Some people say that people never change. I think that can certainly be true in particular cases, but as a man, I hold on to the hope that I can always improve. In a world where men have such a bad reputation, there are certainly things that we, as a gender as a whole, could do better. Past generations of men didn’t quite have the mass media to tarnish their reputations, but over the years I believe that we have certainly lost a step. But that does not mean that we can’t get it back.

At our core, we have to hold on to our ambitions and dreams. In today’s society, I see so many men give up on their dreams. Dreams that could one day change the world. When things get hard, they give up on visions of a future for themselves and others that could be truly great. With the instant gratification that we have all become so used to, we try to eat the metaphorical elephant all at once. By establishing smaller goals along the path to our dream, we can have both triumphs to celebrate and failures to learn from.

We also can not be afraid to put in the work for these dreams. Good men never shy away from hard work. Too often we get discouraged because something is difficult or life brings us down and even kicks us when we are down. But we can not give up and take the easy way out. Some of the greatest men in history have dealt with horrible loss, despicable discrimination and countless failures. Then they picked themselves up and worked even harder than before to achieve things that others told them were impossible.

Much of the time, great men such as these drew from the strength of the ones closest to them. Women are just as strong as men, and in many cases, they're stronger. Becoming a better man means treating women with respect. They are not conquest or objects, they are people just like you. They are not a number to tally up with each night that you spend in bed with a different one. Care about them, and if you love them, show them that. But never treat them like an object.

You can only care about others if you first care about yourself. Take pride in your appearance for your own sake. Look after your body. It is the only one you will ever get. If not for yourself then for others. Take care of your obligations and finances. Lastly, when you have yourself taken care of, take care of others. Being altruistic is one of the best traits a man can have. By giving to others, you can achieve things in your life that not only make you a better man but a better human being. Don't just read my words, try them for yourself. Be a better man.