a real man is. A man that protects, provides, and goes above and beyond the call of duty. A man that does the right thing. It is our duty and obligation to man up, live a life that inspires others and quite frankly, be better.