10 Things Every Man Should Do in 2026

Earlier this month, my Dad suggested that I read The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. The book explains in detail what we’ve lost through our unconditional embrace of modern comforts. The physical, mental, and spiritual consequences have been devastating. It’s a great read, and I thoroughly enjoyed 98% of it (more on the other 2% later).

Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis

The author makes a point that we all instinctively know: men need to do hard things. If we don’t have a goal out in the distance to work toward, we generally fall into a state of complacency. Workouts become boring, our diets slip, and the guardrails we have around our vices like alcohol, smoking, etc., tend to fade away.

It’s become cool these days to hate on New Year’s resolutions, but I firmly believe they can serve as a great opportunity to reset and refocus.

Here are some things you can try in 2026 to wake up your body, mind, and soul. It’s less about the actual thing and more about the conscious decision to work toward a goal. I’ve also found that by trying new things, whether mental or physical, the peripheral areas of life (diet, sleep schedule, phone use) tend to fall into line as well.

Let me know how it goes for you!

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1. Regularly overdress

This one won’t be too hard, but it may be awkward at first.

Whether it’s church, air travel, or even just work, consider going a step or two above what’s required. The funny thing about this one is that dressing nice tends to make the people around you insecure. I wore a tie to Christmas Eve service last week as I was tasked with giving the closing prayer, and no less than three other men (all of them my friends) made sarcastic comments about “making us look bad” and wished me luck on my job interview.

Some guys I work with are strangely proud that they haven’t worn a tie in 5, 10, 20 years, as if never dressing up is some sort of badge of honor.

But when you dress nice, your mindset inevitably follows. There is no worse feeling than “working” from home and looking around at 2:30 PM only to realize I never showered or changed out of my workout clothes. You just feel unproductive, unfocused, lazy, and sloppy.

The opposite is also true. My team generally has in-person meetings on Monday mornings, and so I get up early, hit the gym, shower and shave, and put on my best work clothes (slacks, dress shirt, blazer, and loafers, usually). The difference in productivity and the way I carry myself around others is dramatic. I even drink more water, eat healthier, and think more clearly.

When you dress well, you tell the people around you they’re worth your time and energy. I’m not saying you need to wear a tie to the grocery store, but then again, that may be exactly what you need to do. I think you’ll be surprised by the way people treat you when you look like you care.

2. Sign up for something hard