Every man wants to be the best that they can possibly be, and succeed to the greatest extent possible. Men want to succeed not just at their jobs, but also with women, with money, with prestige, and with power.
And as it turns out, alpha males have huge advantages in all of these different categories.
Today, we’re taking a look at the 12 alpha male strategies that you need to adopt to get everything you want in life.
1. APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE
Even if it’s not what you’d ideally like. There’s nothing wrong with ambition or hashtag goals, but one of the worst side effects of the alpha male myth is that it conditions you to always want what the next guy has. And even if you get that, there’s always someone further up the food chain to envy.
We’re on what Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls a ‘satisfaction treadmill’, and social media has pressed the ‘increase pace’ button. So, stop trying to look for the next best thing. Don’t worry what other people think of you, apart from the few who really matter. The real achievement in life is learning to be happy with your lot, comfortable in your skin. Because if you don’t, then no amount of professional success, material possessions, or romantic conquests will ever satisfy you.
2. BE FIT FOR A PURPOSE
It’s not much use being able to bench-press a 100 if you can’t sprint for a bus, or run a marathon if you can’t lift a shopping bag.
Your physical appearance is a consequence of your abilities, so by concentrating on your abilities, like cycling farther, you’ll in turn enhance the physical form with the bonus of genuine strength or endurance and without the narcissism that comes from gazing too long and longingly into the mirror or at the scales.
You may think that bulging biceps or killer abs will make you more attractive, and they might, from a distance. But if you become completely self-absorbed in the process of building yourself up, then you’ll make yourself deeply unattractive to be around.
No one would want to stick around if the only thing you care about is the way you “look”.
3. WORK ON YOUR POSTURE
Amy Cuddy gives an incredible Ted Talk with almost ten million views on this subject. In the talk, she describes evidence that supports the idea that your body language shapes who you are. If you go about your daily life with your head down and a hunched back, these are subordinate postures that will result in a subordinate attitude. Instead, you want to begin to stand tall, look people in the eye, and walk like you mean business.
4. THE COMFORT ZONE
Do not simply step outside of your comfort zone; make your lifestyle completely outside of the comfort zone. The alpha personality lives in the uncomfortable zone. Bring more enterprise into your life. Enterprise means “An undertaking, especially one of some scope, complication, and risk.” Strive to be described by others as a “risk-taker.” There are very few worthwhile rewards that come without risk.
It was definitely a risk for Elon Musk to start SpaceX which suffered so many disasters in its wake. But fast forward to nearly 2 decades and it is the biggest privately-owned space company that even sent NASA astronauts to the ISS this year! Talk about high risk, high reward.
5. STOP FOLLOWING. START LEADING
How do you jump that fence? People will follow those who have a clear vision and audacity to step out toward a new venture. The fascinating thing about becoming a leader is that the moment you decide to take control of your own life, you have become a leader — a leader for yourself. This is the first act in ceasing to be a follower. The alpha personality leads him or herself first and foremost. Beginning to lead yourself will inevitably begin to lead others.
6. DON’T PRETEND TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS
Don’t pretend to know more than you don’t. Some of the most spectacular failures occur when people, usually men, overestimate their expertise and won’t admit it or change tack even when it becomes clear that they were wrong.
If you mess up, then own it, own up and apologize. And never be afraid to ask someone who knows more than you for advice, even if you worry that you’ll look less competent as a result. You’ll even end up looking more mature in this process. Asking someone for help makes them feel special and wanted and allows people to see eye-to-eye with you. It’s one of the easiest and most effective life hacks, along with reading books.
7. SMILE
Convey charm and charisma. Humans have a fascinating mechanism called “mirror-neurons.” We naturally reflect and take on the vibes and actions of the person we are engaged with. If you are able to make others feel great, you will be the kind of person that others want to spend more time with, and subsequently be more influential.
8. FORGET THE “BYSTANDER” EFFECT
There was a tragic event in New York in 1964 that spawned the name for this syndrome. A woman was murdered and though her screams were heard, nobody called the police. Everyone assumed that someone else would do it! The alpha personality does not wait for anyone else to get the job done. If you see any situation that needs to be resolved, step in and do it without hesitation.
9. DRESS TO IMPRESS
We have all heard the phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This is actually Impossible. Unless you just happen to have the ability to jump inside someone’s mind and read their personality, your cover and the way you dress is going to be exactly what people judge you by, whether you like it or not. In fact, the way you dress is very much an expression of your personality. The alpha personality is sharp and slick with no room for any fluff. You should be very comfortable with a photo of you being put on the front cover of ‘Success Magazine’.
10. FIND A MENTOR
Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend most time with.”
Indeed, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Every great athlete has a coach. Every successful businessman has a mentor. Seek out the person who embodies the alpha personality that you desire and begin to learn from them. Do not be afraid to reach out. Give them a call or send them an email.
11. BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS
Very few people in life actively want to fail, whether in the office or on the five-a-side pitch. So, if somebody is struggling, balling them out like a drill sergeant is unlikely to elicit a miraculous uptick in performance. Maybe try to encourage them, or understand the circumstances behind why they’re failing.
It could be that they don’t have what they need, or know what to do, or have something else going on in their life that’s making things hard. They’re almost certainly not failing because of a lack of effort, care, or respect. Defying the Hell’s Kitchen cliché, chef Heston Blumenthal never shouts at his staff: if they make a mistake, he believes that’s because he hasn’t trained them properly.
12. IT ALL STARTS WITH A VISION
The revolutionary, Mahatma Gandhi, makes the profound statement, “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”
There are no words that can fully convey the power that lies in creating a clear vision in your mind for the future reality that you desire. Successful people of various backgrounds, such as professional athletes, use visualization. Replaying the successful outcome that they desire before they step out to engage in the specific activity. See yourself as an embodiment of the alpha personality, the successful, confident, charismatic person who naturally captures the attention of everyone in the room.
Planning on implementing these strategies? Let us know which ones in the comments below.
