Males are born. Men are built.

In 2015 I wrote my first book entitled When I Became a Man: A Perspective on Manhood, Life, and Relationships. It was a compilation and amalgamation of blog posts I had written on manhood. I called it ManUp. At the time, I led a men’s mentoring group of the same name. The goal of both the group and the blog was to help males develop into productive men.  I wanted to share some things I had learned about myself, principally that healthy manhood was not a function of age but intentional development. Males are born. Men are built. That truth was the thesis of When I Became a Man, and it is the premise of this book.

The world needs more well-built men. A good man is a blessing, and the tentacles of his life reach far beyond his mortality. In this book, we discuss 21 qualities that are indispensable to healthy manhood. The list is by no means exhaustive. Fill free to add your own. These are not lofty ideals but essentials. This book is targeted at males 16-24, though any male over 14 will benefit from it significantly. There is no condemnation or chastisement, only encouragement, challenge, and empowerment. Read the short narratives, and work the exercises to build or rebuild yourself. Become the man the world needs you to be.