5 Things All Men Should Do By 22 Years Old
Introduction
Moving from your late teenage years through to your early twenties is a tough phase to navigate as a man. You begin to take on responsibilities, worry about money, women, and the lifestyle you want to live. These few years are often the ones that define you, whether you spend 20 to 25 years old partying, or whether you work hard on your craft and pull away from the rest of the average crowd, and become a superior man.
We have collated five things that we think are crucial in advancing yourself as a man, and that will very much propel you ahead of the crowd in terms of self-development and masculinity.
No. 1 - Leave Home
Although arguably a financially tough move, learning to live on your own and taking responsibility for yourself is crucial in your early years. For some, the move to university acts as a happy medium, experiencing some level of self accountability, and somewhat forcing you to face the initial difficulties of having to cook for yourself, clean for yourself, and take out the bins. Although this sounds trivial, moving out and living on your own will single handedly be one of the best things you can do for personal growth and self-discovery.
Living independently forces you to manage responsibilities and create routine. It allows you to create the lifestyle that you want without interference from others, and allows you to foster a sense of responsibility and independence. In terms of personal development, this independence brings a new type of challenge to life which will contribute hugely to personal and emotional maturity.
Living away from home will also likely develop your relationships with your family, removing the reliance that you have on them, and maturing these relationships, which of course is incredibly important.
No. 2 - Develop Proper Nutrition Habits
Unfortunately in the times of tiktok and other social media, the idea of getting muscular is driven by force feeding, calorie counting, ‘dirty bulking’ advice, Sure, in terms of body composition and growing muscle, calorie counting works. However, there comes a point when you realise how important micronutrition is, and how what you put inside your body affects your mind, your hormones, and your energy.
Your early twenties and late teens is the best time to understand the food you are putting in your body. A focus on optimising testosterone through food choices is likely the best idea, focusing on single ingredient foods for the majority of your diet. For proteins, focus on consuming red meats, steak and beef mince are the best bets. Consume eggs. Eggs are incredibly good sources of cholesterol, which is needed to maintain testosterone levels, and a great source of protein too. Eat at least four a day. On top of these, make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fruits like pomegranate and kiwi are great for optimising testosterone, as well as dates. Focus on eating proper, natural food. Full fat yoghurt, raw milk, rice, and so on.
Do this for two weeks, and I can personally promise that the effect on your body, mind, and overall energy levels will be significant.
No. 3 - Learn to Fight
If you feel like there is something in your life that is missing, it is likely the masculine need for competition and violence. Being bad at something so demanding and difficult both physically and mentally is so important for self development. Being hit in the face and beaten physically by another man that is better than you humbles you, but leaves you with the drive to get better and improve.
From a mentality point of view, the mindset that you develop from boxing a few times a week will transfer through to the rest of your life, driving discipline and the need to conquer everything you do.
The competency to fight is something that is from a biological viewpoint, crucial to becoming a complete man, being able to protect yourself and as importantly, your family and friends.
No. 4 - Learn to Dress Properly
By your twenties, you must begin to leave the big branded t shirts and ripped jeans in the past. Learn how to layer clothing, the different colours and tones that make an outfit look good. Focus on neutral colours, blacks, greys, whites, navy, and focus on quality and fit over brand. Finding the right fit is crucial in looking great, so make sure that the physique underneath the clothes is just as good as the clothes you have on. Your physique is crucial in looking like you can dress well. We have written an article that goes into great depth about “Unleashing Your Physical Potential” we recommend you give this one a read in conjunction with your efforts to changing your dress sense as the combination of the two really come together to increase your value as a man.
Don’t buy cheap items, but again, do not feel the need to buy expensive pieces just for the brand. Brands like Uniqlo, Zara, Abercrombie and Fitch have superb quality for their price points, and will last the test of time. For larger items, for instance coats, or watches, this is where you will see a greater return for your money in terms of spending more.
Learn to dress for your environment. Buy a suit and get it tailored. Preferable dark navy or grey. Keep to plain white and pale blue shirts. Keep to black shoes. For more casual looks, buy a few pairs of dark trousers, a pair of white trainers, and plenty of plain neutral coloured t shirts. Complement these with jumpers, quarter zips and other jackets and begin to develop your own personal style. And maybe begin to move away from hoodies…
No. 5 - Fall in Love / Get Your Heartbroken
In todays age, both men and women are scared of commitment. Dating is often a race of not being the first one to develop emotions for the other person. Don’t be scared of this, and don’t be scared of falling in love and getting your heart broken. The most successful, driven men are often propelled forward by heart break and break ups. Although hard at the time, the energy and drive you can get from these processes is so important. If you can harness the energy and use it for good, your personal development will far excel those that do not have this underlying motivation.
You learn things about yourself and the life lessons are invaluable. Learning to understand relationships with women, and being able to identify how you should approach certain circumstances can only be learnt through trial and error, so do not be scared of relationships and the potential of having your heart broken.
Conclusion
To summarise, in your early 20s, the above processes will sky rocket your self development and value as a man. Although some of these are tough to do, if done properly, the man you are in your 30s will thank you for dedicating yourself to these tasks. Let us know in the comments what you think of our five things all men should do by 22 years old, and if you have any others you think are important too.
