Rules for Men

Rule Number 1: Cowboy up

There are times in life when things just aren't fair, people don't treat you right, and luck isn't going your way. It's in these times that you can tell how deep the a is being tested and what's beneith his surface appearence.

Rule Number 2: Crying

A man cries tears of joy. He cries tears of profound gratitude or sadness. But he never cries for himself.

A man doesn't whine and lament the wrong doings of others with crocadile tears in his eyes.

Rule Number 3: Pain is a challenge

When faced with any kind of pain, be it sincere enough to bring tears to a man's eyes or of the physical kind, the man sees this not as a setback, but as a step forward. With pain comes the oportunity to grow and overcome challenges of life. A man looks at pain as an enemy, a friend, a leader; a necessary adversary to the boy.

Rule Number 4: A man needs a woman

Every man needs a woman in his life. At times this role will be provided by a mother or sister, and at times a friend; but no woman will ever be as valuable to a man as his wife. And a man without a wife runs the risk of falling back into boyhood.

Rule Number 5: The Protector

A man protects the weak and innocent. 

Rule Number 6: No splitting hairs

A simple statement given by a man should be conscise enough to be clearly understood by his peers. Men do not mince words. They do not hide their intent in obscurety or vague statements. No, when a man speaks, his words are to be well thought out and complete. If it is not correct a man should not say it; nor should he repeat poorly constructed statements of partial truths without filling in the whole to correctness.

Rule Number 7: Gossip & Chatterboxes

A man does not suffer fools to fill the air with chatter unbecoming of themselves or others. He does not gossip. 

Rule Number 8: A man speaks to what he knows

There are a great many things a man is expected to know, one of which is to not speak on things he knows nothing about. Having an opinion is often overrated when the subject is outside a man's particular studies. Expressing an uninformed opinion for any reason but to ask it as a question to one who has an expertise in the matter is the action of a child.

Rule Number 9: A man asks questions

It is often said that there's no such thing as a stupid question. This is not true. But a man who never asks the stupid questions will have his opinions formed by stupid assumptions. So ask them. Learn.

Rule Number 10: There are no stupid questions

Yes, I know, you're thinking rule 10 is in conflict with rule 9 aren't you? Well you'd be wrong.

When in leadership there are no stupid questions from those you are expected to lead. A man in leadership should be approachable (through propper channels) to be asked almost anything, by anyone.

If you want those you are leading to be stupid tell them to keep their stupid questions to themselves.

If you want those you lead to be wise and well informed, and proficient in what they do, gake time to flesh out every stupid question (on the propper subjects) they have.

Rule Number 11: A man must recognize the caveats

Things are spoken in a context. A man is required to discern the context of a given statement and apply that knowledge to his thinking and response. Not doing so is dishonest.

The context matters. And from a propper context, a man can infere correctly any caveats in a given statement that are required for adepth understanding and rebuttle.

Rule Number 12: Kindness

Generally speaking, a man is kind. He is kind to his enemies. He is kind to his family. He is kind to animals. He is kind to himself.

A man must be kind to maintain honesty and perspective.

Rule Number 13: Hell & Righteous fire

Hell on earth is an angry man. While a man can be angry for good reason it is always best to have righteous indignation over anger. A man's wrath should be that of heaven, not of hell.

To know and master the difference makes a wise man.

Rule Number 14: The Cross

A man is ready to be a martyr. A weak man is unsure enough in his convictions that he will not die for his cause. A strong man will not even think of his life when it comes to his convictions, and he will die before he wavers.

Rule Number 15: Choose you battles

A man may not know what he will lay his life on the line for until it arises, if he has never considered losing it. Cowards are chosen, often because they never choose, while the brave and wise will position themselves according to their values. Both will fight in the end, but only fools & cowards will wonder what for.

Rule Number 16: To fight

A man will fight for something. Boys just fight. If there is no objective to be achieved there is no chance of winning.

Rule Number 17: Win or Lose

Men compete. It is a healthy and nessicary activity. It is also inherent. Men will compete, if not with eachother then with themselves, with their spouse, their children, their friends, strangers etc. Having a healthy and open competition is a vital requirement for being a man.

With competition comes stakes. If there are no stakes the competition simply becomes boyish fighting. Fighting is for children.

Rule Number 18: Grace

When a man wins he is graceful. He is thankful for the challenge he has overcome and benevolent to the loser. Whether it is an enemy in war or a friendly sport, a man is required to be graceful in victory. 

In war he is expected to tend the wound of the fallen, honor the dead, and treat his captives with dignity and love.

In sport, a man who wins should accept the congratulations of an oponent just as gracefully and with as much humility as if he were congratulating his victor.

In losing a man should be humble and contrite.

In war he should offer grace to his enemy, even as a captive. He should be grateful when his wounds are bound and offer himself where he is useful to the mending of the injured in battle. And while a man is under no obligation to be of use in the enemy's war efforts, a man should carry himself with pride in his labors and honor himself and his countrymen in all that is asked of him, but never betray his convictions.

In sport an man is humbled by a loss and grateful to the victor. He should congratulate the winners with grace and love.

And in all scenarios, win or lose, a man is expected to learn from his mistakes and from the performances of his oponents, to better himself.

Rule Number 19: Love

A man must love. He must learn the actions of it as well as the inner emotions and exhibit them where apropriate. He need not be a bundle of joy or overtly lovable in any way, but to those he is required to care for he must be available to give and recieve love.

Rule Number 20: Keep going

A man knows times will be tough. He keeps going, because for every tough time there's an equally easy one. For every ugly, depressing day there's a beautiful, bright and sunny one, full of joy. A man keeps on going tbrough those darker times because he knows it's gonna be worth it later. He knows pain brings growth if he can just get past it.

Which brings us to...

Rule Number 21: No man is an island

It doesn't matter who you are: a man needs somebody. He can't go it alone for all the rules I've listed above. And just as a man needs all these things, is expected to be all these things, he also needs and expects them from others. There's nothing a man should require of others that he's not willing to give of himself. When a man's alone he has nothing to require of others, and thus nothing to require of himself.

Rule Number 22: Faith

A man without God is lost. He is callus and cold. Having faith seperates the men from the boys. Boys will always have their mothers to answer to. Men will answer to God. That might be a subtle distictions, but a good man will fear the wrath of both his mother and God, because he recognizes that he's a child of both. Boys might fear their mothers, but to them God is just a fairy tale.

Rule Number 23: Work

A man works. It's unavoidable really. A man is either working by his own design or by that of some one else. Boys toil. Men work. The difference is the reward and objective.

Having a job is no fun. But being a man is. Sometimes you have to do a joyless task in order to afford the things that make you a man.

A man at work does his best. He doesn't cut corners or shirk. He doesn't judge his performance by the performance of others, but by his own capabilities. Neither does he cut his performance based of a lack if showing by his peers. He does his best work, or he toils in boyhood.

Rule Number 24: Reward

A man who works for nothing is either a fool or a very charitable man with few needs. On the popular ocasion of a man working who is neither a fool nor motivated by charity, he is working for reward. 

A man must know his worth; and his worth can be assessed by evaluating his adhearence to the Rules for Men. If the work isn't worth a man's time he knows it and does not waste himself on it. A man does not toil where he is neither needed nor properly compensated. Such employment is for boys.

Rule Number 25: The inflated man

Often times we meet an inflated man; one whose worth doesn't measure up to his status or position in life. He might be your boss, a leader, a teacher, and most often, a politician.

While it's annoying (and disheartening) to see these inflated men out in the world, the real men pay them little mind. Because the inflated man, most times, is no real obstacle to a man. He's just a pain in the ass, and we've already covered what pain means to a man.

If a man find himself faced with such an obstacle as an inflated man hindering the way, he need only remind himself of rules 3, 15 & 20... and 22... hell, probably best to keep them all in mind; but mostly remember they are only a temporary pain in your ass so choose you battles wisely and keep on keeping on.

Rule Number 26: It all washes out

If you've made it this far in life you can probably look back and see the times you thought were huge mountainous challenges have passed by like a babbling brook instead of the tsunami you might have fear at the time. And maybe there were some great floods too. But you're here now with all that behind you.

Remind yourself once in a while what hou've already overcome, and how big those challenges seemed before. You'll need those reminders when you look forward and see tge daunting road ahead of you.

A man knows that the road is always hard ahead, but it is always worth the journey.

Rule Number 27: Help other on the path

Because the road is always hard ahead a man knows he must help others on the way. For one day ahead of him may be an obstacle he will need help getting past. Perhaps one you lift up today will be there to lift you up. We are all on the same path. 

Rule Number 28: The path

A man knows his path. It is the only path. 

Rule Number 29: Straying from the path

When a man strays from the path he must correct himself. Since we are all on the same path, if a man strays there is no one to help him find his way back. He must correct his course alone. If he doesn't, if he finds himself listening to others who have strayed from the path, he will toil and flounder with them. Only he can correct himself. Once back on the path he can expect a helping hand from other men still striving forward. He must accept it.

Rule Number 30: Accepting charity

When a man is down on his luck is no time for pride to kick in and make a bad situation worse for him. Everbody needs help once in a while, and not because they've failed or are bad at being men. The truth is that the road is always harder ahead. So if a man is down amd out there are a lot of reasons he may need a little charity coming his way. When a man needs help he accepts it. No "ands, ifs or butts" about it. And he doesn't try to repay it either. He pays it forward when he can.

Rule Number 31: Go your own pace

Since we're all on the same path, heading the same way, there's no need to race. The path isn't to a destination, so there's no point in competing. If some one's ahead of you, that's good for them. It makes no difference to your journey one way or another. Going your own pace may help you from falling down once in a while. It can be the reason you're available to help others along the way, and not needing charity yourself. There's no glory in being ahead of anyone else and no shame in being behind. You're only competing with yourself, so go at your own pace.

Rule Number 32: Give 100%

There is nothing below 100%. Commit or don't bother. It's that old saying "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right." And it's true. You wouldn't accept a contractor building 90% of a house and calling it done. Don't accept anything less than giving 100% from yourself.

Rule Number 33: Nobody is perfect but God

Even though a man gives 100% doesn't mean he gets 100%. That's how he learns his limits and stretches himself for the next effort.

Rule Number 34: There will always be a next time

If it doesn't work out this time, don't get down. There will be a next time. Likewise, when it all goes well, it's no time to be laxed; there will be a next time.

Rule Number 35: The Enemy Never Rests

A man is diligent. He is trained. He is ready. Because the enemy never rests. There will always be another fight, challenge, another foe. Stay focused and tuned for good.

Rule Number 36: The enemy is no dummy

The only dummy is the guy who takes victory for granted. The enemies of a man are organized, trained, devious, intelligent, adaptable, and smart.