– 12 – 12 NEW SKILLS IN 12 MONTHS
Robert Greene said: “The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways”. Imagine that in a year from now you could end with significantly more skills than today. What about learning one new skill every month for the next 12 months? You will not become an expert but if you dedicate enough time every day, you will probably become quite good at it.Some of those skills could be to:
- Drive/pilot something new (boat, motorcycle, off-road, drone, kite, spaceship)
- Speak a new language (foreign language, computer language, sign language)
- Learn the basics of a musical instrument or a plastic art (painting, sculpting, drawing)
- Fix things (engine, plumbing, appliances, brain surgery)
- Learn medical skills (first aid, AED, TCCC)
- Play a new sport (individual, team)
- Start a new hobby (collection, models, games)
- Improve your communication skills (public speaking, handwriting, podcast)
- Learn a manual craft (leatherwork, metalwork, pottery, glassblowing)
- Increase your knowledge in a new topic (finances, history, mind reading)
It’s easy to procrastinate, thinking that learning new skills is too difficult, or it’s too late to start. We get specialized instead of being a jack of all trades, and we end up unable to do anything outside our narrow scope of practice, relying on others to do what we could easily learn to do. It’s not difficult to become a Renaissance Man. What is difficult is to start becoming one.
-11- 11 FAMILIES OF MOVEMENT
One of the main differences between us and our ancestors is their mastery of movement in their environment. We are not only losing our mobility by sitting a lot, we are also losing our practical skills by living in an environment that doesn’t challenge us a lot.Here are some benchmarks of what you should be able to achieve without any difficulty. Change the metrics to match your level of fitness and practice.
🏆- Crawling: 1- Using the crawling technique of your choice, crawl for 100 yards in less than 3 minutes. 2- Without using your hands, get up from the ground and sit down in at least 2 different ways.
🏆- Walking:1- Walk at least 3 miles in an hour2- Walk barefoot on any kind of realistic terrain for at least 100 yards
🏆- Running1- Sprint 100 yards in 15 seconds2- Run at least 5 miles in 50 minutes
🏆- Lifting1- Lift 10 times from the ground a sandbag (or any odd object) of at least half your bodyweight2- Lift overhead an object 1/4 of your body weight
🏆- Carrying1- Carry for 30 yards someone of your size and bodyweight2- Carry an object half your bodyweight for at least 50 yards without stopping
🏆- Jumping1- Jump a distance equivalent to your height2- Jump from a height equivalent to 3/4 of your height
🏆- Vaulting1- While running, vault over an obstacle as high as your waist2- While running, dive over an obstacle as high as your knees
🏆- Balancing1- Walk on a beam or a log that is at least as high as your waist2- Crawl on a 2×4 for at least 10 feet or 3 meters
🏆- Throwing1- Throw an object of at least 20 pounds or 9kg over a distance of 10 yards2- From a distance of 10 yards, throw 5 times a small object at a 1ft/30cm target
🏆- Swimming1- Swim at least 200 yards in 5 minutes2- Hold your breath underwater for at least 1 minute
🏆- Climbing1- Dead hang for at least 1 minute2- Climb a wall at least your height
You might be able to do some of them but can you do them all?
-10- 10 COMMANDMENTS
If you’re familiar with judaism, christianity or islam, you know something about the Ten Commandments that God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Decalogue is a set of 10 principles about ethics and worship that was carved on two tablets of stone in order to form the basis of social order and justice.
Interestingly enough, every other religion, present or past, had a list of somehow similar ethical principles to help men and women to live a more decent and honest life in society. In Buddhism you find the Eight Precepts, in Taoism the Five Precepts, and even in a more modern pagan religion like Heathenry, you find the Nine Charges.
Either he is an adept of one of these religions, of another one or of none at all, it is important for a man to think about the values he believes in. Having a set of guiding principles he lives by helps him to make not only the big decisions of his life, but also the many small choices he makes on a daily basis, even if they don’t seem so consequential. Every choice he makes can have unforeseen consequences on his physical, moral, spiritual or financial future, along with the future of his family and close friends.We all make hundreds of decisions every day and it would be incredibly stressful and tiring to have to carefully think about any one of them and its potential repercussions. A set of strong values helps us make those decisions and stay consistent in our beliefs and our behavior with others.What are your moral values regarding lies, sex, family, theft, killing, animal treatment, false testimony, cheating, badmouthing, pornography, drugs, perversions, intoxication, torture, jealousy, fighting, child education, etc?There is no right or wrong answer, just your answer, because nothing is really that simple. Do you believe that lying is inherently bad? Is an omission a lie? Is it acceptable to lie to someone for their own good? About their medical condition? Not to hurt their feelings?A man needs to have clear boundaries and strong values. But it requires more personal work and reflexion than just saying “This is good. This is bad”. Do you really have your own values figured out?
-9- 9MM
This post is not about which caliber is best for self-defense, or even which firearm is the best. It’s a discussion for experts and aficionados and firearm-related discussions tend to be very polemical in the US and in the world.What is more universal is the ability for someone to defend themself if and when needed. This has always been an important principle throughout our evolutionary history, as it is for most other animals out there. It is one of the most fundamental needs we have, as mentioned by Maslow in his pyramid, and we’ve been doing that since the dawn of ages.A man is and has always been a protector. As primates, males are bigger, stronger and more aggressive than most females of our species, and have always been the ones doing most of the violence: hunting, fighting at war or defending themself, their family, their clan and later their country.How did they do that? With anything they could find that would give them an edge over their prey, their opponent, their enemy or their aggressor. Since we figured out that a stone is harder than our fist and that a stick gives us more reach than our arm, we’ve been using every day objects as weapons of opportunity. Many weapons used in traditional martial arts were first agricultural tools that were modified for a more violent use. When men have to defend themself against an aggressor, anything that is around can and will be used as a blunt weapon, an edged weapon, or anything that can distract, blind or incapacitate who they are fighting. In life-threatening situations, knives, screwdrivers and hammers have helped more people than the most sophisticated purpose-built weapons.It would be foolish to think that we can suppress anyone’s survival instinct to save their own life or the lives of those who are dear to their heart. It is part of our nature and rightly so. The tool someone uses for that is completely irrelevant because anyone who doesn’t have access to one kind of weapon will use another kind. Some weapons require more skills and practice than others, some are more lethal than others, some are greater equalizers and allow people who are weaker to fight against a stronger aggressor or multiple aggressors. Men as protectors should be familiar with and know how to use any kind of improvised or purpose-built weapon. More importantly, everyone should also understand what self-defense really means: being able to stay calm and to avoid or de-escalate an unnecessary conflict, but also to use violence to effectively fight against violence when necessary.
-8- BEHIND THE 8 BALL
Behind the 8 ball means being in a disadvantageous position. It is a situation that every man will experience at one point or another in his life. But before complaining about being in a challenging situation, thinking that’s it’s not fair, that it shouldn’t happen to you, right now, after all the things you’ve already been through, take time to consider all the potential benefits of that situation. Jocko Willink says “GOOD!”, Ryan Holiday paraphrases the Stoics and says “The obstacle is the way”, David Goggins talks about his career as a Navy SEAL and says “Embrace the suck”. Most modern motivational speakers talk about how our perception of a situation directly influences its outcome. Even if we do our best to avoid it, our life is chaotic by nature, made of successes and setbacks. Both are not only inevitable but should also be welcomed: successes and setbacks are what helps us to adapt and grow. There is no way to stop challenging situations from happening in our life and it shouldn’t even be our goal. Yes, we don’t like emotional or physical discomfort or pain, but the best way to get more resilient is to change our perspective and to accept, and to a certain extent enjoy the ups and downs in life.
– 7 – 7 MANLY ITEMS
There are things that a man needs to have, things that are worth spending a bit more money. They will last a lifetime and add a real touch of style and manliness.
👑 A leather jacket – A well-worn jacket shows the rebellious, outdoorsy and adventurous side of its owner. Avoid baggy jackets and colorful patches.
🔥 A good knife – A pocket knife is one of the essentials in a man’s everyday carry. Not the cheap ones you buy at a gas station. Quality knives cost more.
☀️ A slim wallet – No need for a bulging wallet that barely fits in your pocket. You probably only need one or two IDs, a couple of credit cards and some cash.
🏆 A pair of leather boots – That’s definitely a must. A pair of fine, well-made boots that are comfortable and durable while staying elegant. No need for steel toe boots.
🎖 A classic watch – No cheap plastic watch or gimmicky bluetooth gadget will ever replace a traditional dive or aviator watch. No oversized dial or cheesy watchband.
🏛 A tailored suit – Every man needs a properly fitted 3-piece suit. You are never overdressed wearing a high-quality suit. Cheap suits never impress anyone.
🔪 A leather bag – Either a duffle bag to travel in style, or a satchel or backpack for daily use, the leather must be thick yet supple. Well maintained, it will last forever.
– 6 – 6 BARBELL SKILLS
A barbell is a very convenient tool to build a lot of strength but also power. There are many barbell skills out there but six are fundamental and need to be learnt and practised with consistency in order to will develop what most men need in term of resistance training:
🏆 – DEADLIFT – It works your whole posterior chain, from the ground up to the upper back, along with grip strength and whole body tension.
🏆- SQUAT – The Back Squat allows more weight but requires a rack of some sort. Otherwise Front Squat and Zercher Squat are good and convenient substitutes.
🏆 – OVERHEAD PRESS – One of the best skills to develop upper body strength, it requires a rack or you will have to learn how to do a proper Clean.
🏆 – BENCH PRESS – A favorite for many, it’s not only about pressing with the arms but also driving with the legs. The Floor Press offers a safer shoulder range of motion and doesn’t require a bench and a rack.
🏆 – POWER CLEAN – An explosive movement that requires strength, power and coordination. It’s also very useful as a starting platform for the Front Squat and the Overhead Press.
🏆 – 1-ARM FARMER CARRY – This skill builds grip strength and whole body tension, and introduces an asymmetrical component to your training.
If you have access to a pull-up bar, then add some pull-ups and leg raises and you have pretty much every strength-based skills you’ll ever need.
– 5 – 5 ELEMENTS OF SURVIVAL
Survival is not about thrilling reality shows featuring a retired Special Forces operator. Not only natural and man-made disasters happen on a regular basis, but a survival situation on your own or with your family can simply be about being stranded in a broken car or lost during a mountain hike. As it happens more often than we think, do you know the fundamentals of survival that can save your life?
🔥- Signaling – any way to be seen, heard or located by rescuers – whistle, mirror, flares, radio, phone or improvised signals (smoke, noise, flag, etc).
🔥- Personal Protection – staying away from the elements (shelter from heat, rain or cold) and being safe from animals (predators, insects) and unwanted human predators.
🔥 – Sustenance – even if food is rarely a priority in the first 24 hours, having access to fluids is important early on, especially in warmer climates.
🔥- Navigation – waiting for rescuers is often, but not always the best choice. Using Nature as an aid to navigation, along with basic map reading skills, should be something you are familiar with.
🔥- Health – Injuries, illness, extreme fatigue, hypothermia, all happen during survival situations, making them more critical and less manageable. Learn first aid skills.
It is your duty, as a self-sufficient man and as the protector of your family, to plan for those emergency situations and to learn the necessary ASK (attitude, skills, knowledge) that you might need.
– 4 – 4 STOIC VIRTUES
One of the attributes of a mature, responsible and resilient man is to personify a certain sets of virtues and to be a role model for those around him.
👑 – Wisdom – A man must be able to determine was is good and what is bad. He must understand that he can only change what is under his control.
👑 – Temperance – It is about self-control and finding the middle ground between excess and deficiency, between pleasure and pain.
👑 – Courage – A man has the courage to face misfortune and death, the courage to take risks and to hold to his principles.
👑 – Justice – It is about the willingness to do good and to not harm others. It is about understanding the interdependence between everyone.
We rarely control the world around us but we choose how we respond to the world and how we apply those virtues in our everyday life.
– 3 – 3 ROLES OF A MAN
Every man has three main responsibilities in life. Modern men tend to question their values and their role in society, but our ancestors never questioned them, as it was part of what a man has to do every day.
👑 – Leader – Regardless if you feel like a leader of men or not, you are one. You can be leading your family and your community in many different ways but first and foremost, you should be a role model for them.
👑 – Warrior – It’s not about being in the military or law enforcement. It’s about being able to protect your life and the life of your family and those who are dear to you. It’s also about standing up for the values you believe in and the freedom you want to defend.
👑 – Producer – That’s the most obvious responsibility: being able to take care of your yourself and your family. It’s being an asset, not a liability and a dead weight, for the community and the society you chose to live in.
Fulfilling these three responsibilities is a daily task. It doesn’t mean they cannot be shared with the women in your life, but they should never been completely left out because of laziness, convenience or external pressure.
– 2 – 2 TESTICLAS
Testicles have been blamed for everything, from road rage to excessive competitiveness, from war to toxic masculinity. They have been deified by some civilizations, overly exaggerated on some statues and primitive paintings, even if they are not the prettiest part of the male anatomy. They also have been cut off in other cultures in order to decrease male features or increase female ones. The truth of the matter is that their biological functions are pretty useful when you consider the survival of the species, not the well being of an individual itself. The testes’ main job is to produce sperm and testosterone. On one hand, the reproductive process would be difficult without them and the human species would disappear. On the other hand, some male features like strength, aggressiveness or quest for dominance, help to protect the other members of the community. In other words, testes are here for the growth and the protection of the species. Nothing wrong with that.As usual too much of a good thing is not necessarily better, but multiple studies and data show that this is not a really a concern nowadays. Quite the opposite. There is a clear decline in modern men’s sperm count and testosterone level, a decline that we can be attributed to a multitude of environmental, societal, psychological and physiological factors. And it should be time for every man to do something about it…
– 1 – 1 LONE WOLF
The idea of the lone wolf, the self-sufficient and highly resilient man fighting life events on his own, is a fantasy found in Hollywood movies and novels. It’s neither realistic nor practical.The goal of the whole “Countdown to Manliness” series, from 12 to 1, was to show that a modern man cannot really thrive outside of a community. Yes we talked about fitness, skills, hormones and manly objects, all things that have nothing to do with his interaction and interdependence with other men. But we also talked about Stoicism, virtues, values, the roles of a man and his ability to protect himself and his family. Men don’t live in a vacuum, even if more boys dream of spending their future playing video games in their mother’s basement, aimlessly spending time being entertained.
A man is only a man if he is with other men he can share experiences with, talk to and even compete with.
A man is only a man if he can fulfill his role in his community and his family.
A man is only a man if he has a purpose, a goal greater than himself.
A man is only a man if he has values that he is ready to defend and fight for.
Otherwise he is just a boy.