Reclaim

Your
Manhood!

By Ryan Felman

1
2
3
Also featured in:
99 things every millennial man
should know

Other work by ryan felman:

The Warrior’s MindseT: hoW To
Become the Modern Warrior
How to break free of the matrix

The best of helm of awesome

The Path to Twitter Dominance
The Path to Brand Management

4
Table of Contents
Prologue – The Resurrection of the American Dream

1. Hit the gym

2. Dress well
3. Be Assertive
4. Choose your friends wisely
5. Turn off the video games
6. Eat real food
7. Have some self-respect
8. Stay away from BPD
9. Stop being stingy
10. Stop buying soybucks milkshakes
11. Be resilient
12. Jobs aren’T hard
13. Stop watching porn
14. Start writing
15. Goals
16. Read books
17. Meditate
18. No gossip
19. Stay off your phone when in company
20. Challenge yourself

Epilogue – 10 ways to gain more twitter followers

5
6
 The Resurrection of the American
Dream

Modern life involves journalists from failing

institutions harassing men for having a political
opinion openly stated on national television.
College degrees are worthless or near worthless as
student debt rises, while trades are lucrative, cheap
to get, and looked down on by snobby city folk who
favor going 6 figures into debt before entering the
real world. And then they’ll whine about student
debt being unfair after they’re given their education.
Young people have grown frustrated with the status
quo.
I’m one of these millennials that everyone bitches
about claiming we are all lazy and I think we
invented cancer when we mined all those bitcoin
mountains.
Print is dead, so it’s a good thing I decided to throw
my hat in the ring as a writer. Maybe I’m one of the
authentic writers though. I don’t write for the
money, but to maintain my sanity. Even though the
more I write, the more I begin to question my
sanity, but in the days of reality TV show Presidents
and social decay, to accept the modern world as it
is, is to truly be insane.

7
The American dream is dead, but why then does it
appear to be easier than ever for many to make their
dreams possible? Young people leverage the power
of the internet to create their own blogs, websites,
businesses and um… “modeling careers.” The old
world is dying as the boomers retire on the money
stolen from generations before and after them, yet
they still struggle to save. It can be difficult to
survive on 6 figure incomes when your house is as
big as your ego and your god is materialism.
Everything today is a bit too fantastical for my
liking. I’m young but I feel older with each passing
day. The world has been given a cartoonish filter as
if we are playing Fortnight on LSD. Nothing feels
real and everything is evanescent. The bottom
feeders troll through digital pasts to drag down
those who climb too high as if we are crabs in the
bucket. This loser mentality is the only way for
many to win the game, or at least to lose less. The
winners sneak by but now live in fear. #MeToo and
divorce threaten to undermine those who have done
everything they were supposed to do.
My moment of clarity was when I was dragged
through a broken family court system and forced to
pay a quarter of a million dollars to a deadbeat
opiate addict to ensure the safety of my son. I got
my son, so the old people tell me that the system
works. They don’t mind the tremendous expense
and toll on my personal health that this entailed.

8
I don’t second guess them on this, because they are
puppets who won’t give my young mind the time of
day. They know better since they’re old. That is
why, despite all my adversities, I still have
significantly more money saved than the average
boomer who worked decades longer than me. That
is the key right there, isn’t it? The system does
work, but it doesn’t work for you. The system is
capitalism and it will outsource jobs to socialism if
that means stealing money from a productive writer
/ whateverthehelliam to give to a drug addict. Now
why would capitalism do this?
Because the market always wins, and capitalism
knows that the money flows much quicker when
taken from the highly intelligent but fiscally
conservative and given to the junkie who is addicted
to every quick fix known to man.
I hold no regrets nor ill will towards my ex despite
the wrongdoings as it did cause me to reevaluate my
own life. Since the split I created my own website,
www.PathToManliness.com where I am a voice for
frustrated young men in a system that depends on
them while simultaneously bashing them. I tweet
random thoughts of inspiration and satirical
commentary to keep myself sane while providing a
resource to an increasingly alienated segment of the
population.
The older generation doesn’t recognize the death of
the old world, but I see it everywhere around me.

9
The circus over the Supreme Court hearing was
evidence enough for most, but there is so much
more destroying the American empire.
The lack of proper education and perhaps
intentional destruction from Bill Gates to further his
own personal agenda where he will surely make
back double what he has invested through his
common core scheme. The destruction of the food
system to its very core. Most food is so heavily
polluted with chemicals and estrogens that few men
in the city can help but succumb to becoming these
numales or soy boys that shout “The Future is
Female” while still not getting laid. The obesity
epidemic leaves few males capable of leaving much
of an impact on the real world, so they retreat to
their own safe spaces of drive thru windows, video
games and porn. They are of little concern to those
in power.
This country grows so divisive that the government
is hardly relevant anymore. Men and women don’t
trust each other as name calling, false rape and
divorce destroys the gender dynamics that led to a
fruitful population. Not to mention the death and
destruction wrought by endocrine disrupters and
planned parenthood. If you aren’t upset, you aren’t
paying attention. There is a very active war out
there to combat overpopulation and it is working
like a charm. Well, except when it’s not and if you
look at where we are heading, it certainly paints a
picture.

10
The American dream is dying, but Americans don’t
lay down easy. The youth of America see the
challenges and adversities that lay ahead, and for
some, it only inspires them to become greater men.
Only a small percentage of people are the true
movers and shakers that shape the destiny of an
empire and they may already be laying the
foundation through ideas and words. Upon the
creation of America, only three percent of the
population fought against the British Empire. You
see, I chose to become a writer because I recognize
the inherent power in words, and with the rise of the
internet, even Presidents can be memed into office.
I recognize the frustration and despair in many
young men today and I merely offer a voice of
reason and traditional values to remind them that
they are not alone.
If this resonates with you, read on and take the
words I offer you as advice to ensuring that your
life is on the right path. Do not sleep through this
life as so many people do. Take these 20 steps and
implement them into your life and watch yourself
reclaim your manhood.

11
 1. Hit the Gym
Take control of your own life and make something
of yourself. Get your ass in shape and build up your
confidence. Buy the fast sports car. Write that book.
Start your website. Don’t let anyone hold you back
with their self-doubt and disbelief. That is why they
are average.

To pursue the life of excellence, is to reject the

world of mediocre. The world of comfort and
entertainment. The entertainment industry doesn’t
want you to push yourself. They prefer their
customers to be overweight and unfulfilled. They
want you to fall into a life of mediocrity as you’ll be
more susceptible to their advertising.

As our lives grow more comfortable, the

competition seems to be getting thinner.
Figuratively, not literally. I see a lot of sad and lazy
people. People who are overweight, underdressed
and lacking a likeable personality. This may
describe you.

If you find your girl slowly losing interest in you

and touching you less, hit the gym. Getting back in
shape is a surefire way to rekindle the flame. Watch
your girl swoon and caress your bigger muscles.

Keeping yourself physically fit affects other

people’s immediate perception of you, your self-

12
esteem, and your capabilities. Do not
underestimate!

Do you ever think about going home to visit

childhood friends or the girl who got away?

When you go home, will you be the guy that they

joke about because he let himself go and got fat, or
will you be the guy that they stare at in lust or envy.
This may be your motivation at the gym. Or you
may simply be training yourself to be harder to kill.
Imagine that one day, someone is going to kill you,
or try to. Now imagine that he’s not coming for one
year. How would you spend your time during that
year? Adopt the warrior’s mindset for your own
path to manliness.

Personally, I hit the gym about 3 times a week and I

do a solid 45 minutes of weights with a quick cardio
warmup and cooldown. For cardio, I’ll alternate
between jogging, sprints, biking or rowing. Now I
may have only gone to the Harvard of the Midwest,
which is the University of Illinois, but I do know
that rowing is one hell of a good workout. Those
fancy rich boys out east seem to stay in great shape
by rowing crew.

Any of these exercises are adequate for getting the

heartrate up. When lifting, I rarely use machines but
opt for free weights because they help strengthen
your stabilizer muscles. Machines are for isolation
which has its purpose too. I see the machines as
more beneficial for superficial muscle growth where

13
as old fashion iron will give you real world practical
strength.

As I’ve progressed farther on my path, I’ve taken to

enjoy running a bit more. Believe it or not, this can
happen to you too. It will take time, practice and
perhaps some weight loss, but you can get there. I
honestly look forward to my runs now. It is a time
where I can meditate and focus on new ideas. I tend
to find a local trail in the woods or run on a nearby
college campus. Both offer their own scenery and
unique energy that help you to focus on improving
yourself.

Bottom line: If you are not in athletic shape, then

that should be goal number 1 for you. Put down the
potato chips and stop drinking so much beer. If you
can’t be disciplined enough to stay in shape, what
makes you think that you will be disciplined in
other areas of your life?

Adopt the warrior mindset and set out to conquer

your life!

14
2. Dress Well
Lose the jerseys with other dude's names on them
and toss out the sandals and crocs. Stick to timeless
pieces that fit well. Follow Tanner Guzy and
WellBuiltStyle on Twitter for professional advice.

For amateur advice, I’ll throw my hat in the ring

now. Feel free to skip ahead to the next chapter as
there are better voices on this than myself. Let no
one say that I’m not reasonable.

If you go out dressed like a slob every chance you

get, you have no idea how much you are holding
yourself back in life. Now I almost never wear a
suit or tie, but I always look good when I step out
the door. You never know who you will meet,
whether it’s the love of your life or the guy who
will offer you an exciting business opportunity.
Conversely, if you have holes in your shirt and
stains on your cargo shorts, well, opportunity may
pass you up because you look like a crazy homeless
guy.

I once had a guy from Edward Jones offer me a job

while we were waiting for beers at a bar in Chicago.
I was wearing jeans and a button down, but it fit
well, and it was a good solid look. Don’t overthink
this one. Few people take the effort to look nice,
and fewer still find clothes that fit their bodies. Fit
is what makes you look like a man dressed to
impress versus looking like a boy dressing up in his
father’s clothes.

15
What got me the job offer was my words in our
conversation, but we likely wouldn’t have talked
much if I was wearing a snapback and an oversized
football jersey.

I wasted too much time in my youth struggling to

learn fashion when I should have focused merely on
style. For fashion is temporary but style is timeless.
Stick with timeless pieces and your wallet will
thank you. If you want to have fun and get a velvet
sport coat, go for it, but I recommend getting the
staple pieces first and working from there.

Staple pieces? Well if you don’t know what those

are, think James Bond. Even in the older movies he
tends to still look presentable by today’s standards.
Solid color button downs with a suit will look
classy long after you are dead. For more casual
affairs, go with well-fitting khakis or dark jeans,
dress boots and a button down. Polos are tough to
pull off unless you are in great shape. I tend to save
those for soccer games and golf. Roll up the sleeves
on your button down if it’s a bit warm. This will
also give you a nice rugged look. This is especially
true, if you followed the advice from chapter one!

Simple pieces that fit and are made of decent

quality will always beat out the average guy at the
bar, baseball field or in the bitcoin mines.

16
3. Be Assertive
Stand up straight. Look people in the eye. Speak
confidently and slowly. Make your words
meaningful and people will listen. If you can do
these very simple things, you will stand out in a sea
of awkward, uncomfortable men.

Young men are learning to keep their head low at

school but retreat away from interaction. This is a
sad cost of a school system that rewards feminized
behavior. The assault on masculinity is systemic.
This is but one piece of it.
Women love assertive men, not assholes. Most
young guys get this conflated. How do you be
assertive? A lot of it has to do with language. Stop
using weak phrases such as: I just, I don’t know,
What do you wanna do? I’m not sure and Where do
you wanna go. Women are looking for answers.
Why else would they ask you a question? Be
decisive and have a plan in place if you want to
impress her. Even if you don’t know, show
confidence and tell her that it’s a surprise while you
quietly work out the details in your head.
As for work, well…. Which guy are you going to
work with? The quiet and unsure guy who fears
making mistakes, or the man who boldly takes
action and provides actionable advice. Which one of
these men describes me? Now I know I can make
mistakes, but I’ve found life is much better when

17
you work on fixing those mistakes than despairing
over why you didn’t act at all.
In baseball it is always better to go down swinging
than to take a pitch and hope you get a walk. Bold
men make bold moves. Men of action take control
of their own destiny rather than hoping for change.
This is what separates the men from the boys. A
man knows how to hold a conversation with friend
and stranger alike. A man knows how to take action
rather than be subject to the actions of those around
him.
All twenty of these points build on each other as
well. It may be difficult to be confident and
assertive out in public when you are 50 pounds
overweight. Yet as you hit the gym and take up
running, you can begin to shed those pounds. As
you do this, get ready to watch your confidence rise
with your health.
Men don’t need to hide away from the world. On
the contrary, as men don’t seek the validation of
others if they recognize that they are doing what
they feel is right. At the end of the day, what truly
matters is that you, as a man, can look at that man in
the mirror with pride.

18
4. Choose Your Friends Wisely
Get rid of toxic losers who obsess over drinking and
drugs. They're holding you back. Find friends who
share positive hobbies with you such as biking or a
sport. Find people who are driven.

The average person is lethargic, unmotivated and

depressed. They are overweight and out of shape.
The average person also spends most of their nights
playing video games or watching porn. They eat too
much fast food and drink too much alcohol. They
smoke pot, cigarettes or JUULs and none of these
habits are as healthy or productive as you want
them to be.

If you use most of your time to pursue a hedonistic

lifestyle as opposed to meaningful pursuits, then it
is no wonder you find yourself fat, lonely and
depressed.

And if you consort with people with these bad

habits, then you are prone to fall into the same bad
habits as your friends.

Contrary to popular belief there are alternative

hobbies to going out drinking every weekend. I will
admit that I spent plenty of nights in college and
through my twenties getting drunk at bars, and
weddings, and lakes.. and even a Christmas special
that a girlfriend dragged me to once. Somehow that
relationship didn’t work out. Alcohol makes it

19
easier to socialize, but the quality of those
relationships are seldom worthwhile.

If you want to meet people of quality, you need to

find better habits and hobbies. Martial arts, the gym,
hiking and running are all excellent alternatives to
the bars and will improve your overall wellbeing.

The people you meet in these more respectable

hobbies will be people who share a similar vision
and thus be able to help hold you accountable
should you start to slack. I am fortunate in that I
have a group message going where we share
workout advice and training programs. We did a
team Spartan race together this year. No one wants
to let down their teammates so all summer long we
trained together and on our own to get in the best
shape possible for our race. That accountability
helps push ourselves past our limits.

Now I must admit that when they first proposed the

idea of a Spartan Race, I initially said no. Which is
very uncharacteristic of me, but I will be honest and
tell you that I had my doubts. I had recently gained
some weight and hated running. I told my friend, “I
can’t run a Spartan.” To which he immediately
replied, “Yes you can, because we have time to
train.” Not wanting to back down from a challenge,
I agreed to run the race.

I had to start small, but I immediately took steps to

get in shape. I ran a 5K and nearly died. I hated
running so I rarely did it. But I knew that with

20
practice and a better diet, I could change my hatred
of it.

With the Warrior’s Mindset, you find a way to

conquer any obstacle and running was simply the
next obstacle. I ran every week, twice if I could find
the time. Each week I ran a little farther until I felt
ready to conquer this Spartan Race. I used apps that
tracked my distance and time and would push
myself to run faster times and longer distances. It
became a game. A race against myself and I was
kicking my ass.

By the time of the Spartan Race, I could run around

8 miles which was twice the distance we would be
running. I had dropped 20 pounds, which was twice
my goal for the year. I was setting new personal
records in the gym lifting weights. For the first time
in my life, I was able to climb a rope. I regularly
was doing pull ups, crunches, hill climbs, bucket
carries, and I loved it all. How could I love such
torture? Because it all made me the very best
version of myself.

With the right group of people around you, they can

become worthy assets that inspire you to become
the very best version that you can be. And if you are
reading this book, that is your overall goal.

21
5. Turn Off the Video Games
You say you have no time to get in shape, or cook a
good meal, but you level up your dumb avatar in a
virtual world.

You need to be honest with yourself here and there

are a few touchy subjects that people will defend
like addicts. Gaming is certainly one of them.

Do you spend all day at work staring at a screen

only to come home and again, stare at a screen?
Health aside, is this really the lifestyle that you
want? Take that energy you put into gaming and
focus it towards real world grinding.

Video games reward your brain with a false sense

of accomplishment.

Like it or not, most gamers are holding themselves

back from more meaningful pursuits. You could
gain XP all weekend or you could focus on your
side project. You do have a side project, don’t you?

How much time did you spend last year gaming and
what could you have done instead. In economics,
the term for this is “opportunity cost.”

Now I write fast at times, but I can realistically

punch out 15,000 words in around 600 minutes.
That is the length of the average E-Book. In fact,
this book is about that long. Now let’s add some
time for editing and brainstorming; so, we can

22
round up to about 1000 minutes. If you are spending
1,000 hours a year playing video games, you could
realistically take that time and put it towards writing
your own book. Many people are spending more
time than that too. It amounts to less than 20 hours a
week. And don’t give me any excuses as I put my
money where my mouth is. I used to game about
that much and now I see what a colossal waste of
time it was.

Today I can call myself a writer, whereas in the past

I was merely a gamer. As a man who idolized Hank
Moody in Californication, this is an exciting
prospect for me. Now when someone asks me, what
do I do, I can respond with, “I’m a writer.” Even E-
gamers won’t get the look of intrigue that often
follows that response.

Now, yes, I would like to game on occasion and I

probably spend a half hour here or there, but it isn’t
a part of my life. I simply have better endeavors to
pursue with my time.

No one ever went to their deathbed saying they

wish they played more Fortnite.

The world is far too interesting if only you get off

the quick fix of dopamine from gaming, porn and
Netflix. Join the real world and level up your life. It
will mean more in the long run and ultimately be
more fulfilling.

23
6. Eat Real Food
Do you often find yourself lacking energy? Are you
overweight? Unhealthy? Change your diet and
change your life. Eat natural food like meat, veggies
and nuts. Throw out the processed garbage.

To walk off a Big Mac combo meal, you need to

walk 40,000 steps. The expression “You can’t
outrun your fork,” is true for a reason. Many of the
young men out there will bust their ass all week
long at the gym or running before work, only to
undo all that hard work by drinking 10 beers on
Friday night. And then there is football… Curious
how a sport that requires athleticism and healthy
habits has a culture of binge drinking and
overeating.
You need to stop eating processed junk and high
carb diets. This will slow you down and make you
struggle in the gym and on your runs. Since eating a
more natural diet, I have seen my energy levels and
performance spike. I tend to eat a high protein diet
with as much meat as I can find. I consume lots of
eggs and nuts, and a bunch of veggies. I also eat
fruit so whatever you want to call it. It is close to
paleo, but not 100% strict adherence to it.

To quote Oscar Wilde, “Moderation in all things,

including moderation.”

24
Most guys think its manly to pound beers all
weekend, but then they can’t run more than a couple
miles or hammer out 25 pushups. The promotion of
binge drinking as a manly endeavor is a marketing
ploy to trick young men into forking over their
hard-earned cash to a giant corporation.

It may have been said before, but if you get into the
habit of eating better and natural foods, you’ll be
amazed at how well you’ll feel. This improves your
energy, mood and health.

Water is a big contributor here too. The sensation of

hunger is very similar to that of thirst. Oftentimes I
find myself feeling hungry only to watch that
feeling subside after drinking a glass of water. The
health benefits of water are innumerable and an
easy change to make.

If you can’t get your health in order, your whole life

is in jeopardy of falling apart. Everything flows
from exercise and eating right, and few people truly
appreciate this in their lives.

25
7. Have Some Self-Respect
Society has attacked manliness in nearly all venues
of life. Now we have a society filled with confused
men who don't know what it means to be men. We
have broken the nuclear family and caused a
generation to be raised without a positive male role
model in the house.

Stop drooling over instathots and literal whores

online parading as, ahem "models." Stop paying to
see online girls and go out in the real world.

Chase your goals, not girls.

I made this mistake for years. Girls can sniff out

desperation from a mile away. Now, I can get a
number with cold approaches, but a number can
often lead to flaking out if it isn’t obtained the
proper way.

There are others who can tell you better how to cold
approach girls, so I’ll skip that for today. But if you
want to learn a foolproof method for meeting girls,
here is the cold hard facts. Follow the advice in this
book.

Hit the gym is Chapter 1 for a reason. If you look

your best, women will be naturally attracted to you.
Sorry about your luck but the fat acceptance
movement is likely only going to lead to you having
to accept fat dating prospects. People tend to date in
the same weight class. It’s a bit like the UFC in that

26
regard. And men tend to punch up a weight class on
this. Excuse the expression.

If you spend months or even weeks talking to a girl

and waiting for the right opportunity, it’ll never
happen. Strike while the iron is hot, and the best
time is within the first 5 minutes. In 5 minutes the
average girl will decide whether she is attracted to
you or not. If you follow girls around like a lost
puppy, she’s likely using you for self-esteem boost
and validation. Show some self-respect and move
on with your life.

If you create an interesting life, women will

naturally be drawn to you. Women love success,
confidence and excitement. A man who focuses on
his own goals and makes his mission his priority
will have way more success with women than the
man whose sole purpose is to chase girls or spin
plates.

Sex is one of those things that is taken for granted

when available and relentlessly pursued when
deprived. There are better ways to spend your days,
gentlemen.

Also, quit taking life so seriously. How old are you?

Because you're likely younger than you think.
Every year I seem to get more and more attractive.
Women don't want men to figure that out. As I age,
my income goes up, my strength goes up and my
knowledge and wisdom go up. I've gone from broke
college student to corporate drone to writer and

27
lifestyle coach. Not to mention I have continued to
work out and get in better shape each year. Men age
well if they take care of themselves. Quit acting like
there is this invisible deadline for you to meet the
right girl. I still get college chicks to look at me doe
eyed and casually initiate contact. Constantly.

If you're going on a date with your own money, do

shit that you'll enjoy. This shifts the power in the
relationship. Do you like to drive cars? Go to a go
kart track. Want something exhilarating? Shoot
guns at the range. Hiking or running. Fuck all that
nonsense about going to the movies and playing
mini golf. Grow up. Actually, you know what? I
retract my statement about mini golf. It’s still
awesome. Women will respect a man who knows
what he wants in life.

Whatever you do, be sure to make it exciting. She'll

associate the feelings of the date with you. You
need to make her FEEL something. Adrenaline,
excitement, happiness. Maybe even nostalgia. None
of my best first dates were at restaurants. Its cliché.
DO SOMETHING. This makes you stand out.

28
8. Stay away from BPD (Borderline
Personality Disorder)
Anthony Bourdain lost his life and I almost ruined
mine with a BPD girl. They manipulate you into
thinking that you are the crazy one. You can't fix
her so don't even try. I wish someone had informed
me about BPD and the reality of the disorder when I
was younger. I underestimated its effects.

10 Red Flags to Look Out for in Women

These are all from my experience with women.
Mostly from one woman that I spent way too much
time with. I felt bad for her and bought in to this
psychopath's web. This can happen to you if you
don't see the warning signs! Here on the Path to
Manliness, I am offering advice in helping young
men live fulfilling lives and here I will help you
avoid many of the mistakes I made in my younger
years.
While I recognize that this chapter is available for
free on my website, it bears repeating as this advice
will literally save lives.
Daddy issues / All men are jerks
An obvious one but there are plenty of men who
will overlook this serious red flag. This is a sign of
past issues. If all men are jerks, she's the issue.
There are too many princesses out there who think
their shit don't stink. They expect the perfect ideal
29
mate but can't cook, won’t clean and they come
with more baggage than a transcontinental flight.
But at least they have debt from their worthless
liberal arts degree!
A poor role model in a father will lead to a woman
not knowing what to look for in a man. She holds
resentment towards all men because her initial
experience with a man (her father) has tainted her
perception. It can be hard for these women to get
over past issues as she has been conditioned to think
that all men are like the men in her past.

Obsessed with Social Media.

This is a big one! If she can't stop staring at her
phone, that means she craves attention and
validation. She likely has a huge following of losers
who will feed her attention when her self-esteem is
low.
She may also be using you for housing or money
while she searches for a better option. Men are
comfortable being alone, whereas women crave
validation and attention. They struggle to be alone,
even if it means they must settle temporarily. This is
how sexless marriages happen. Understand that
Disney and society has sold you a lie and that not
all women are honest princesses. There are plenty
of great women out there, but there are also

30
manipulative snakes who will play with your
emotions and your ego.
Messy Car/ Room = Messy Life
If she can't be bothered to keep her room or car
clean, what makes you think she will be able to
keep her life in order? This type of woman will
bleed into your life with her messy habits. Both
literally and figuratively. How a person, whether
it’s a man or woman, treats their living environment
is a sign of discipline and work ethic. It doesn’t
have to be spotless, but this is a warning sign that
she may have depression or other issues that prevent
her from cleaning up who own space.
Guy Friends
This is an obvious one, but young guys somehow
overlook this all the time. The average male friend
is too chickenshit to ask a girl out, so he is content
to be nearby. Most women know this, but they love
the self-esteem boost from the attention.
If you get into a fight with your girl, be prepared for
her to run to one of her guy friends. She will do this
to get a reaction out of you and to make you jealous.
Or she will go out to the clubs with them. Walk
away from the relationship. I’m dead serious on this
one and in the heat of the moment, it will be easier
said than done, but the short-term pain is nothing
compared to the long-term ramifications.

31
Cut your losses and walk away from the
relationship.
This is a lack of respect and a man worth his salt
will not tolerate this type of behavior. If you allow
her to walk all over you at the beginning of the
relationship, you will have no say once she locks
you down in a marriage where she’ll be able to
threaten divorce, 70% of which are initiated by
women. They are economically incentivized to do
so.
"I don't like to talk about my past."
Alright, what the fuck does that mean?! Were you a
stripper? Prostitute? Slut in college? Drug addict?
You'd be amazed at what some girls will hide from
you and they will see nothing wrong with it in their
minds. They will rationalize their behavior with
comments like, "I was a different person then."
Disassociation from reality is a sign of a
psychopath. Stay away. I fucked up big time on this
one. Never again. If they are uncomfortable with
their past, be weary of the future. Past results are
indicative of future occurrences.
Drugs
STAY AWAY from junkies! A little pot and booze
is no big deal. Moderation is fine. But if she was
into hardcore stuff or had a habitual habit, this is
100% a deal breaker every single time. No

32
arguments. No exceptions. Block her number and
move on with your life.
It is insane what a junkie will do, and you do not
want to be a part of the experience at all. In my
experience this is a lifelong problem for many and
the odds of finding someone who doesn’t relapse is
not great. This goes for pharmaceuticals too. Many
women out there are addicted to legal drugs or are
chemically unbalanced, so they are heavily
medicated on legal drugs. They will make you think
that you are a psycho.
Excessive Cleavage and Skin (Ass Seems to be
More Popular These Days)
Social media has bred the most decadent and
immoral generation of women that have walked the
face of the Earth. 99% of you all are not fucking
models. You belong in Hustler, but most aren't
attractive enough. The problem with social media is
there are no barriers to entry and the masses reward
the asses. Hence the rise of “models” who are
posting pictures of their ass for validation.

Women who post slutty pictures online are low

value and emotionally broken people. If they must
flaunt skin to get attention, it is likely indicative of
having nothing else to offer. Narcissism is not a
hobby.

Shopaholic

33
Shopping is not a hobby It is a waste of time and
practiced by materialistic and shallow people.
Those who shop all the time have too much time on
their hands and no purpose in their life. Obviously,
these women will drain you of funds. Too many
men today buy into the lie of society that men are
supposed to provide everything for women, while
women are also supposed to be equal. You can’t eat
your cake and have it too.

Lying

This includes little white lies (so much for white

privilege). People who lie are hiding skeletons in
their closet. Don't let curiosity get the best of you.
Block and move on with your life. It is also a sign
of a psychopath.

BPD - Fuck Your Feelings

I dated two girls that had Borderline Personality

Disorder. I didn't understand with the first one until
years later. The second one hid it for a long time.
This is hard to explain, but BPD is contagious. They
will make you feel like you are the psychotic person
by turning their issues around on you. You will get
into fights over petty issues and everything will be
your fault. BPD women have a knack for
conditioning men to alter their behavior. It will take
time and effort to undo all the damage.

The difference between a Borderline Personality

Disorder and psychopathy is a very thin line. They

34
are chemically unbalanced, and the mood swings
will be all over the place. It is like living with
multiple women who look identical. You will never
know who you are talking to. Avoid at all costs.

35
9. Stop Being Stingy
There is no shame in being frugal, but there is a
difference between frugality and being cheap. Being
frugal is growing your food or cooking at home,
whereas being cheap is tipping 5% because you
couldn’t afford going out to eat in the first place.

Tip well. If you can’t afford to leave a good tip,

then go to a cheaper restaurant, or eat at home.
These people are working hard and if this a place
you frequent, they will treat you better or worse
depending on how you treat them. The golden rule
applies here.

Dress well. I covered this earlier but being stingy

applies to yourself as well. In college I bought a
cheap pair of sandals for $15 every summer. They
would fall apart before Fall every year. Then one
day I spent $45 on a nice pair of leather sandals. I
have them today, 8 years later. Going the cheapest
route is not always the cheapest route in the long
run. And more importantly, people will be judging
you based on how you look.

Another perfect example is people who refuse to

replace a car. I’ll bet you have a friend who brags
about the car that he owns outright and doesn’t have
to make payments on it. The problem is that this car
keeps breaking down and he has essentially
replaced the car payment with a maintenance
payment. And on top of that, his choice of
transportation is unreliable. There is a certain piece

36
of mind that comes with a car that will consistently
shuffle you from place to place. Now I’m not saying
to go buy a brand-new car, but there is a happy
medium between living large and being a
cheapskate.

The grocery store is another tricky place. Don’t get

me wrong. I’m not saying that everyone should eat
Filet Mignon every night, but your health needs to
be priority number one. Most people can find places
to cut back on other than the grocery store. If you
are penny pinching at the grocery store, you are at
jeopardy of putting your health at risk. Most cheap
food is not healthy, but it doesn’t have to be terribly
expensive either. Do yourself a favor and buy real
ingredients and learn to cook. You can afford
decent food if you stop picking up fast food and
drinking ten beers on the weekend.

Eat well. Drink well. Buy better and buy less.

Quality over quantity. Become a connoisseur, not a
mindless consumer.

There are a bunch of dudes out there who bought

into the media’s lies that it is manly to pound beers
all weekend, but they can’t even run more than a
couple miles or hammer out 25 pushups. The idea
that overindulging in beer is masculine is a
marketing ploy to trick young men into forking over
their hard-earned cash to a giant corporation. And
yes, that is the second time I’ve said that because it
needs to be hammered into your head until it is
engrained in your memory!

37
If you are going to drink, drink with a bit of class.
Enjoy a local IPA or better yet, a glass of good
bourbon. Be sure you don’t overdo it and show your
ass.

38
10. Stop Buying Soybucks Milkshakes
These drinks that claim to be “coffee” are fat, soy
filled, diabetes factories. I saved you $5 a day thus
about covering your cost of this book.

Real men drink real coffee, not this new age

milkshake garbage that is popular with college
coeds who simply want to drink coffee and pretend
like they are adults. You want to be drinking like
your Grandpa, not like Becky.

Making coffee is not that hard and the average cup

of coffee bought at retail is around $5. Which
sounds cheap but really a daily coffee is costing you
$1,825 a year. Not to mention the time and gas you
waste going to the coffee shop.

If you must go buy a cup of coffee, at least support

your local small business when you do so. Where I
live, the local brew is significantly better than the
franchise coffee shops and the atmosphere is much
more personal.

This goes back to the eating real food chapter. You

need to change the way your mindset works with
diet. A child chooses what they consume by seeking
out sweet and tasty treats. A man considers food to
be fuel and his body to be the machine that runs on
it. By being more mindful of what one puts in their
body, you can keep that machine running more
efficiently. Most of what goes in these milkshakes

39
that people call coffee is horrendously unhealthy,
especially to start off your day.

And if you are that much of an addict to your coffee

drinks, perhaps you should reevaluate your sleeping
schedule. Most people aren’t getting enough sleep. I
understand how busy we can all be, but your health
depends on getting a good night’s rest. If you are
wasting time at night playing on your phone or
watching junk TV, consider that this time could be
spent better. Whether that means getting to bed
earlier or using an hour or so to wind down before
going to sleep.

Electronics give off blue light and it throws off your

circadian rhythm. Rather than watching TV, playing
video games or perusing your phone, try to write or
read a book before bed. This will help improve your
quality and quantity of sleep, and then coffee can be
a fun way to start your day rather than a necessity.

40
11. Be Resilient
A man is tough and can take the punches this life
gives. Failure is a learning opportunity on the way
to a life of excellence. Show me a man that never
fails, and I'll show you a man that never pushes the
envelope.

The most pivotal moments in my life revolved

around failures. These moments guided me on my
path into becoming the man I am today.

It is never too late to change your life. What can

you do today to improve yourself? Be persistent and
militant with this change and you won't recognize
yourself in one year's time.
What separates excellence from mediocrity is that
persistence. Mediocre people will try a new habit
but give up too quickly. You must remain persistent
over weeks or even months before you begin to see
results. This is true with weight loss, exercise,
writing and nearly everything in your life.
So many men will make great strides of progress
and then let it all fall apart when life throws a
hurdle at them. I’ve been guilty of this myself. In
the past I would make excuses like “I’m in my busy
season at work,” or “I have too much stress in my
life right now.”
Then I went through a brutal divorce and found out
the true meaning of busy season and stress. You

41
know what else I discovered? That all those excuses
were a bunch of bullshit keeping me weak. During
the most stressful and busy time in my life I hit the
gym multiple times a week with no excuses. I
would work out and talk to my lawyer at the same
time on occasion. I also was raising my son and I
took up writing during this period of my life.
Though I had plenty of tasks to occupy my time, I
was simply spending my time much more
productively.
It is in these moments when you need your mental
and physical toughness the most. The truly resilient
man recognizes that mental toughness is nothing
without physical toughness. And vice versa.
Life is going to throw adversity at you. How you
handle it will define your resilience and your true
character.
The older I get the smaller my problems seem. I
remember getting upset about a $900 auto repair bill
in my early 20s. Earlier this year I had an
unexpected maintenance bill for $3,000. The $3,000
bill bothered me less than the $900 bill. Yes, I’m
making more money now, but I’ve also changed my
mindset. In the grand scheme of things, these
hurdles don’t really matter. They are part of life and
that means you must prepare for life’s little
emergencies.
The average American is living by the skin of their
teeth going paycheck to paycheck. But they aren’t

42
working on a side gig to supplement their income.
They have the sports package on their TV and
spend too much time and money on drugs or
alcohol yet complain that they can’t seem to get by.
These people will sooner take handouts than give up
these little pleasures that they feel entitled to.
Reclaim your manhood and prepare for your own
future.
Part of the issue here may be that you or these
people aren’t pushing themselves at work. So many
will clock in and clock out, doing the bare
minimum. If you are willing to go the extra mile, it
puts you well above the average worker.

43
12. Jobs Aren't Hard
I understand that for many people, their job is
simply a paycheck, and not a passion. Every day, I
see people doing the bare minimum at some shitty
job and you can tell they hate it. They probably
think the work is beneath them. There is nothing
wrong with thinking that as it is often the truth.
Saying that you deserve a better job doesn’t mean
anything though. The trick to bettering your career
is proving it by going the extra mile. You never
know who will notice you on the right day. Take
pride in your work ethic.

Show up on time. Don't do drugs and be positive in

your attitude and manner of speaking. People enjoy
positive mindsets and want to be around positive
people. Do this and it will put you in the top third of
the workforce.

I had a boss at a previous job tell me that if they

were to drug test the workers in the factory, they’d
lose about half of their workforce due to controlled
substances. This is your competition. So, if you
have the self-control to not do drugs at work, you
are already ahead of the curve.

Do you enjoy your job or at the very least gain

satisfaction out of doing your best work? This puts
you ahead of another chunk of the average workers.
Key word there is average. How often do you hear
people say they hate their job, or that they can’t

44
wait until Friday? These are people who do the bare
minimum and clock in and out as fast as possible.

All you must do is put forth an honest effort and

show a little passion in your job, and you’ll be
recognized for it. The problem is that so many
people expect instant recognition. It may take
months. It may take a customer seeing how hard
you work and how attentive to detail you are. This
customer could be your next employer.

You never know who you are going to meet and

when you will meet someone who has the power to
change your life. You never know when one of
these people may offer you the chance of a lifetime.
If more people shared this mindset, more people
would be able to pull themselves out of their
mindless job and find themselves moving up in the
world. But if you spend your time at your job doing
minimal work, you shouldn’t be surprised to wind
up with minimal rewards to show for it.

Now everyone works a shitty job at some point in

their life. I’ve done backbreaking labor out in the
fields, but you know what? I enjoyed parts of that
job. I was outside in the fresh air and I was getting
exercise. Focus on the good parts of the job and be
mindful of learning opportunities. Even the worst
job could be a helpful experience later in your
journey. That backbreaking job was good ammo for
me in future job interviews.

45
Painting, bailing hay, landscaping… I’ve worked
plenty of jobs that some would say are beneath
them, but there is no shame in honest work and we
all start somewhere. The issue with many young
people who struggle to get the job they want, is that
they expect to be given giant responsibilities with
little to no track record. Those jobs I worked as a
teenager were helpful references later in life when I
applied for more meaningful jobs.

It is a huge risk for a business to hire a young

college educated employee who has never worked
or has poor experience. Therefore, learning how to
sell is an essential skill for everyone! If you don’t
know how to sell yourself, how will anyone know
that you are worth their time and money? If you
don’t learn how to sell, you’ll likely be
underemployed.

46
13. Stop Watching Porn
It is a waste of time and its fucking up your mind. It
gives you a false sense of accomplishment. Make
yourself a better man and go out in the real world to
find a real woman.

Porn is the easy way out. Video games are fucking

with your reward system by making you chase
virtual accomplishments instead of real world
pursuits. In a similar fashion, porn is fucking with
your brain by allowing you to take the easy road as
opposed to seeking out a meaningful relationship
and true human intimacy.

Your brain craves accomplishments and gaming and

porn give your brain a false sense of
accomplishment. Living a life of overindulgence in
gaming and porn will lead one to a depressing life.
While in the moment, you may be having fun, it
ultimately will leave you with shame and a lack of
pride in yourself.

Creating a meaningful life involves having a

winner’s mindset. This means pursuing habits of
value rather than hedonistic vices that offer short
term enjoyments.

Now many will say that modern women are whores,

but they refuse to acknowledge the possibility that
they are looking in the wrong places. The bar is a
great place to meet friends and watch the game; it is
rarely the place to meet high quality women. Not

47
only that, most men waste their time on gaming and
porn rather than pursuing a truly interesting life and
staying fit. This puts them at a huge disadvantage
for two reasons. One, they aren’t in shape and give
off a bad first impression before they even open
their mouths. Two, they spend too much time online
and have little of interest to share in conversation.
They are stuck in a loser mentality.

Every incel is only one gym membership away from

meeting women in the real world.

Many young men who obsess with gaming and

porn, are simply frustrated with job prospects and
dating prospects. And the gaming and porn often do
go hand in hand. Enough hand stuff. How can we
fix this?

This book is your handbook for straightening out

your life so that you can live a more fulfilling and
ultimately enjoyable life.

Get yourself to the gym and find more meaningful

hobbies. Getting outside to walk and hike is a great
way to start your fitness journey if you aren’t ready
for a full tilt workout.

Now many people are missing meaning in their life

and gaming can fill that void. But its unhealthy and
leads to looking less attractive. I know it’s not
impossible to be a gamer and stay in shape, but you
need to be honest with yourself here. If you can’t
find the time to keep yourself healthy, you need to

48
accept the fact that gaming is holding you back
from taking care of your body. This leads to a lack
of good dating prospects, and then men turn to porn
out of frustration. It’s a downward spiral that can be
very difficult to escape from.

49
14. Start Writing
My life really began to improve when I started
writing.
It is a great habit to learn more about yourself and
to delve deep into your psyche. It will keep you
sane. My writing developed over time, but I’ll admit
I had humble beginnings. There can be a
progression to it.
When I first started out, I wrote in journals. I would
do this almost every night and now I rarely go
anywhere without bringing a notebook and pen with
me. A gentleman keeps a pen and notebook on him.
At first, all my writing was relegated to that
notebook, but soon it progressed to tweets. The
journal helped me practice as my early writing was
unrefined and often chaotic. Tweeting allowed me
to get my thoughts out in the real world and test the
waters. By tweeting thoughts and ideas, you are
given instant feedback while simultaneously sharing
insights and wisdom with other fellow human
beings. Twitter, when used correctly, can be a
valuable resource. Later in this book, I have great
advice on how to grow your own Twitter account.
Now as I began to get a pulse on what young men
were interested in and what they were missing in
their lives, I formed my website and began to post
my thoughts and findings in more well thought out
and coherent writings.

50
Progressing further still, I have taken what I have
learned from tweeting, from writing on my website
and now it has culminated in this very book that you
are now reading. What is important to takeaway
here is that anyone can do this. I’ve given you a
nice outline here to get started.
Write in a journal. Tweet thoughts and ideas for
instant feedback. Write posts on your website.
Formulate your writing and create more content to
construct your book.
If you stay persistent in your efforts and provide
value, you will be successful.
A true writer knows that inspiration can strike at
any time. Be sure to be ready to capture those
thoughts as they can be fleeting.
If I can help it, I keep my trusty Field Notes
notebook and a nice quality pen on me always. Why
do I opt for an old fashioned physical notebook
when there’s an app for that? First off, it is 100
times more gratifying to cross off a task using a
physical pen and an actual notebook. If you don’t
believe me, try it.
Secondly, it is nice to class it up a bit with a tried
and true method that your grandfather would
approve of.
Third, when the Chinese set off an EMP and the
guy next to you loses all his writing when his laptop

51
is fried, you get to look awfully smug as you
continue writing as if nothing ever happened.
The world is growing more artificial and virtual by
the day. While I do enjoy reaching great minds and
engaging people on Twitter, there can be a point
where too much of our lives are virtual. Balance, in
all things.
Why should you get a quality pen?
I thought it was silly for the longest time that people
would buy a pen. People are giving away pens like
it’s a young dweebs virginity. Please, will someone
just take it! At my old job, they had a room full of
them and I would grab a couple for work, and a
couple for home.
Then I had a coworker mention to me how
gratifying it is to use a quality pen that costs a few
bucks. Since I am a writer now, it feels appropriate
to have the right tools. I use a pen every single day
at work and it is frustrating when it doesn’t write
perfectly. So, I took the plunge and bought a $7
pen. It was a Parker Jotter retractable ballpoint pen.
First off it looks amazing and feels amazing. It is
smaller than most pens which makes it easier to
carry. It even feels of higher quality as it is made of
metal as opposed to plastic, so I don’t fear it
snapping in my pocket when I sit down. I now own
about a half dozen quality pens that I keep in
various places: my desk, my car, my laptop bag, etc.

52
A gentleman is always prepared, and as this
gentleman has officially become a writer, it is
imperative that I be ready to jot down notes and
ideas.
Despite humanity becoming cyborgs who are
inseparable from their phones, we need not rely on
these machines for everything. A notebook has a
longer battery life than any smartphone. Also, if one
is a tough masculine man who can defend himself
to reasonable avail, the idea of hacking a notebook
is more challenging. Come dox my field notes!
How many times do old people give you a hard time
for looking at your phone? My girlfriend jokes with
me all the time that I’m on Twitter too much;
sometimes she may have a point. Still I’ve found a
wealth of wisdom on there as well. There are many
instances in your daily life where glancing at your
phone is perceived as rude, and this is perfectly
understandable.
Like wearing a watch, a notebook is a refined and
tasteful way to jot down the odd thought or idea that
enters one’s mind. You’ll find people are not only
less annoyed at the sight of a notebook, but even
intrigued, for it is the mark of a man with purpose.
If you struggle with focus and staying disciplined,
the notebook will help keep you on task. Writing
down notes on your phone can be interrupted by
texts, notifications or phone calls. Not to mention
all the apps on it vying for your attention.

53
I also keep a couple of the larger Moleskin
notebooks at my desk to do some late-night
introspection. It is not unusual for me to start jotting
down some random thoughts only to later have
them develop into a full-blown post for the ole
website. I usually end up having to elaborate a bit as
I can be terse in my journal as my mind seems to
move faster than my pen, but the core point I’m
trying to make is often made on paper first.
A man who doesn’t take a few moments each night
to evaluate his direction and purpose in life is a man
who is at the mercy of other influences. I have
found great truths to myself and the life that we live
by taking pen to paper. It has also allowed me to
keep track of my goals and notice what is working,
and what needs tweaked.
By physically writing down my goals this year, and
checking on them periodically, this has been my
most productive and thus, satisfying year I have
ever had. There is something to be said about
writing things down. By having a tactile object in
the real world, it makes the idea more concrete.
When you look around in public and the plebeians
all have their nose down in their phones, stand apart
by using something that is real. In a world gone
digital, sometimes the old-fashioned ways are the
more satisfying and fulfilling methods.
Life hack: Before you go to bed, grab a notebook
and write your reflections on the day, or the

54
weekend. Explore your thoughts on your day. What
lessons did you learn? What can you improve on?
What are your goals and how are you working
towards accomplishing them? Set up a game plan
for the week ahead.

55
15. Goals
Rather than having an abstract idea or vision in your
head, you need to make your goals real. Write them
down. Check them periodically to assure that you
are making progress toward your overall mission.
Stick with them and write down specifically how
you will accomplish them.
In ancient Sparta, the people were expected to earn
their citizenship. You weren't born a Spartan. You
had to earn the right to be called a Spartan. This rite
of passage, called the agoge, began at 12 years old
and was an arduous task, sometimes taking the lives
of these boys in the process. Being a part of a mass
activity such as this builds up camaraderie among
fellow Spartans. They recognize that they are a part
of something bigger and better. They are part of a
tribe working towards a shared goal.

Today, I am in a group who trained together for a

Spartan Race and we still work out together for
future races. While grueling and remarkably
challenging, being part of a group or a tribe is
motivating. Even when they are not around, I find
myself thinking of how I eat and how I train on my
own. If I don't push myself to my limits, then I
would be letting down my tribe.

Because of our accountability to one another, I am

motivated to eat well and avoid sugary treats or
processed snacks. I use an app on my phone to track
the weights I lift at the gym and make it a point to

56
do more reps or more weight on most exercises
each week. I needed to simultaneously drop fat and
gain muscle on my journey to this Spartan
Race. And that sense of accomplishment from
crossing the finish line made all the hard work
worth it.

Not only has my overall fitness and appearance

improved, but my mindset has been shaped by
accomplishing this Spartan Race. At the beginning
of 2018, I didn’t think I was capable of finishing the
race. But I trained and ate better and became the
man I needed to be to finish it with flying colors.

Once you accomplish something that previously

seemed impossible, you view the word very
differently. All of life’s problems simply become an
obstacle to overcome. In training for this event, I
pushed past my limits and found I am capable of so
much more than I ever imagined.

I climbed a rope for the first time, ran 9 miles in a

single session and have even signed up for a half
marathon next year. I have plans to run a full
marathon after I accomplish that and will go for the
Spartan Trifecta by 2020. With the right mindset,
anything is possible.

We ran the race as a team, and we worked together

to build each other up. We researched technique,
nutrition and equipment to better our odds at the
race. The Spartan Race creates an all-around
healthier and more driven lifestyle. This has literally

57
shaped my year. Because of this event, I have lost
20 pounds in 6 months, gained noticeable muscle
mass, and have been living a more fulfilling life.
Even though I moved to this town very recently, by
joining a tribe working towards a shared goal, I feel
connected to the community.

It is funny how so many will make a New Year's

resolution but then they completely forget about it
after a couple months and move on with their lives
focusing on short term pleasure. And while it may
be enjoyable to have a fun night, it leads to an
unfulfilling life when the fun nights are not
complemented with hard work. Conversely, for
those who stick with their goals, they find great
fulfillment in accomplishing them. Each goal they
conquer furthers the winning mindset that they can
do more. Each small win can snowball into bigger
and bigger wins. From creating a successful Twitter
account, to a well-read blog, to a book bought by
loyal followers, this year I’ve shown the amazing
progression that follows a man who persists with his
goals.

The trick here is to lay the foundation piece by

piece. Each piece lays the groundwork for future
progress and eventually you look back in wonder at
the masterpiece that you built. The problem is
seeing the future results when you first start out. It
takes a great deal of work ethic, dedication and
most importantly, persistence.

58
AROO! Find your tribe. Find your purpose. Find
your motivation.

59
16. Read Books
Too many people waste their time with Netflix and
video games. Reading books will make you more
interesting and expand your vocabulary as well as
your knowledge. This will also help with your
writing. On the days when I can’t seem to find the
words to contribute to my website, a book I’m
working on, or even Twitter, I’ll take a few minutes
and read from a book.

In fact, on my desk, I keep a few books to consult

whenever my day begins to lose direction. Everyone
has those days where they can’t seem to find the
motivation or the direction to conquer their day.
That is why I keep these books at the ready: The
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Daily Stoic
by Ryan Holiday, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu and
The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

It never ceases to amaze me how reading through

the amazing thoughts of someone who took the time
and dedication to write a book will inspire me to
find my own words. It is infectious in the same way
that all forms of media infect us with their energy.

If I lay down to watch TV sitcoms, I’ll find myself

wasting my time and engaging in more slothful
activities. Books, on the other hand, inspire me to
live a life more interesting. They inspire me to write
down my own thoughts and now I find myself
driven to share them with the world.

60
Set a goal for yourself for this year to read 12
books. It sounds like a lot if you aren’t an avid
reader, but you’ll be amazed at how beneficial this
habit can be to your life. The knowledge and
perspectives that can be gleaned from books will
leave people wondering how you become so
knowledgeable and interesting.

Never underestimate how lazy the average person

is. Simply reading a book a month will make you
stand out in a sea of average. Imagine how
interesting you’ll be if you manage to take all 20
points from this book and implement them.

Many young men struggle to find the words to

begin writing their book or blog. These are the same
men whose default activities are porn, Netflix and
video games. To write something of interest, you
must first live a life of interest. Sitting on the couch
and binging on entertainment is no way to light that
creative spark inside of you. You have to get out in
the real world and find exciting new experiences. If
you want to be a writer, you need to study from the
greatest who came before you. Read books by
Ernest Hemingway, Henry David Thoreau and
Robert C. Clark.

Whenever my writing begins to stall out, I take a

break and pop open one of the many books that I
am currently reading. This will give me the
inspiration to write more. It opens my mind to new
ways of thinking and provides interesting ideas.

61
If the book fails to provoke an interesting idea, I
simply keep reading. There are worse ways to spend
a day than by reading through a classic.

"It is chiefly through books that we enjoy

intercourse with superior minds. In the best books,
great men talk to us, give us their most precious
thoughts and pour their souls into ours."

- William Ellery Channing

62
17. Meditate
Meditation clears your head and opens your mind.
If you think it sounds silly, give it the old college
try.

Reaching a meditative state for a few minutes each

day can lead to your subconscious delivering new
ideas or thoughts to help your mission. Now some
days meditation will bear no fruit, but even those
sessions provide value. Through these moments of
seeking quiet, one can find peace.

In a world growing louder, faster and more

stressful, it can be serene to appreciate the
occasional sound of silence.

Some of my most original thoughts and ideas come

to me when I'm seeking a meditative state. Now,
you can always do this by sitting quietly in a room
and focusing on nothing. Or you can reach a
meditative state by walking through the woods or
running down a trail. If you can do a mundane task
and focus the mind on nothing, that is meditation.

Everyone has a different method and no method is

necessarily better than any other.

Often when I am writing and hit a road block, I'll

take a break. Sometimes this means simply calling
it quits for the day. Other days I'll go for a walk or
meditate for 5 minutes. This allows you to come

63
back to your writing with a fresh mindset and this
will often help the words start to flow.

Also, if I find I am getting frustrated or angry with

work, or whatever it is, I have found that taking a
few minutes to focus on your breathing can really
help calm your heart rate. This is beneficial for your
health as well as your mindset. When you are
operating on an emotional state, you aren't thinking
clearly, and this will lead to mistakes. By allowing
yourself to slow down and collect yourself, even if
it's only a minute, it can save you from overreacting
due to emotion.

If you are a smoker, this may help you in stressful

situations. I quit smoking two years ago and one
issue that I kept running into was I would want a
cigarette in a stressful or frustrating situation.
Smoking had become my coping mechanism for
daily stress and this is an unhealthy habit. One thing
that ultimately helped me was meditation.

You can even do this at your job or in school. You

don't have to sit in the lotus position. Close your
eyes and focus on your breathing while you calm
yourself down. This has been an effective
replacement for smoking for me. It takes patience,
but eventually your body will adapt to this new
form of handling stress.

Most people are in too much of a rush throughout

their day. They even rush to get to their vacation or
weekend. Life is so much more enjoyable when you

64
learn to pace yourself and enjoy the moment. If
you're stuck at a Doctor's office, take that as an
opportunity to meditate for a few minutes. You
could even use this time to contemplate on ideas
ruminating in your head. All of this would be more
productive and beneficial than mindlessly scrolling
through social media.

In my transformation this year, I give a lot of credit

to my habit of meditating. It helps me construct new
ideas and it heavily influences my writing. Taking a
few minutes each day has a profound effect on all
24 hours.

65
18. No Gossip!
You're not Samantha from Sex and the City. Men
don’t gossip. Men don’t engage others who gossip.
If you are a man of purpose, find something more
meaningful to talk about.

Ultimately it comes down to having a vision for

yourself. You should be focusing your energy and
your time on your mission rather than discussing
such trivial matters. If you evaluate people who
make a hobby out of gossiping, you’re likely to find
that this person is not truly happy in their life.
Therefore they focus on bringing others down to
their level rather than raising themselves up.

Every day you have so much mental energy to use.

Do not waste this precious commodity. Too many
waste their energy on fruitless worries. Do not
spread or entertain gossip. When those around you
do so, ignore it. Gossip is a waste of time and only
small minds engage in it. Gossip robs your mind of
time it could use to focus on greater ideas or
projects. Men rise above this.
Gossip is essential the supermarket tabloids of the
social world. It is cheap in value and easy to do.
There is no merit in spreading some raunchy story
about a friend or coworker. Nor is there any honor
in doing so. Those who do so are typically jealous
of the other person or insecure about their own
issues.

66
It ranks below such mundane cookie cutter
discussions such as sports and the weather. The sad
truth is that most people are living lives so boring or
inauthentic to their true desires, that they would
rather focus on other people’s lives. Its
conversational cuckoldry.
People will often relate feelings they experience in
conversation with the person communicating. If you
are constantly being negative about those around
you, expect your peers to look at you with a similar
negative light. Conversely, if you focus on the good
in people and positive aspects, you’ll find that
people will think of you in the same positive
manner.

67
19. Stay Off Your Phone When in
Company
If you approach a girl and she starts looking at her
phone while you are talking to her, walk away. Stop
endorsing that disrespectful behavior. She's either
not interested or not worth your attention.
If your date checks her phone while you’re at
dinner, don't call her again. Consider "going to the
bathroom" and leaving. This is rude behavior that
will only get worse with time.
Leave the phone in your pocket and you’ll stand out
over the average young person. Be sure to actively
listen to the other person; too many people are
waiting for their turn to talk. Fun tip: if you don’t
have anything to say, repeat back part of the last
thing the other person said and make it clear you are
pondering what was said. This usually will queue a
person to expand on what they were saying.
I use this technique all the time, especially if I’m
not knowledgeable on the subject. For example:
“I plan on running a Spartan Race next year.”
“You’re running a Spartan Race?”
“Yeah, I’ve been training with a group to get ready
for all the obstacles.”
This gives the other person the opportunity to
expand on their thought. This gives you the

68
opportunity to learn more about a topic you may not
fully understand. Nearly everyone wants to talk
more about their own lives, so this method works
99% of the time.
Moderating your phone use is for all facets of life
and not only dates. Wherever you are, make it
count. When you go to the gym, be sure to crush
your workout. If you are attending school, pay
attention so you can learn what is being taught.
When you go to work, be a producer. Hell, even
when you go to the bar, drink good shit and enjoy
your time out with your present company.
Be present in everything you do in your life. This is
the secret to life. This may sound a bit new age or
Zen for your brash buddy at Path to Manliness, but
this mindset is a literal superpower. Your life will
greatly improve if you put this into practice.

Enjoy the meal and your company. Enjoy your life.

69
20. Challenge Yourself
My year has been all about challenging myself to
reach new levels. My 2017 was rough and fraught
with adversity. Rather than blame the outside forces
that led to such a bad year, I am focusing my energy
on what I can control, namely, myself.

For 2018 I made a path to a better life. I had a

specific outline of goals to accomplish, daily tasks
to do and specific habits to ensure a successful year.
I woke up before dawn to go on runs. I wrote late at
night to finish this book. I was up early in the
morning to exercise and edit my writing. I was
disciplined with what I ate, and I was consistent
with my workouts. I pushed myself farther in my
runs. I refused to even think about quitting.

It wasn’t easy, and I made a lot sacrifices to fulfill

this vision. Along with the great sense of
accomplishment I have also created a new me, and a
new mindset. In the past I set self-imposed limits on
myself via doubt and laziness. That is the old me.
The new me challenges myself to topple any
obstacle in my way and to constantly push myself to
new levels of achievement.

Completing the Spartan Race this year was a

transformative experience and it has changed my
mindset on life. Now every obstacle in my life is
simply something that I will get past. By
accomplishing a task that I previously thought to be

70
impossible, I have gained a new sense of confidence
in my abilities.

Fortunately for you I have documented what has

worked for me in this book. Now it is concise and to
the point for a reason. I don’t need to bog you down
with details when I can be efficient with my words.
Reading this book is only the first step. Your
challenge now is take what you have learned from
me and implement it into your own life and create
the life you desire.

With dedication, sacrifice and persistent effort, you

will be amazed what you can accomplish in one
single year. In 2018, I created my very own website,
wrote this book, ran my first 5K and my first
Spartan Race. I lost 20 pounds and created the Path
to Manliness brand that is reaching out to help
young men on their very own paths. What will you
do in one year’s time?

As Path to Manliness grows, so too will I and its

mission. The brand will always focus on helping
men live more meaningful lives and coach them on
becoming the very best versions they can be. My
door is always open, even as it grows bigger than I
ever intended.

What can't you do? Build up to it. Run farther. Lift

heavier. Write longer. Push yourself past your
limits. All of this is meaningless if you don’t
implement my words into actions. I spent many
years paralyzed by fear of failure, but no more.

71
Now I take action and I no longer fear failure. I
simply view failure as critical feedback that leads to
future successes. For when I started out on my own
Path to Manliness, I made plenty of mistakes.

Fortunately for you, you can learn from many of my

mistakes and make new ones on your own. Ha,
well, at least you now have the right mindset to stay
true to your mission and conquer this life.

Reclaim your manhood!

72
 Find Your Brotherhood

You feel lost because you have no purpose in life.

You have no principles. You have no mission.
You can fix these problems by finding your
purpose, creating your own principles and working
towards your mission in life.
Most of you are getting high on your dopamine and
escapism. Something goes wrong during the day.
You seek your dopamine: cigs / porn / booze /
gaming. Your brain gets its fix and you condition
your brain to crave these dopamine fixes. This is
modern man’s great conflict.
During my younger years, this was a constant battle
for me. I would lean on gaming and booze when I
felt powerless or frustrated by the day. This
ultimately led to a shallow existence. And I knew I
had to change but I didn’t know where to start.
Most men are lost in modern society. And they feel
attacked, demonized and alone. Men need a support
group. Men need accountability. Men need
successful peers. Men need a brotherhood. Quit
doing it by yourself. Seek a brotherhood to help
carry the load.
Click here to learn more about The Pathfinders, a
brotherhood for men.

73
The Pathfinders is the place for men to connect with
like-minded men.
It is the place for men to discuss the problems with
modern society and how to rise above.
It is the place to seek brotherhood and a meaningful
connection.
Its is the place for men to seek accountability.
It is the place where men can be open and honest.
You don’t have to feel alone anymore. You can lean
on your brothers for support and advice.
Click here to learn more about The Pathfinders, a
brotherhood for men.

74
 10 Ways to Gain More Twitter
Followers
1. Tweet our good content consistently. You need to
be tweeting every day, preferably several times each
day.

2. Reply to popular tweets. When you first start out

you have so few followers, so it will be difficult to
get noticed. Find people who have decent followers
and comment on their tweets. This can "borrow"
their audience and get more likes.

3. Follow people who like your comments. When

people like or retweet your comments, give them a
follow. If they like that comment, they will like
other tweets you write.

4. Give out likes and follows. One good way to get

noticed is to like another user's tweets. Aim for
people with lower follower counts as they are more
likely to notice your like than a person who gets 100
likes on each tweet.

5. Find someone who writes similar stuff to you.

Follow people who like and retweet their stuff.
Engage with them in conversation. They will
probably like and retweet your content if you write
good content that is similar. These are also going to
be the more active followers. This is the most
effective tip to grow your following.

75
6. Get a picture. You need to have something up
there to catch people's attention. This is your logo,
or your face. Whatever it is, it is the image that
people will associate with you.

7. Write a good bio! This one is huge, and few

people can come up with anything decent here. But
this is where people get the first impression of what
your account is about. Be funny or throw some
buzzwords up there to help people decide what
you’re about.

8. Be engaged with the community. Reply, like,

retweet stuff on occasion. Quote tweets and add
your thoughts to it. This one is big as it will often
get retweeted if done right. It gives the other person
a chance to retweet you and themselves. Even as my
account has grown very large, I still do my best to
respond to people. I enjoy the interaction.

9. Pictures. They grab your audiences’ eyes and

stand out among the plain words. I rather use words
but try and tweet at least one picture a day. Don't
overthink this. Sometimes the dumbest stuff will
gain traction.

10. Be authentic. Be you. It will be difficult to

maintain a person that is not natural, and people will
see through it. So be sure to be honest and live the
life you share. And be sure to share personal
experiences. People like to remember that they are
talking to a fellow human, not a bot.

76
Thank you to all the following who have shown
support to Path to Manliness!

Jack W. Parks

@ThePrizeAwaits

Lastly, I want to thank you for buying this book. I

put a lot of thought, time and effort into Reclaim
Your Manhood and I didn’t do it for the money. I
didn’t do it for fame. I did it to help people.

I genuinely hope everyone who buys this book

enjoys it, and I hope they are able to implement my
words into action in their own lives.

As I write these words, it is a bit surreal to think

that I wrote my first book, but I truly enjoyed the
experience. If it is well received, I plan on working
on another book in 2019.

If I’ve inspired you in anyway, please let me know.

Message me on twitter or write me an email. I do
read my DMs. I do check my email. I would love to
hear from you and if I can help you in any way, I
will do what I can. If you would like to help me out,
please write a review of this book. As a new author,

77
this will help me out tremendously. If you know
someone who can benefit from my advice, tell them
about this book.

Thank you for reading it. I sense great things ahead

for the Path to Manliness brand and I look forward
to seeing what comes forth from those who have
been inspired by my words.

This is your life. Reclaim it.

78
 The Warrior’s Mindset

This is an excerpt from The Warrior’s Mindset, the

follow up book to Reclaim Your Manhood. You may
purchase it here on Gumroad or here on Amazon.

Perspectives
“You can rid yourself of many useless
things among those that disturb you, for
they lie entirely in your imagination; and
you will then gain for yourself ample space
by comprehending the whole universe in
your mind, and by contemplating the
eternity of time, and observing the rapid
change of every part of everything, how
short is the time from birth to dissolution,
and the illimitable time before birth as well
as the equally boundless time after
dissolution.”

– Marcus Aurelius

By achieving a perspective of your true

place in the universe, you will find that
much of the pressure is removed. The
truth is that there is so much going on
that if you make a huge mistake and feel
embarrassed, recognize the massive

79
breadth of time itself, and you shall
realize, this too shall pass.

When you contemplate the meaning of

this, you gain the courage to put yourself
out in the real world and to share your
work. Why would you let negative energy
such as fear and doubt control your path
in life?

You must let positive energy guide your

life and your work. Focus on the influence
your work will have on the world. How
might your work help those who need to
hear it.

Why do I insist on meditation so often?

Because by reflecting on life and
contemplating your place in the universe,
you can reach those who need guidance.
You can share your wisdom and guide
those in need.

We get so focused on constant

improvement and bettering oneself, that
we forget that most people struggle with
very basic stuff. When you’re an expert in
your field, you compare yourself to those
who are talking about very advanced ideas
and practices. But the average person is
completely lost in the very beginning.

80
The basic first steps are essential to
understand as they are what will be
taught to newcomers. Most of which will
never have a need to reach these advanced
stages. Meaning if you want to become the
most interesting man in the world, all you
need is a basic understanding of a few
subjects, and you’ll be more well versed
than the average person.

You Have No Idea How Great You Have

It

This is why it’s good to travel and visit

your friends. Talk to them about their
problems. And issues they’re facing. I
recently talked to a guy who was having
tax issues and he owes about $2,000. This
is a lot of money to him. I was mentioning
to him that I owed a lot as well. I didn’t
mention my amount, but it was $17,000. I
can complain about this, and may have,
but at the end of the day, I’m fortunate to
make a good enough of a living to be able
to come up with this much money. And
then I have another friend who owes even
more. Somewhere in the six-figure range.
So, it can always be worse.

81
Keeping things in perspective is the path
to being able to practice gratitude in your
life. The average person today has a
smartphone that is essentially a modern
day library of Alexandria. The average
person has endless entertainment options
available to them via streaming services
for nearly no cost. The average person has
access to so much cheap food year round
that obesity is an epidemic.
The problems of modern man are not a
question of shortages, but rather of
gluttony. With so much constantly
available, the modern warrior must learn
to do without by discipline.
Throughout the history of most of
mankind, even the wealthiest were starved
of such knowledge, food and opportunity.
Today, we complain about the difficulties
of life when in reality, the greatest
difficulty we face is how easy life is.

The 47 Ronin

This is one of the most famous stories in

Japanese history. The year is 1701. The
place is Japan. Set during the Tokugawa
era when Japan was ruled by the shogun.

82
This is a time where honor was respected
above all else. The military elites followed
the code of Bushido, or “The Way of the
Warrior.” Chief among the code of
Bushido, was loyalty to one’s master and
fearlessness in the face of death.
While training in court etiquette, Kira
Yoshinaka, a Shogun official grew furious
with Samurai Master Asano Naganori of
Ako when the gifts he received were
deemed inadequate. Asano preached
patience, but when Kira called him a
“country bumpkin without manners,” it
was beyond forgiveness. Asano drew his
sword and attacked Kira. Asano merely
inflicted a superficial would to the
shogun’s head, but shogunate law is strict
in forbidding anyone from drawing a
sword in the castle. They demanded Asano
commit ritual seppuku suicide.
The death of Asano left the 320 samurai
leaderless and impoverished. Their titles
were reduced from samurai to Ronin. To
not have a master is a great dishonor in
samurai culture so they are expected to
follow their master in seppuku suicide.
Forty-seven of the samurai opted instead
to live and wait patiently, while secretly

83
plotting their revenge for the death of their
master.
The 47 Ronin swore a secret oath to kill
Kira. Expecting such vengeance, Kira
posted numerous guards and fortified his
home against the 47 Ronin. But they were
patient. They waited. They even scattered
across the land, pretending to be thieves,
mercenaries, even mad men. One of them
even went so far as to marry into the
family so that he would have access to the
blueprints of Kira’s mansion.
Their leader, Oishi Yoshio, appearing
convincingly as if he had given into
decadence and nihilism, began to drink
and spent money on prostitutes. He even
divorced his wife and sent her and their
younger children away to spare them from
what they must do next.
December 14, 1702, 46 Ronin descend
upon the castle in the middle of the night
as snow falls on the quiet night. One
Ronin is assigned to go and tell the tale of
their revenge.
Armed with ladders, battering rams and
swords, the Ronin surround the house.
Simultaneously, Ronin are silently scaling
the walls and incapacitating guards who

84
are caught by surprise. As the Ronin
attack from both the front and the rear,
Kira’s samurai awake from their sleep and
rush out barefoot to fight the Ronin in the
snow.
As the Ronin dispatch the samurai, they
see no sight of Kira. They search the
house for an hour, finally finding the
Shogun official hiding in nothing but his
underwear. Oishi offers Kira a short
sword, a wakizashi, to commit ritual
seppuku. The same short sword the
Ronin’s leader had used to commit ritual
seppuku.
They stare at each other, Oishi on his
knees, watching the visibly shaken Kira
cowardly refrain from choosing an
honorable death. Oishi rises, unsheathes
his sword and swiftly behead Kira.
All 46 Ronin survive their stealth attack,
dispatching forty of Kira’s samurai. The
sun begins to rise as the Ronin walk
through town, greeted by cheering crowds.
They walk into the Sengakuji Temple, the
burial place of their deceased master.
Oishi walks up to his master’s grave and
presents Kira’s head.

85
Despite becoming national heroes to their
honor and strict adherence to Bushido,
they were charged for their crimes and
ordered to commit ritual seppuku suicide.
A death more honorable than execution.
On February 4, 1703 as the day turned to
nightfall, the forty-six Ronin commited
seppuku.
The forty-six Ronin were buried at the
Sengkuji Temple in Tokyo, near their
deceased master. The site instantly
became a site of pilgrimage for many who
admired the Ronin for their honor. The
forty seventh Ronin was believed to have
been pardoned after a full life was buried
along side the forty-six Ronin.
Asano’s eldest son was returned the title
of Samurai, and one tenth of the lands
were given back.

This World is Filled with Propaganda to

Warp Your Perspective

The modern-day warrior accepts this

truth.

Western man has invested so heavily into

capitalism that the decision to produce

86
future generations is dependent upon the
magical line we call the stock market, and
market conditions. Now even when the
market crashes, it often recovers within a
few years.

Do you think an ancient Spartan warrior,

a Viking or a Ronin would willingly snip
their ability to procreate? What greater
purpose is there in this life than to create
future warriors from your own bloodline?
The entire purpose of civilization is to
learn from the past so that we may build a
brighter future, but many of the brightest
are scientifically castrating the future.

An analysis of modern DNA reveals that

8,000 years ago, 17 women reproduced for
every one man. This means that
throughout much of human history, man
struggled to keep his gene pool alive. Yet
modern men willfully sacrifice the
opportunity to further their genetic lineage
in favor of having fur-babies (a grotesque
term for pets) more disposable income or
more leisure time.

Rare is it that a man has no option for

reproduction in today’s day and age. It is
far more accessible than in ancient history
thanks to marriage and social shame. And
yet men will willfully snip their “manhood”

87
and destroy all chances of creating a
future.

Now, people will tell you that

fundamentally nothing changes in a man
after this snip, but your vet will tell you
that your dog will calm down and be more
docile after his snip. Apparently, nothing
will change except you’ll be a nice
domesticated pet content with your
suburban home, minivan and white picket
fence. Prozac optional.

If you enjoyed this excerpt from The Warrior’s

Mindset, the follow up book to Reclaim Your
Manhood. You may purchase it here on Gumroad or
here on Amazon.

88