One of the primary characteristics of manhood is responsibility, and it starts with being responsible for our own lives. There’s a sign at the Chow Hall at the Navy SEAL headquarters that reads “If every SEAL were like me, how strong would the team be?” While the hope for every team is to be greater than the sum of its individual members, that sign is a reminder that, in order for the teams to thrive, each member must push himself to excellence. As we’ve seen, much of SEAL training is about survival. But the great ones always push the envelope. They are not content to merely survive, they want to be the best. But there are always some who are content to merely get by, to meet the minimum standards. When we adopt that attitude, when we count on someone else to make the team great, we cheat ourselves and the team. [Read more…] about Lessons from the SEALs: Why Manhood Means Responsibility
Be Your Own Dad
Becoming a man; that’s a boy’s greatest and deepest pursuit. But when does it happen, when does a boy become a man? While one can focus on biological markers that are connected to puberty, it takes more than age and physical development to turn a boy into a man. Instead, a boy becomes a man when he takes responsibility for his life, rather than assuming that someone else (typically his parents) is responsible for him. In short, he becomes a man when he decides to be the dad over his own life. [Read more…] about Be Your Own Dad