The two-faced man is essential to society.

I've met men who are nice, and pathetic.

I've also met men who are strong, dependable, and nice.

And whilst I've seen many traits in many men...

A man can’t just be nice.

That’s not enough.

You need two sides.

The light and the dark.

You must be able to harness the power of both at the right moment.

But equally, you must be able to switch between the two in an instant if the situation demands it.

Especially if you have a wife, partner, and or kids.

I got thinking about this idea during a photoshoot with Lorentz Gullachsen - Photographer-portraits-marketing.

His idea for the shot was the 2-sides of a man, the light and the dark.

And that most men wear a mask at some point to cover one or both.

I'll share the picture below so you get what I mean.

But let's give you some examples of where I see this.

Your light side is what makes you a good man:

• Being kind to your kids.
• Loving the woman in your life properly.
• Helping people, showing up for your mates and colleagues.
• Laughing, having fun, enjoying life.

All good things.

But if that’s all you’ve got?

You’re weak.

Because one day, life will test you.

I know this myself but also from speaking to HUNDREDS of men...

...at events, podcasts, coaching, and just in general life.

And if you’ve got no dark side? You’ll fold.

A man’s dark side is what makes him dangerous. In the right way.

• If someone threatens your family, you fight if needed, or deal with the situation with an air of authority and calm. No hesitation.
• If your wife or kids need you, you don’t moan, you show up no matter how tired or stressed you are without the expectation of something in return.
• If life knocks you down, you get back up. Not when it feels good. When it’s necessary, and that's where systems beat motivation.
• If someone tries to take your freedom away you stand up for what you believe in and do what's necessary to change things.
• If the odds are stacked against you, you dig deep in your core and do a total life reset if needed, to strip away the old you and reinvent yourself even if your pride takes a beating.
• You are prepared to have difficult conversations at work or home to clear the air and make progress on issues that can hold others back.

There's loads more I could add but you get the point.

The way I see it, a man with no dark side is just a boy who hopes life will be kind to him.

But a man with both?

That’s someone people trust.

Someone who can handle life when it gets ugly.

And life will get ugly.

Then it's up to you to show up as the man you know you can be.

Most men wait until life forces them to toughen up.

Be smarter than that.

Consider if you need to work on your dark side.

Btw, I've just finished writing a short book which talks about how a man moves from stuck to making progress.

And that a man needs his dark side as much as his light.

The Ignite Book teaches you how to build this version of yourself (out soon)

But before that, come and join me and a load of other growth-focused men.

The Adventurer Experience? That’s where you put it into action.

Catch you next week

And remember, the world needs strong men.

Be one of them.

Anthony

Director - Whole Man Academy