Men are under fire, and we don’t deserve it.

Since when is being a man a bad thing?

It seems that every time you hear about men in the media, it’s wrapped in a sensationalist spin of senseless buzzwords like toxic masculinity or mansplaining. When you break it down, it’s just a bunch of bullshit designed to make us feel bad for being men. 

I don’t know about you, but I wear masculinity as a badge of honour, and I work hard each day to live up to the title. Being the embodiment of a real man requires hard work, dedication, accountability and selflessness — every single day — and that’s something we should work towards and be proud to achieve. It is the opposite of turning inwards and being selfish; it means being gratuitous and giving, while being an aspirational role model for the younger generation.

So I call bullocks to the mainstream narrative, flip this upside down and tell you: being a man is a damn good thing.

What makes a real man?

Being a real man isn’t about being the tallest, richest or loudest in the room. They say a true reflection of a man can be seen in the quality of people that surround him. It’s about how you present yourself, your health, your lifestyle and what you give to yourself, your family and society. 

Put simply, here’s traits that all men should strive to uphold

1. Responsibility and accountability 

Responsibility means looking after your health and wellbeing, so you can be better for your family, community and society as a whole. It requires a lifestyle of 100 percent accountability that flows through to every decision you make, every day.

I’m living a lifestyle of accountability, but I didn’t get there overnight. My values of responsibility means choosing the tough stuff, even when the easy route is appealing: from staying accountable for my daily health and fitness, to choosing active recovery over lazy days, eating the right food while staying away from substances that handicap my body, doing the ‘tough stuff’ day in and day out, and always taking ownership of my actions — all while never, ever making excuses.

2. Creating resources and providing

An aspirational man is bigger than himself. He has his own shit sorted, so he can go out into the world to build and provide. He creates resources to help his family and society, and uses his lifestyle, skills and fitness to provide for others. He contributes to making the world a better place. In practice, this looks different for every man, but while you’re doing good for yourself, it’s important to consider how you’re doing good for others, too. 

3. Leadership and being role model

We need strong, healthy, aspirational male role models in our world, a concept that seems to be diminishing. We need leaders to mentor and show the younger generation how to act, perform and thrive and guide the future generations. Being a man means taking on the role of a leader to carve the path for those who will come after him. Remember this every time you’re faced with a decision, because you never know who’s watching. Personally, I show up as my best self to guide the way for my young nephews.

4. Being reliable and relied upon

Most of us have people in our lives who rely on us, whether that’s family, friends or work colleagues. Being consistent with our actions should be a non-negotiable, doing so creates trust and a knowing that we can be relied upon. Showing up when you say you will, being calm and dependable in times of need, being the rock that allows your loved ones to feel safe. 
5. Being a protector 

Be protective. Protect yourself and your health, and show up for yourself every day. Protect your decisions and lifestyle from harm and temptation. Protect your family. Protect your loved ones. Provide and nourish them. Protect what you’ve built, and don’t let anyone or anything shake it.

The healthy man exists

When all five factors come together, you become what I call the healthy man — and believe me, he exists. 

The healthy man is the man who takes responsibility for his health and wellbeing, and because of it, he lives the best experience of life. Beyond that, the healthy man is bigger than just himself. From a position of strength and confidence, he gives back to the world and lifts up those around him. As a result, the healthy man succeeds where others do not.

Optimising your health naturally enables you to be more giving and gratuitous, and you will become a better provider and offer more to society. This all becomes possible when you are strong, healthy and responsible. We need more men like that.

If you need a game plan for becoming the healthy man you know you can be, I'm here as a Men’s Health + Wellbeing Coach to bring you to a level where you thrive. I use the basics that actually work in an action plan that enables men like you to optimise their wellbeing, so you can dominate at life — and show the world, for once and for all, that being a man is something to be proud of.

ANDY LUCAS
MEN’S HEALTH + WELLBEING COACH

From naturopathic services to men’s health coaching, Andy Lucas is on a mission to improve the lives of men, starting with the foundations of health and wellbeing. Utilising a no-BS framework titled The Healthy Man Method, Andy guides men to optimise their wellbeing through six steps that bring it back to the foundations of health — cutting through fads with an action plan that works. A certificated Naturopath (Bachelor of Health Sciences – Naturopathy) and Personal Trainer (Certificate III & IV - Personal Training), Andy helps men become free of physical challenges and limitations, so they can better succeed in their experience of life. Find out more here.