Honesty is the best policy. The truth will set you free. A man is only as good as his word. None of these clichés may seem to ring true any more, but I still believe being honest is one of the most important traits in manning up. While many people will go back on their word at the earliest inconvenience, think how much better the world would be if we could rely on people to keep their word (unless you’re a lawyer since there’s a good chance you’d be out of a job). To be honest, this has been a hard post to write because it is hard to make a logical case to operate with a code that no one else is. However, I choose to believe that honesty is still the best policy.
Imagine a world where we can rely on the words of those we interact with, when we didn’t have to rely on contracts and a system of courts to ensure people did what they said they would do. How would we get to such a place? Would it not require individual people refusing to conform with what is expected of them, to rebel against societal expectations and blaze their own path. Revolutions start small but they can grow. I think very few people would argue that this would not be a better world to live in, but who will take the difficult first steps to create this world? A man who is manning up of course.
Where do you start on this path? First, be honest with yourself. It is incredibly difficult to be honest with others if you’re still lying to yourself. If you’re like many men, you may not be very good at identifying and understanding any of the feelings, issues or experiences that may be behind the lies you tell yourself and this will likely require some inner reflection and possibly outside opinions from those you trust and are close enough to you to know and even though it may be taboo in some circles, it may require help from a professional therapist, counselor or psychiatrist to help deal with that baggage. Next, be honest with those closest to you. These are the people you have the most interactions with and therefore the most opportunities to be dishonest, but will also have the most personal consequences. Finally, be honest with everyone else you interact with. This may seem to be the least practical to implement, especially for those who work in professions where dishonesty is expected in order to get ahead, make a sale or close a deal, or when going back on your word seems like the best way to get out of a decision you regret, but it remains crucial to creating any change. This revolution is possible, but it requires some brave men to help lead the way.
