Man Skills: Make Everything In Your Life Awesome part II

My awesome detector reveals the level of awesome in day to day life is pathetically low…but these critical man skills will help with that.

Get a black eye, a new scar, and a new tattoo this year

I don’t know why I think this is a good idea, but I know it is. There is something about owning a black eye that allows you to go a few days showing the world you are someone who does dumb/dangerous shit. I don’t know how you should acquire this awesome man mark, but it is time.

Scars are a way of telling the world “shit happened and I’m still here”

Tattoos are a reminder that you don’t care what things will look like when you’re 80, you are interested in the now.

Frankie Faires got his last black eye from cage fighting related activities. I got my last scar breaking a horseshoe in half, my most recent tattoos in December. Now tell me the story of yours…

Learn a feat of strength

Thats right. Remember when you were little and someone you knew could do something that amazed you. It’s your time to amaze someone else.

What is a feat of strength? It’s something you don’t see everyday. It is an expression of physical talent. It’s something that makes you more interesting than all the other pin dicks you work with in your office.

Where to start? Easy, what do you like to do? Feats of strength is not just about doing shit like a 1920′s circus strongman.

What makes a feat of strength awesome is when you can do something that is hard and make it look easy.

Here are a few examples of some recent feats which David and I have been working on

David Dellanave’s jumping pistol

My pinch pull up

Now it’s your turn. I’m not going to think of one for you- go sort it out.

Continue to grow your beard

Especially since a beard will increase your ability to do feats of strength, and demonstrates you do not give a fuck. It’s science folks.

Exercise More

Just in case….it all goes wrong.

Plus that fat gut ain’t going anywhere unless you get on it. Start here to learn to lose fat faster. After you read it I want you to apply it. From there if you need more info you need to check out Mike T Nelson’s Metabolic Flexibility program

You never know when this could go down

Stop following the wimps

Seriously.

The title of “wimp” has nothing to do with physical ability or talent. It has to do with mental traits, conditioning, will power, dedication, and drive. Weak people have a degree of gravity which slow you down if you stay too close.

I am not going to get all motivational speaker on you, but here is a fucking truth: Not all men are created equal. Fair, equal, balanced- these are man made ideas to accommodate those who are not out shaping things.

It’s time to move on if you find yourself surrounded by people who are always complaining, always being defeated, and always laying down for the world to walk on.

To quote Mel Brooks- “You’re either hanging on the cross, or you’re banging in the nails”

I’m the one holding a hammer. Who are you?

Become an expert in something

Here is something we all can appreciate- when a group of men are doing some group thinking, and one man offers an opinion which is outside of his expertise by saying “I’m not an expert on this, but I think…”

Red Foreman, an expert in the science of identifying dumbasses

That shit is cool to know when  you are not qualified to provide the best answer.

BUT, here is something that is not cool.

Men who are not an expert at anything. Who are not good at anything.

You know what I think that is? A total waste.

I don’t care how stupid you are, or how incapable you think you are, or have been told you are, You have the ability to be an expert at something.

The world needs experts. There is way too much to know for any man to know it all. One of the ways we all get better is when we have people we can lean on who know more shit about a given subject. It frees up valuable man brain room.

I am disgusted when I ask someone what they are an expert in and I get an “I don’t know” response. Come on dude, what the fuck do you do all day?

So here is my challenge to you, become an expert. We need you. I need you. Future generations of T Rex hunting men need you. If you can’t do this, you are taking up valuable space. Space is likely to become sparse soon, and we can’t have dead weight hanging around.

Turn off the fucking TV

We watch twice as much TV as anyone else...life fail

Americans have become a weak crippled race over the last 40 years in some respects with our obsession to the glowing numbness of television.

I do not own a TV. When I did I used it for DVDs, on Friday and Saturday. After my shit was done.

I know men who currently watch over 40 hours of TV a week.

Here is some man math from my man brain.

There are 168 hours in a week (follow along brother, thats 24 X 7)

The first thing we account for is sleep. You can’t escape sleep. So lets take off 42 hours for sleeping (6 hours a day X 7 days)

Now we have 126 hours left (thats right, 168 minus 42)

There is this lame thing most of you have to do called “work” where you go to your “job.”

Most of you do this at least 40 hours a week. Additionally this work thing takes time before and afterwards when you fight traffic and drive. So lets add one hour to the front and back end.

126 minus 50 = 76 hours left.

Now there is other man shit you have to get in to…your spouse/girlfriend/kids/dude bros all take time out of your 76 remaining hours. Yard work, car care, dogs- that is more time away. Hopefully you are exercising, if you are not I have no idea why you ever read this page…that takes some time (like 1% of your week for 3 hours a week)

Then of course I hope you apply the shit from this article, which is a call to action to be awesome. Take up some hobbies, lead some people. DO SHIT.

So, how the fuck does one fit in 40 hours of TV? What is the return on that investment?

Television is an epic way to piss away your life. Your brain turns right the fuck off.

If we get better at whatever we do most, what is the training effect of parking your brain in the off position for 40 hours of conscious time per week?

Thats right, it makes you fucking slow and stupid.

It also factors in to a huge problem of sitting on your ass too much. Sleep, work, driving- we spend all this time sitting on our ass. After all that intense ass sitting do you really need 3-7 hours more of it every evening.

So, instead of watching baseball- go fucking play baseball. Instead of watching comedy, go out and have some fucking fun. So on and so forth, at this point you either get it or you don’t….moving on

Try Out A Grip Contest

Since you are now working to break free from the idiot box, here is your start. Come out to a grip contest. Having a powerful paw is useful, and a contest will motivate you to train for it. Need a contest to attend? Come to my Grip Decathlon going down at Movement Minneapolis 14 May 2011. We are going to pick up heavy shit off the floor and set it back down. That is exciting! You can handle it, I am certain. If you can’t handle it, the Plymouth Fire department is close and they can take  you to the ER.

How do you train for a grip contest? Read my grip training articles to learn more. If you need additional information pick up my DVD Industrial Strength Grip. It’s got the goods.

Become your own god damn hero

This guy may be on the path...

There is a reason the human mind is drawn to the idea of role models/idols/heroes- we like to have examples of how to act and live. We like to have someone to turn to when we need inspiration. Society plays with this, the media is continuously trying to shove new heroes down your throat. Everyone is trying to show you someone better than you. You are expected to look up to them, listen to them.

I say fuck that.

Fuck you, fuck everyone else.

Instead, why not be your own hero?

Why not? You’re awesome, in your own way.

If you’re not awesome, you are still stuck being you. That ain’t changing.

So learn to like yourself. Look up to yourself. Learn from  your mistakes. Celebrate your success. Why pay attention to others, allow them to pay attention to you.

Thats what I do.

I don’t look up to anyone. I see people who are equal to me, but they are not me. I see people who are great, but I do not think they are greater than I. I don’t care how smart they are, how talented, how much money they make, how popular they are, whatever. There is no reason to put someone above yourself in your world view.

That is my final challenge to you in this post. Be your own fucking hero. If you can’t do that, you have no business leading anyone else. Particularly directed at the fathers of our next generation- your kid looks up you to be his hero, so fucking fill them shoes. Don’t point out baseball players or other dip shit athletes to them, don’t pawn it off. You are the man so be the man.

Be your own hero.

Be your own leader.

I’m out for now. I got shit to do.