This piece is fantastic. Bonus points for including Signore Agnelli. Not enough men these days, especially here in the States, know about him and to me, he and Rubirosa are the best examples of the 20th century’s best rakes/renaissance men.
It’s never too late to start this. When I turned 49, I wanted to do three things before I turned 50: complete the Great Loop solo on a pontoon boat, the winter Mammoth Sniper Challenge, and a particular endurance event in Normandy, France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. France conflicted with the Great Loop, but achieving other two were life altering. After swearing I wouldn’t do another Mammoth, I did again the next year, in worse weather, and finished as one half of the first team to finish with a combined age over 100. Doing man shit keeps you young and makes you harder to kill.
Fantastic read. Thanks for sharing. Pulling lessons from different areas of life and meaningful experiences to solve problems creatively is one of the clearest signs you’re on the path to becoming a modern renaissance man.
One example that comes to mind is college student-athletes. In my opinion, they often have a real edge in the business world because they’ve spent years showing up every day, working toward a shared goal, and grinding without any guarantee of immediate payoff. Those are two traits every renaissance man should be developing.
My favorite post of yours to date. Items for consideration to add to the list:
- Build to a 3-min breath hold
- Skydive solo
- Raft or kayak level 5 rapids
- Serve: military, first responders, community-based professions or volunteer
Great additions Kyle
Thanks for the considerations Roy. You seem to have a productive mindset on things you can control.
This piece is fantastic. Bonus points for including Signore Agnelli. Not enough men these days, especially here in the States, know about him and to me, he and Rubirosa are the best examples of the 20th century’s best rakes/renaissance men.
this was so good, inspired me to write my own list post, I hope you dont mind that I linked this for giving you credit, my list is here https://open.substack.com/pub/psalmsandperspectives/p/life-is-about-the-side-quests?r=1lvbg2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Build a structure from the ground up.
Join your local volunteer fire department.
What an article! One of the most motivating pieces I have come across. Thank you for writing this!
Love this article! This is the kind of guidance young men need 👏🏻
As a young man , thank you for this , it was definitely needed !
Firearms training, wilderness survival, martial arts and motorcycles are on my list
This is who I want to be.
Thank you so much for this one. Great impact on me
PADI Open Water Scuba certified
How about adding Reading to the list? Literary classics, history, poetry. Grab a book that has too many pages and chip away at it daily.
It’s never too late to start this. When I turned 49, I wanted to do three things before I turned 50: complete the Great Loop solo on a pontoon boat, the winter Mammoth Sniper Challenge, and a particular endurance event in Normandy, France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. France conflicted with the Great Loop, but achieving other two were life altering. After swearing I wouldn’t do another Mammoth, I did again the next year, in worse weather, and finished as one half of the first team to finish with a combined age over 100. Doing man shit keeps you young and makes you harder to kill.
I love this.
Good idea. Be real. Had to chuckle at Churchill he lead Brutain into 2 Wars not thru them.
What if instead I just invent a pseudonym like Jack Krucial and call it a day?
Unfortunately you’re not as blessed as I am with my family lineage, and instead your name is Flounder…
I'm a descendant of the Flounders of Flanders; we were medieval royalty!
Larping on your lineage - what is your body of work exactly?
I make prosthetic wigs for dogs with alopecia
Fantastic read. Thanks for sharing. Pulling lessons from different areas of life and meaningful experiences to solve problems creatively is one of the clearest signs you’re on the path to becoming a modern renaissance man.
One example that comes to mind is college student-athletes. In my opinion, they often have a real edge in the business world because they’ve spent years showing up every day, working toward a shared goal, and grinding without any guarantee of immediate payoff. Those are two traits every renaissance man should be developing.
Well said, fellow scholarship athlete- can vouch