As a man, you recognize that the world is full of challenges and that you need to be able to handle them. But how do you do that?

Skills are like muscles, shrinking if you don’t develop them. This is true in dating, your job, and many areas of your life. Skills are how you differentiate yourself from the competition.

If you aren’t sure what you need to work on yet, here are five essential skills every man should master:

#1 Mental Toughness Skills

Mental toughness is defined as overcoming challenges and setbacks with a positive attitude. It is not about being the smartest or most talented person, it’s about finding a way to make it work, no matter what. To be successful at anything, you need mental toughness. You need to be able to go through difficult times and keep your head up while learning from your mistakes.

#2 Fitness Skills

Men tend to put their physical health on the back burner because they think they are invincible and don’t need exercise or good nutrition. This dangerous mindset can lead to many health problems later in life. Men should strive to stay in shape by incorporating exercise into their daily routine, eating healthy foods, and drinking plenty of water.

#3 Financial Skills

All men have a lot of things on their plate. They are expected to be good providers, protectors, and family men. Unfortunately, many men are not doing a very good job at this. This is where financial skills come into play. Men who learn how to increase their wealth with the right investment tactics and multiply their earning resources, can provide for their family’s needs and wants. This is especially true for men of all ages.

#4 Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is one’s ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It’s the ability to use your feelings to guide your thinking and behavior to achieve your goals.

According to Dr. Bradberry, emotional Intelligence is equally as important as IQ or technical know-how when it comes to success at work and home.

“If you have a high IQ but no EQ, it won’t matter much,” he says in an interview with Forbes magazine. “If you have a low IQ but high EQ, you can still do well.”

As a man, you must know how to manage your emotions to keep yourself healthy, stable, and happy. Here are top reasons why Emotional Intelligence is important for men:

• Helps you build better relationships with others
• Increases your productivity at work
• Improves your physical health
• Helps prevent burnout and stress
• Makes you happier

#5 Survival Skills

How many men could survive in the wild? How many men do you know who could live off the land, even for a week?

Men need to be resourceful and have high utility without the comforts of the modern world. These comforts weakened men and made them consumers without mastery of basic survival skills.

Men need to be able to provide for themselves and their families, and they need to be able to build shelter, find food and water, defend themselves, and treat injuries. This is why learning survival skills are essential for men.

Final Thoughts

The world changes, but some things never will. Skills like the ones above will always be relevant and valuable. So, if you are just a man with a good set of skills— then you’re on the right track.