Character
“Becoming A Man” Program in Chicago Leads To 44% Reduction In Violent Crime
Featured photo courtesy of: “Uptown Update” The Becoming A Man youth development program (BAM for short) is an intervention that is designed to help at risk teens coming from some of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods approach decision making in a way that aligns with their own interests. A group of Chicago researchers currently have an…
Read MoreIn Defense of Tenacity
Everyone has at least one favorite Jackie Chan movie. I have two: Drunken Master (1978) and Rush Hour (1998). My wife’s favorite is Shanghai Noon (2000), and I’m sure you can think of a ton of other films he’s been in. The thing about Jackie Chan is, he is a beast when it comes to output.…
Read MoreSuccess Is What You Do
Success is rarely a surprise. It isn’t something that just happens to you. When you achieve any measure of success it should always match or exceed an expectation that you set for yourself. A successful individual is someone who takes a calculated approach to all that they do. A Successful Person… …starts with setting very…
Read MoreConscientiousness: The Key To Pretty Much Everything
Conscientiousness: you’ve probably heard the term, and you probably have some idea of what it means (maybe even a very good idea). It’s one of the Big Five personality traits, and it’s received increasing attention over the last decade(s) from not only personality researchers, but also from experts in business, economics, and education. Conscientiousness…
Read MoreTeddy Tells Us: Stop Trying To Be Extraordinary, Just Do What Others Won’t
I love Teddy Roosevelt. You should too. He was a skinny, asthmatic weakling as a kid but believed that he could overcome this through mental focus and hard work. And he did, to become the 26th President of the United States. He came from a wealthy background but was always sure to avoid falling into…
Read MoreTo USC, From A Current Student: Our “Traits of a Trojan” Are Missing Something
At USC, every student is encouraged to develop the five “Traits of a Trojan” which are: Faithful, Scholarly, Skillful, Courageous, and Ambitious. While the practice of any, or all, of these attributes would surely lead to a more gratifying life, none of the five traits encourage a person to follow any sort of moral principles.…
Read MoreTell Peyton Manning and Volkswagen: Dishonesty Always Catches Up To You
As the Peyton Manning and University of Tennessee sexual assault scandal continues to gather momentum after Super Bowl 50, I think it’s time we address a simple little law of living with other human beings in society: Dishonesty only works in the short-term. It makes sense, and aren’t you glad of it? Try living amongst other people…
Read MoreA Quick Guide To “Having Integrity”
What does “having integrity” actually mean? I suspect you guys can’t answer that question very easily. Not to worry, because I imagine most adults much older than you can’t either. Dictionary definitions usually mention something to the effect of being honest and “firmly adhering to sound moral principles.” Wha? Let’s get practical here. It’s easy to…
Read MorePursue Failure Aggressively
As a young man, you’ll often hear “I hope you will succeed.” As you embark on most endeavors, you’ll be sent off with best wishes and good tidings. You’re told that things should go well, and even though they may take hard work, that they should proceed along well established routes, a secure progression towards…
Read MoreWhat Is Character?
Character, as we define it at Young Men’s Nation, means: Maximizing your potential while ensuring that you, and the world around you, are both caring and fair. That phrase covers a lot; more than most men will be able to even achieve in one lifetime. It’s not easy to pull off all of these things, but that’s…
Read More