The Best of Art of Manliness

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, there are a lot of factors to consider in deciding where to live. To figure out which factors to prioritize, it can be helpful to use what we…

«When thinking about a move, the “sexiness” of certain factors — a hip downtown, access to the beach, a big yard — loom large in your mind as you imagine how these elements will change your life.»

How was your last weekend? Pretty ho-hum, again? Tired of the same go-round of restaurants, landscapes, and entertainment options in your town? Why not take a road trip this weekend? Drive somewhere,…

«It’s a strange phenomenon: people will readily and routinely sit at a desk for eight hours every day, but find the idea of spending the same amount of time sitting in a car unreasonable. This, despite the fact that with the former option, you begin and end the day in the same monotonous spot, whereas with the latter, you get up from your seat in a completely new place.»

In the United States, over sixty percent of people live a sedentary lifestyle. A quarter of the population gets no physical activity at all. Maybe you’re one of these sedentary folks. Physical…

«Dr. Daniel O’Neill, author of Survival of the Fit, defines “physical identity” as the innate human drive we’re all born with to move our bodies through space»

When it comes to the biggest problems in modern Western society, things like obesity, anxiety, depression, and of course, COVID-19, surely rank near the top of the list. Every year, the United States…

Sleep is a weird thing. For several hours at night, we temporarily become unconscious and immobilized while having intermittent bouts of hallucinations. Weirdness aside, sleep is essential for our…

«While melatonin tells you when to get ready for sleep, it isn’t the primary driver of sleepiness. That’s the role of another molecule: adenosine. It’s adenosine that actually makes you feel sleepy.»

You’ve established an exercise routine that has you working out 60 minutes a day. Nice work, champ! Most days, you can stick with that routine. But what do you do when you don’t have an hour to work…

No one likes a person who just talk about themselves. Avoid conversational narcissism with these tips.

In your quest for self-improvement, you’ll likely encounter moments of despair where your current self isn’t anywhere near the ideal self you’ve created in your head. Maybe your ideal self is 50…

«At the end of every month, write down your accomplishments. Be specific. How many times did you work out? How many books did you read?»

For the ancient Greeks, eudaimonia was considered the highest human good. While the word doesn’t easily translate into English, it roughly corresponds to a happy, flourishing life — to a life well…

Stoicism emerged as a philosophy, a way of life — similar to a religion, really — most famously in ancient Rome somewhere around 50-100 AD (even though it was Greeks who pioneered the thinking). Two…

The purpose of the spiritual discipline of study is to take knowledge from head to heart -- to incorporate it into our bones so that it transforms us.

We’ve all had plenty of firsthand social experience. We all know how good it feels to be complimented, appreciated, reached out to. Yet when we contemplate directing such behaviors toward others, we…

Have you ever noticed that at your office or church, a small fraction of people do the lion’s share of the work? This is just one manifestation of what’s called the “80/20 rule.” Once you understand…

«“the vital few” produce the lion’s share of results in life.»

In one of the emails Oliver Burkeman, author of Time Management for Mortals, sent out to his subscribers, he talked about how we typically treat our to-do lists like buckets that we need to empty…

«Try trusting yourself that if a task is important, you’ll eventually want to do it. And that if you never want to do it, it may not actually be important.»

A recent survey by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that reading for pleasure among kids is at an all-time low. The decline is, no surprise here, likely attributed to the…

«Get them a library card. Most libraries allow your kids to get a library card when they’re fairly young. Get your kid one and take them to the library frequently.»

Back in 2015, I started barbell training seriously. Thanks to some great coaching, I was able to get strong. But more importantly, I discovered a hobby that brought me immense satisfaction. I love…

Just as soon as the party invitation, funeral notice, or wedding announcement arrives, the familiar thoughts begin: Do I have to go? Will I be missed if I don’t? Is there any way to get out of this?…