Cowboy, Pirate, or Samurai?

There was a boyfriend test circulating on TikTok earlier in the year, designed to help give women an insight into what kind of guy you see yourself as: Cowboy, Pirate, or Samurai? My immediate response was samurai. I believe and teach that all men need a code. The Way of the Warrior (or Bushido) is a code I can relate to as a man, a husband, and a father. The excerpt below breaks it down: The 8 Virtues of Bushido

As popularized in modern interpretations like Inazo Nitobe's 1899 book Bushido: The Soul of Japan, the code is centered on these core virtues: 

• Gi (Rectitude or Justice): Acting with moral integrity and making the right decisions without wavering.
  

• Yu (Courage): Having the strength to do what is right, even when afraid.
  

• Jin (Benevolence or Compassion): Showing love, sympathy, and mercy toward others.
  

• Rei (Respect or Politeness): Practicing courtesy and etiquette toward all, including enemies.
  

• Makoto (Honesty or Sincerity): Being truthful in both word and deed; speaking and doing are the same action.
  

• Meiyo (Honor): Maintaining a deep sense of personal dignity and worth.
  

• Chugi (Loyalty): Unwavering devotion to one's lord, family, and duty.
  

• Jiseki (Self-Control or Character): Mastering one's emotions and impulses to maintain a stoic and steady mind.

So let's simplify that.

1. Make good choices, and stand by them.
   

2. Man up and do the thing, whatever it is, even when you're afraid. Actually, especially when you're afraid. That's how you build courage.
   

3. Being nice isn't weakness, it's strength. Don't believe the macho hype train that says mercilessness is alpha. Good men are gentle men. Not weak men, but strong men who choose to be gentle and compassionate.
   

4. Courtesy and etiquette towards all, including your rivals. Case in point, I'd whoop someone's ass if they needed it whooped, but I'd fight fair. And I'd help them to their feet afterward. We're here to teach each other, not to spiritually defeat each other.
   

5. Keep it real. Tell the truth, and make your actions match your words. Even if you can get away with it and no one will ever know, do the right thing anyway. Be a man of character.
   

6. Self esteem is rooted is how you are perceived. Self worth comes from knowing who you are. Meditate until you know who you are. Again: MEDITATE until you know who YOU ARE.
   

7. Serve your family. Serve your brotherhood. Earn your rank. Do your job.
   

8. A reaction is impulsive. A response shows self-mastery. Be a man. Always respond from a place of reason, not emotional reaction.

A lot of people are spinning their wheels right now, thinking about the things they're going to do differently in the New Year. Be a samurai. Sit. Be still. Hammer out your code. Begin the practice right now. And now. And now. Distraction? Just redirect. Anger? Breathe. Teach yourself to be a man, in this moment. In. THIS. Moment. Practice, practice, practice. Embrace the grind like a warrior. Calm your mind like a master. Your motto for 2026 is: I WILL. And then do the damn thing, or die trying.