Trust me… this article is either going to motivate you or completely piss you off! Go directly to point #5 if it pisses you off and remember — I could care less.

I came across this image a couple years ago. There were two people; on the left was a picture of Sylvester Stallone as Rambo and on the right, was a picture of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen from the movie Twilight. Above Rambo it reads, “This is what movie heroes looked like when I grew up.” And below Edward it reads, “… and this is what movie heroes looked like when you grew up.” The final caption at the bottom of the photo reads, “I would cry for you, but real men don’t.”

This is not an article bashing the current generation. I actually feel as though the Millennials are moving us in the right direction. However, there does seem to be a decline in the definition of a “man” into today’s world, yet it’s not just the Millennials. Those of us in the Generation X and Boomers II (otherwise known as Generation Jones) have a sense of entitlement or a “what’s in it for me” attitude.

So remember, don’t be Edward… be freakin Rambo! Here are 11 ways for you to man up and become a warrior.

1. Exercise as if your life depended on it.

“None of you seem to understand… I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me.” — Walter Kovacs (Rorschach)

You will be amazed what exercise can do for your mind and body. Exercise stimulates the production of a magical substance known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF sparks a secret power in our brain called neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is the birth of new brain cells and improves our intelligence.

2. Fight!

“Sir, we are surrounded.” “Excellent! Now we can fire in any direction.”

A man who cannot defend his family is not a man. If you disagree with this comment, then do not complain when another man has to protect your family for you.

I am not advocating that you seek out a fight. All I am saying is that you should be able to defend yourself, your family, and others. If you see a person being bullied, and you can’t fight, how will you stand up to that bully? Especially if he punches you in the face.

3. Embrace fear.

“The only person I’m afraid of is myself. That f**ker is crazy!”

When your body experiences fear, use it as your reminder to act. If an opportunity presents itself that excites you or scares you, then you should do it.

Those who embrace fear are met with daily resistance. Just remember this sage advice from Howard Schultz, “In times of adversity and change, we really discovery who we are and what we’re made up of.”

4. Read like crazy.

“When you walk up to opportunities door, don’t knock it… Kick that b!tch in, smile and introduce yourself.” — Dwayne Johnson

My secret weapon to success is reading. I read over 100 books every year and experience exponential growth. Real men develop an insatiable thirst for knowledge and they read. Read when your mind is at its peak. Additionally, listen to audiobooks while you run and while stuck in traffic.

5. Piss people off.

“Let them hate. Just make sure they spell your name right.”

CNN.com posted an article in November 2016 about Donald Trump — How did Trump win? Here are 24 theories. They were trying to explain the different explanations for Trump’s victory. Here are some of them.

· He won because of Facebook and its inability or unwillingness to crack down on fake news.

· Because of low voter turnout.

· Because of white women.

· Because of Russia after all.

· Because rural Midwesterners don’t get out of the house enough.

· Because the Democratic Party establishment didn’t push Bernie Sanders.

· Because he simply listened to the American people.

· Because college educated Americans are out of touch.

· Because voters believed the system was corrupt.

Not one of the 24 are correct. The reason he won was simple… he pissed everyone off!

6. Live with no regret.

“When people you don’t even know hate you, that’s when you know you’re the best.”

Live as if this day was your last. Figure out what is important to you and what adds value to your life. Then do only those things. Stop allowing the time thief to steal your precious time. Steve Jobs left us with the following advice, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”

Lastly, remember this quote from Zig Ziglar, “Spend time with those you love. One of these days you will say either… I wish I had or I’m glad I did.”

7. Never give up.

“Sometimes I feel like giving up, then I remember I have a lot of motherf**kers to prove wrong.”

We find out our true character when we face adversity. When we experience adversity and failure, we should strive to never give up. We need to remember that failure is not defeat. Failures are actually small victories. They provide us valuable lessons we would not have discovered had we not failed.

8. Do not take your girls for granted.

“I need someone who sees the fire in my eyes and wants to play with it.”

My life completely changed the moment my daughter was born. It not only made me a better man, but it also made me a better husband. I realized that I was not the man my wife deserved and I immediately changed. I now have two girls in my life who will never let the fire in my eyes burn out.

9. Stop making excuses.

“When people ask me what I bring to the table. I respond with… I bring the damn table!”

Stop making excuses and stop blaming others for your failure. Stop thinking you are entitled to success. Stop thinking you are entitled to happiness. You can achieve success and happiness, but you are not entitled to them.

Can you guess who the only person responsible for the success and happiness in your life is?

10. Smack fate in the face.

“Fate whispers to the warrior — You cannot withstand the storm — The warrior whispers back — I am the storm.”

Be the man who confronts those things normal people refuse to. Be the man who will run into a burning building to save a child, who will bring the fight to the enemy, and run toward danger instead of away from it.

Fate may not always be on your side. Fate may bring misery to your doorstep, but a real man will still be ready to fight. He will still fight, even when the odds are stacked against him. A real man will not only tempt fate, he will smack it in the face!

11. Be you.

“Of course I talk to myself. Sometimes I need expert advice.”

Do not live your life trying to be someone you are not. Live the life you want to live and live it for you. Even if you are different, because different is good. Do not conform to the status quo. If you simply follow the crowd, guess what… you get stuck in the crowd. Yet, if you take a different path, you just might end up on a path that has yet to be taken.

Being you means believing in yourself. Being you also means you stop caring about what other people think of you. Confident men are not afraid to piss people off or break the rules. These men live for their own success and play by their own rules. They are also obsessed and crazy.

Lastly, remember this last piece of advice from Albert Einstein, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Featured photo credit: ultimatewarrior.com