[originally a question asked on Quora so I answered]

I’m 50. Here’s what a man should know:

A) Quit Your Job

You can’t get rich at a job. You have to get rich by either starting a business or having multiple streams of income. A job is only one stream of income. “Me, Inc.” should diversify.

Don’t quit your job tomorrow. I didn’t quit my job until I had my side business going for 18 months. Be responsible. Just do it over time but every day move towards this goal.

Why do you need to get rich? Is this particular to a man?

Not really. Women should absolutely do this also. But historically, men in our society have been the bread earners and you will feel better about yourself if you can do it.

So do it.

B) Don’t Let Someone Else Validate You

If you want to make a TV show, make a video. If you want to write a book, write it and self-publish.

If you want to be an investment banker, find one company that wants to get sold and another company that wants to buy it and put yourself in the middle. You don’t need to be “chosen” by Goldman Sachs.

If you want an education, find a way to learn online. You don’t need to get a degree in X to be X (unless legally).

C) Health.

Men die earlier than women.

There’s really only three keys to better health. I’ll add a fourth.

Sleep well. Eat well. Low stress. And to help all of the above, exercise.

Stress to me is obvious. My dad had the stroke that killed him while in the middle of an argument about money.

I know I get sick if I don’t sleep. And I feel miserable if I don’t eat well. So that’s it for me. I don’t need to read any books on the topic.

Fill in the blanks how you want to get the above done. It doesn’t matter. As long as you are aware of how important the above four are, if you want high quality of life into old age, then you will do it.

D) Don’t Outsource Your Self-Esteem

Sometimes I’ve met a woman and I’ve basically given her all of my self-esteem to take care of.

Then she gets tired of me, bored of me, and dumps me, and now she’s taken my self-esteem away until I find it again.

It’s hard enough for any one person to manage their own self-esteem, let alone yours.

Take care of your own self-esteem.

E) Creativity

When you are creative, you become competent. Every day try to do one creative thing a day that makes you feel good.

This is one way to make yourself your priority and never anyone else.

Why? Because your own interpretation of the beauty or horror of the world will be unique. Will be yours. Own it.

Does this seem selfish? It totally is.

But 1% a day improvement in creativity compounds you into a giant among people.

You will feel good, you will have better relationships with people, you will be able to do what you want.

Oh, there’s one more and it’s basically obvious. Always be honest. See? Obvious.

Do I do these things? I can tell you that when I haven’t my life has fallen apart. And when I have, I can do whatever I want.

Related reading: Life is Like a Game. Here’s How You Master ANY Game