[August 14, 2026] There is nothing like an end-of-week delve into the thoughts of Prof. Jordan Peterson, and today I have a classic. Many of you will reinforce that thought because the core of these ideas are closely linked to the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. If you thought that, you’d be correct. Here are his 10 rules for good men.
Peterson is known for his ability to take complex, and confusing ideas, then say them in such a way that makes it all easy to understand. He has done that with 10 rules for good men. In this he is referring primarily to the relationship between men and women; from the viewpoint of men.
I, for one, am glad that he puts in some effort here. Some of these you will have seen already quoted. My book “55 Rules for a Good Life” moves along similar lines of thought. Writing it was fairly easy. Some of you may already have guessed that there are many more rules than either Peterson or myself lay out in our writings.
Well, I’m beginning to ramble, so here are 10 of Prof. Jordan Peterson’s rules for good men:
- Do not pick on women, under any circumstances. Strength directed at the vulnerable is not strength.
- A good man is a dangerous man who keeps the capacity for violence under voluntary control. The harmless man is not a good man. Be formidable—capable, but disciplined.
- Be civilized, disciplined, and competent. Competence is the foundation of genuine generosity and usefulness.
- Take your proper place in the world. Stand up, carry weight, and occupy the space that responsibility requires.
- Dress well. Presentation signals self-respect and seriousness to yourself and others.
- Do not act like teenage boys; perpetual adolescence is not the pinnacle of life. Grow up. Responsibility and maturity are the path.
- Hedonism and happiness are not the goal. Seek a compelling, worthwhile adventure instead.
- Take on the most difficult challenges that are worth it. Voluntary confrontation of difficulty builds the man.
- Seek the truth without considering the results, and avoid the spirit of deception. Tell the truth, or at least do not lie. Precision and honesty are non-negotiable.
- Make yourself competent and generous. Build real capability, then deploy it in service of others.
The list retains the masculine, responsibility-first, anti-weakness tone that runs through your Peterson-related writing (competence, voluntary control of the “monster,” rejection of the domesticated/harmless ideal, and the call to difficult, meaningful aims).
These rules land hard on us because they don’t soft-pedal the truth. A man who refuses to grow up, who stays soft and aimless, ends up useless to himself and to everyone around him. Peterson keeps pointing back to the same idea the old Stoics knew: you get stronger by choosing hard things on purpose, not by running from them.
I have watched plenty of men waste years chasing comfort and calling it freedom. That path never builds anything lasting. Competence, self-control, and honest speech still matter more than feelings or applause. When a man actually takes responsibility and carries real weight, people notice. They trust him.
My own book tries to push the same direction with more rules because life keeps handing out new challenges. The list above is a solid start. Use it. Test it. Then go build the kind of man who can stand steady when things get rough.
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Please read my books:
More Dr. Jordan Peterson. Thank you, sir for giving us more of what he is about.
This one, number 6 “Do not act like teenage boys; perpetual adolescence is not the pinnacle of life. Grow up. Responsibility and maturity are the path.” Sounds like Gen. Satterfield’s “RULE 16: Stop acting like a 10-Year-Old”.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/rule-16-stop-acting-like-a-10-year-old-2/
Also in his book “55 Rules for a Good Life.” Gee, who would have known. Get your copy today on Amazon.
I really liked this article about Jordan Peterson’s ten rules for good men. The ideas are solid and practical for everyday life. He makes it clear that real strength means protecting people instead of hurting them. Being able to handle hard things but choosing not to use force for no reason shows true control. Competence and discipline matter more than just being nice or soft. Taking responsibility and standing up in the world builds respect from others. Dressing well is a small but important way to show you take yourself seriously. Growing up means leaving childish habits behind and facing real duties. Chasing only fun and comfort never leads to a meaningful life. Picking tough but worthwhile challenges helps a person get stronger. Telling the truth even when it is hard keeps a man honest and trustworthy. Building real skills and then using them to help others creates lasting value. These rules line up with older ideas about living with purpose and self-control. Overall the list gives clear direction for anyone who wants to become a better man.
Hi Tom, sometimes you sound like an AI response but fortunately I know you’re a long-time contributor here at Gen. Satterfield’s website. Thanks for being loyal to him and us. Good points.
No. 1 “Do not pick on women, under any circumstances. ” Best one.
EXCELLENT
Jordan Peterson shared ten rules that help men become better and stronger. General Satterfield says these ideas match old Stoic thinking about responsibility and self-control. A good man never picks on women or uses strength against the weak. Real strength means a man can be dangerous but keeps that power under control. Harmless men are not the same as good men. Men should stay civilized, disciplined, and skilled at useful things. They need to stand up, take their place, and carry real responsibility. Dressing well shows self-respect and seriousness. Men should stop acting like teenagers and grow into mature adults. Happiness from easy pleasures is not the main goal. Instead, men should seek hard challenges that are worth doing and always tell the truth. Building real skill and then using it to help others makes a man useful and trusted. And like Army Vet wrote, be sure to get the General’s book “55 Rules for a Good Life” at Amazon —> https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
⭐️ Another excellent summarization of Prof. Peterson’s core ideas. 👀 Thank you. It is always good to have a reminder. 🤠
Anytime we get more “rules” by Dr. Jordan Peterson, the better. And these are mostly a summary of his views on how we should conduct ourselves if we actually plan on being something that we can be proud of as a useful person to our families, our communities, and our nation.
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I also highly recommend the Peterson-inspired “55 Rules for a Good Life” by Gen. Doug Satterfield. He is a Peterson inspired author. 🫡 I salute Gen. Satterfield for his continued work on these ideas and advancing these ideas, mostly aimed at younger folks.
I appreciate the highlighting of my book, Army Vet. One army vet to another … thanks.
Sir, I agree, and I’ve written it before… you’re books are highly recommended for ANYONE. It matters not your education level, social status, race, creed, sex, etc. .. this book is for you.