[May 31, 2025] Grow up and go on an adventure. Take on some responsibility. You are answerable to your destiny. A mature adult is a person with the instinctive desire to adopt responsibility for one’s self and others and do so willingly. So stop acting like a 10-year-old and get on with it.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – e. e. cummings
That person is interested in the unknown, yearning to explore, find new things, carry a heavy load, and rebel in a world of safety and conformity.
Mature adulthood is based on the universal and ancient need to be accountable for one’s actions. This mission is the ancient call to adventure and heroism. True enough, the burden is not and will never be easy.
An old story about the Titan god Atlas in Greek mythology makes this point. In this famous story, Atlas carries the world’s weight on his shoulders. Atlas is a universal symbol of endurance, strength, and resoluteness as he calmly bears the pain of responsibility. To this day, Atlas remains one of the most enduring themes in art and literature.
Why is this story so alluring? Why is it that we are sympathetic to Atlas? Why do we admire him so? The answer is that we are instinctively drawn to those who can hold the world (or family, community, team) together and voluntarily bear the weight of its problems.
Choose the weight you have to carry. Choose it so that you can justify your existence to yourself and end your day and think, “Look, I did what I needed to do to set things right today.” And now, you don’t have to feel the shame of your failures. And, as you carry that weight, it will gain you a bit of self-respect, which will carry you through terrible times.
Carrying that heavy load gives your life meaning and keeps despair and depression away. Do those things that make you better, and hold onto the humility necessary to do so. Take on those lowly tasks that need doing, and do them with a smile on your face and contentment in your heart.
Some of your fondest memories will be from those times, your camaraderie with others doing those tasks, and you will look back upon them with a smile and a longing that you may say, “I miss those times.” The “why” is that you carried the responsibility and did so willingly, contently, and thankfully, not with an arrogant attitude.
If you are unhappy, look around and see if there are opportunities, even flawed ones, you can take on. You can exploit those imperfect prospects to learn and grow. Stop acting like a 10-year-old. You are answerable to your destiny.
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Please read my books:
My dad sometimes acts like a 10 year old. Bummer.
I personally don’t think that the message you are delivering here, Gen. Satterfield will get through to those who need it the most. These young men – and also women – will be doing what they like to do such as play computer games or go out partying. That’s their life. Party Party Party or just play play play. This is, of course, no way to live a good life and I’m one of those who has read your book “55 Rules for a Good Life” and read it multiple times. It’s an easy read but you have to read it multiple times to get the heavily packed with facts chapters (each rule has a chapter). Well done!!!!!!
Otto, you’re correct about having to re-read this book. I have it on my desk. I only had one accident when my dog decided to “read” it but chewed it up so bad that I had to order a new book. HA HA HA. Maybe my dog got a lot out of it too.
Fun times with dogs. Good story.
Every day as I walk into town to go about my errands, I see many young men and women acting stupid, lazy, and unashamed at their behavior. How they dress and treat each other is like their parents didn’t properly teach them about respect or how to act like a mature adult. Specially, I see black women – the most immature – tweerking, screaming, fighting, disrespecting others (to black men most often), and generally just out of control. This is what happens when no one is willing to step up and tell them to stop it. Pay attention here folks.
This is EXACTLY the reason I came to be a regular on Gen. Satterfield’s website on leadership. Yeah, don’t be a kid. When you are a kid, do kid things (like Gen. Satterfield regularly writes about). When you are an adult, then do adult things (also Gen. s. writes about). That’s how you can become a regular good person. And also avoid horrible people who will drag you down to their level. And don’t do stupid.
Me too, Forrest. Like others who are regular, we can also see the evolution of Gen. Satterfield’s ideas on leadership as he uses more examples of real leadership and avoiding cowardice. 🙏
Wonderful “Rule 16.” New reader to your blog.
Most of them are lazy and Leftists. But I double tap myself.
Sir, thank you for taking one of my very favorite “rules from your book, “55 Rules for a Good Life” and putting it here. Too many young men want to ‘act’ hip (ie, young) that the are willing to, unknowingly, act and dress like a kid. Big difference in acting like a young spoiled kid and a hip, cool guy. They confuse looks with character. So sad. Like the picture of some random guy at a baseball game shielding his eyes because he’s wearing a baseball cap backward.
Another book by Gen. Satterfield is way overdue. Let’s ask him to write another book. I’ve not heard even a rumor on a new book. My favorite is “Our Longest Year in Iraq.”
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Longest-Year-Iraq-Construction/dp/1737915510/
Be smart, get both his books and learn more about real manly leadership.
Yeah, Gen. Satterfield. Too many of our leaders act and even worse, think like children both emotionally and intellectually (or lack thereof).
My thinking exactly. One example is Nancy Pelosi, a petulant, spoiled, nasty, me-me-me toddler.
“emotional damage”
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