Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha

was always thought of as cocky. As we already stated, you know the alpha male as the guy who put others down to elevate himself. The redefined Alpha is not characterized by some overt cockiness that is projected to hide deeper insecurities but rather by a true confidence, an honest assessment of his strengths and weaknesses as well as what he can immediately achieve and what he needs to work on. The true Alpha doesn’t need to put others down to feel better. His assessment of self isn’t defined by a comparative analysis. It’s an internal drive that fuels motivation and success.
    Therefore, the Alpha elevates others to display his confidence in his ability to share thoughts, ideas, and plans that can positively influence the world around him and the people in it. If you have good ideas, you should share them. If you think you can help people, then you should take action. If you think you’re the right guy for a woman, then you should prove it to her. This is what confidence enables—taking action in every form possible. But that action should never be used to denigrate another individual. When you accept who you are and appreciate who you can be, your confidence immediately becomes much more genuine, your insecurities become less potent, you create more control, and you experience more success.

    ALPHA TRAIT #3
    Vain—But Not Conceited
    Listen, there should be an understanding that good-looking people can go a little farther in this world. It’s not a hard-line rule, but it is a general observation that has been proven over and over again. English researchers found that men who are rated as more attractive also happen to make more money in their jobs and have higher positions. This is just a correlation, but it’s not the only study that has recognized the relationship.
    A little bit of vanity is a good thing because it’s really just a manifestation of wanting to take care of yourself. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you exude an energy that improves your world and the world of the people you interact with.
    Just like extreme cockiness is the bad side of confidence, the downside of vanity is when it progresses to conceit. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be ridiculously good-looking. The problems only begin when you start believing that because you’re good-looking—or more muscular or leaner or smarter or wealthier—that you’re better than everyone else. That’s conceit.
    The Alpha understands this differentiation. He doesn’t want to improve his body to be better than others. Instead, the focus is about the feelings of achievement that go along with reshaping his body. The process of self-improvement makes him feel better as a means of inspiring his confidence and building a precedent of success. As you’ll find out later in the book, creating physical success is a gateway to generating success in every other aspect of your life.
    The Alpha knows this and realizes that while looks or brains or money or muscles may give him an edge, they don’t make him a better person. His value is determined by his actions and what he does for other people and the world.

    ALPHA TRAIT #4
    Prideful—But Not Arrogant
    The difference between pride and arrogance is a fine line but one that separates those men who inspire from those considered assholes. Everything depends on how you react to your success. Do you share your successes as a means to promote more creative and progressive thought—or do you expect things to happen because of what you’ve already accomplished?
    Arrogance is assuming that, because you’ve reached a certain level, you’re entitled to certain privileges and opportunities. People who rest on their laurels are arrogant. On the other hand, pride is acknowledging your success but always retaining the mind-set of an intern. You have to earn every opportunity, hustle for every success, and prove yourself over and over again—no matter who you are and what you’ve done previously.
    The difference between these two qualities is easily differentiated. Do you talk about your prior successes as a means to create new opportunities for yourself and others, or is it done with the expectation that people will automatically react with reverence and feel humbled in your presence? Are you looking to always work hard—on your projects or partnerships—or are you simply looking for a way to beat the system and receive what you think you should be given?
    The Alpha