Real men don’t talk tough on the internet.

To my knowledge, my mother is not a man. But she’s a very strong woman.

My grandfathers were both World War II fighter pilots. My dad was a special forces soldier.

The phrases “be a man” and “toughen up” were introduced at an early age. My desire for validation, my need to adapt, were all viewed through a very male prism.

This approach brought a few obvious challenges. But what good, positive laws of living can be drawn from masculinity?

Most of these will apply to women as well.

I. Harness the power of mediocrity

The Naval Academy is quite competitive and for good reason. It’s prestigious. There’s no tuition. You’ll receive an excellent education and spending money. But you’ll be required to serve five years in the military after graduation. …