All of us have inherited a faith or a set of beliefs, even if that’s the belief in having no beliefs. We reach a point when we must transition from the faith we were given, to the faith we own.
The alternative? Being a 35 year-old-man living the faith of a 10 year-old-boy, which unfortunately happens.
A big part of this transition is simply deciding to live according to our beliefs, and not according to our wants.
This idea hits at the heart of the crisis of masculinity today. The world tells us that freedom is doing what we want, when we want, how we want.
When we are children, we try our hardest to get what we want. We live self-centered lives. Men who don’t experience a ‘coming of age’ and transition out of this phase are in for a rude awakening.
Why? Because striving for excellence as a man means putting others’ needs first. Whether you want to be a good husband and father, successful businessman, or valiant community leader, you don’t get there by putting your needs first.
The sooner we can accept that, the sooner we can begin our true pursuit of excellence.