Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha

trying to improve.
    The nutrition information, the training, and the hormonal optimization in this book—all that stuff is tremendously important. But we could have written that information like any other fitness book. We didn’t do that because we have higher ambitions: we want to change minds as well as bodies. We want to change lives. And part of that is taking ownership of the word Alpha —reshaping it from the ground up, giving it a new definition, and adorning it with new connotations.
    The first step on the path to harnessing your inner Alpha is attaining a higher level of physical prowess. That’s the foundation of what we’ll teach you. But from that physical transformation, other positive traits will follow, such as leadership, kindness, intelligence, and success. Throughout this book, we’ll share the fundamental lessons that will help you become the Alpha who embodies and masters these traits. This is a guide that will not only show you how to become a more efficient and powerful human but also how to live a more fulfilling and prosperous life.
    We understand the Alpha has some connotations that are hard to break. That’s why we want to define the traits so you understand what it really means to be the Alpha. Your evolution will depend on remembering that the poison is in the dose. We’ve identified the traits, but ultimately the Alpha understands when to turn these traits on and off, and when pushing too far leads down a path that is harmful to you and others. We’ll show you those barriers, but it’s up to you to draw the line and stay the path.

    ALPHA TRAIT #1
    Helpful—But Not Condescending
    The drive to become successful isn’t simply a means to a narcissistic and individualistic end. The Alpha understands that taking care of his primary goals is only part of creating the life he wants; the other half is influencing and shaping the world he lives in. It’s taking what you’ve learned—the good and the bad—and being able to pay that knowledge forward and make the world a better place. That is the foundation of this entire book: take the lessons we have learned about how to create an unreal life, combine them with your own life lessons to create your own version, and share them.
    But being helpful has its limits. The Alpha gives advice and encourages others, but he does not look to do things for them. He understands that they need to do things on their own, and while they sometimes may need assistance—whether with advice or guidance—the Alpha realizes that if he were to overstep his bounds and solve the problems for them, they wouldn’t learn. The Alpha doesn’t micromanage the people in his life. That’s not being helpful; that’s being condescending. That is assuming that his own ability to solve problems supersedes that of everyone else.
    Believing that you are the only one who can fix things is the height of egotism, the proverbial, “If you want something done right, just do it yourself.” This mind-set is one of the most damaging opinions you can have. By doing tasks for others, you’re removing their ability to help themselves advance, limiting their growth potential, and imposing your will on them in a way that is not helpful but damaging.
    While being helpful is important, trying to be too helpful can go too far. If you are trying to do everything for everyone, you’re not saying, “I want you to succeed.” What you really mean is, “I don’t think you can do it.” It’s an insult wrapped in a facade of kindness. The Alpha is a leader and a motivator but always in the context of letting the people you’re helping blaze their own path.
    That applies to us, and this book, as well. We don’t think we have all the answers, but we know we have some of them. We’ve discovered certain traits, characteristics, and triggers that can serve as guidelines to help you master the circumstances that dictate your life. And so the purpose of this book is not to solve all your problems for you—it’s to give you the tools to solve them yourself.
    We’ll show you the elements that will make you stronger, smarter, and more confident. These attributes will improve how you look, help you at your job, and boost your sex life—but only when you take those lessons and apply them in your own manner. Keep that in mind for everything you learn; you must apply knowledge in a way that works for you.

    ALPHA TRAIT #2
    Confident—But Not Cocky
    The previous incarnation of the Alpha