10 Things to Know Before You Can Be a Man

By | September 27, 2023

[September 27, 2023]  In an earlier post I laid out 10 things to know before joining the Army (see link here).  While the post is slanted toward the U.S. Army, it applies with some modification to all men regardless of our lot in life.  Today, the list involves things that senior and retired officers told me that they wished they’d known before joining the U.S. military.  This applies to all men.  What are the then things you should know as a successful man?

“Young men just don’t know what it means to be a man.  There are so many lies about what it means to be a man, whether that be get a bunch of girls or get a bunch of money or don’t cry and don’t have emotions.  Nobody is teaching them how to be men.” – Trip Lee

  1. You are responsible immediately: You bear direct and immediate responsibility for the care, protection, and assistance of those around you.
  2. Never lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate anyone who does: You are held up to others as an example of the moral and ethical standard, so protect this faith given to you because you are moral human being. Obey the rules unless the rules are corrupt.
  3. You serve the needs of your family, community, and nation: Remember that life isn’t always fair. Make the best of what you are given and show everyone you will succeed no matter what.
  4. Treat your job as a profession: It’s not a job, so understand the difference and get used to it consuming your life.
  5. If something is wrong, never pass it by: You set the standard, so if you overlook or pass by a problem or mistake, then you have just re-set the standard much lower.
  6. You are an ambassador to your family: Don’t dishonor any one of them by immoral, unethical, or illegal acts.
  7. A “can do” and positive attitude will be rewarded: Getting your mind right about what men do is crucial to being a successful person.
  8. You are expected to bring some technical expertise and common-sense knowledge to being a man: Society expects that you can apply your knowledge. If you can also exercise wisdom and creativeness along the way, all the better.
  9. You are your own best advocate: If you want something, then ask the right person in the right circumstance but your desires should never supersede that of your family.
  10. Be the best person you can be: Some people say it means giving “110 percent.” They mean that you must be fully dedicated to your family, always.  Your family comes first.  That is how you can be the best person you can be.

—————

Please read my books:

  1. “55 Rules for a Good Life,” on Amazon (link here).
  2. “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).
Author: Douglas R. Satterfield

Hello. I provide one article every day. My writings are influenced by great thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jung, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Jean Piaget, Erich Neumann, and Jordan Peterson, whose insight and brilliance have gotten millions worldwide to think about improving ourselves. Thank you for reading my blog.

21 thoughts on “10 Things to Know Before You Can Be a Man

    1. The Kid

      Yes, excellent point Texas Jim. These are two of my fav articles too.

      Reply
  1. Willie Strumburger

    I’ve read a lot on this topic and there are hundreds of articles, books, and websites dedicated to the topic. So, it is hard to get a good handle on the idea of manhood, in particular in our current cancel culture that attacks men. Just a short note to say that my favorite on Gen. Satterfield’s list is:
    #3. You serve the needs of your family, community, and nation: Remember that life isn’t always fair. Make the best of what you are given and show everyone you will succeed no matter what.

    Reply
  2. Bryan Z. Lee

    No. 1 …. You are responsible immediately: You bear direct and immediate responsibility for the care, protection, and assistance of those around you.
    ……….
    This is the best one. You can’t train for it. Being a man is NOW.

    Reply
  3. Stacey Borden

    Loving Gen. Satterfield’s wonderful blog. Please keep these articles coming, and, oh, when is the next “letters to my granddaughter” coming out? I love this series. More please.

    Reply
  4. Jerome

    Take away women’s right vote and in 5 years or less, the US wlll be a much better country.

    Reply
    1. Doc Blackshear

      Nailed it, LG. Thanks for that. Women and Men need to teach boys how to be men. Then, when we have strong men, our country will get back on track. As long as our public schools are teaching boys to be girls, we will continue to fail. Weak men are monsters and there is no glory or honor in being weak.

      Reply
  5. mainer

    Hey, Gen. Satterfield, thanks for highlighting the NY Post opinion section on a couple of topics. I love it when you list articles on the Joe Biden Crime Family. Every liberal progressive and willfully blind idiot needs to know what we all know, and that is that Joe Biden and his family are full-blown corrupt. Everyone needs to read your DAILY FAVORITES on a daily basis. Thanks
    ✔✔✔✔✔

    Reply
  6. Tom Bushmaster

    Great commentary and thanks Gen. Satterfield for giving us a lift for the day. Men are men, women are women, and those who disagree are living in a fantasy world that I refuse to participate in.

    Reply
    1. Ursala J. Simpson

      Me too, brother, I’m not going to gloss over mental illness by confirming their illness is okay.

      Reply

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