In Perspecitve - A Message To the Men of 2010

In Perspective - A Message to the Men of 2010 By Rodney Hays Last week I wrote a column advising teenagers who might be females of the opposite sex on how to be successful in life. This week it's time to turn to the guys. That's right fellas, this week I want to spend the next 25 or so paragraphs explaining how you too can be successful in life, love and Monopoly. Many senior guys are going through all the decisions now that will affect the rest of their lives. Do I go to college or to a trade school? Do I go to work or join the Air Force? Do I try to buy Park Place or do I save my money to purchase Mediterranean and Baltic Avenues? All of these are tough questions and for that help, I'm probably not the best person to ask. There are some decisions that only the person can answer. But I am somewhat of an expert on success for guys mainly because for most of my life, I have been a guy. So here's four steps for success in life. And when I say "success" I am, of course, talking about "being happy" and "having Cowboys season tickets." 1. Career Path -- The first thing you guys need to do is find something you really want to do. I am a firm believer in that we were all put on this big rock to fulfill something only we can do. We are here to have a positive effect on our family, our friends, our community, our world and if we have time, our local Pancho's Mexican Buffet. When we were boys, when asked what we wanted to be when we grew up we said things like: cowboys, police officers, the president, astronauts and fire fighters. Most of us did not list: plumbers, dance instructors, life coaches and guys that sell hair products out of kiosk at the mall. You know the reason why we put all the cool things when we were young? Because when we were young we appreciated the things that were cool. When we get a little older many of us fall into the trap of appreciating the things that bring us that money, yo. My advice to you for a career is to find something you like to do and do it. It helps to have a job where you enjoy going to work every day and feeling like you make an active contribution to your community and world. Make career choices based on passion, not greed. 2. Handling women folk -- A wise man once said, "if you ever figure out what a woman wants, tell her because she doesn't even know." But you didn't hear that from me. In other words, relationships with the opposite sex are sometimes a lot of work. But that's okay. They are a lot of work for the girls too. But here are a few things that will help make your relationships successful. First, learn to like girls things. You don't have to sip wine spritzers (after your 21, of course) and eat Brie all the time, but if your favorite gal is gonna watch football with you, maybe attend a chick flick every now and again. Second, don't be a jerk. I know you've heard that women like bad boys. And they do. Sometimes they even marry bad boys. But one thing women don't do is stay mentally insane forever. They eventually figure out bad boys and they dump them for good -- usually around 40. Then those bad boys are left to fend for themselves. And some day, when you are 80 and sitting in a booth at the local Dairy Queen in only your underwear, you're gonna wish that girl you were a jerk to was still around to come pick you up before the cops do. But, alas, she has moved on. Lastly, don't allow women to make the decisions for you. As I told the girls last week, it's really easy to follow a girl wherever she wants to go because you are "in love." Just make sure you are before you make any drastic life decisions. 3. Never stop learning -- This is a universal fact. If we stop learning, it is to our own peril. The world is constantly changing and the ones who stay ahead and find true happiness keep an open mind and never stop hearing different points of view. As I've said before, an education is expensive, books are expensive, learning is expensive. Ignorance is even more expensive. Don't stop learning. 4. Always have the right answer — There will be times when faced with the ultimate question from your favorite gal: Am I the same size as her?  At that point it is really good to be honest. The honest answer is always: "Oh god no."  Good luck, fellas. Please don't hesitate to send me questions and invitations to Pancho's. Rodney Hay's blog is at www.rodneyhays.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.