” – Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield I recently made a comment online that men are born protectors.
Men are born to be protectors or predators – and have the freedom to choose which path to walk.
Do we have to think that men and woman are by extension the same? Clearly we are not – our roles and capabilities are different.
I’m not going to risk defining the role of a woman, but let me point out one essential variant between the sexes.
Do we have enough protectors? It’s pretty obvious looking around that most men have forgotten their role as protectors.
We need more men to step up and bring some balance to the equation.
How does a man step into the role of protector? The first and most essential step is to accept the responsibility.
There comes a time when a man has to step into his power, draw a line in the sand and decide that bad things won’t happen to people around him on his watch.
The circle of protection you create around yourself can be small – maybe just your immediate family.
How big or small your circle of protection needs to be is a very personal choice, but whatever the size of perimeter you are going to hold, you need to have a calm certainty that you are willing to put yourself between those inside it and danger, should the need arise.
Again, being a protector is much more about being willing to take hits for others than about kicking ass or acting tough.
Once you’ve made the decision to play the protector role, you need to start paying better attention.
Most people walk around asleep or staring at the ground.
You just need to be in decent shape, with functional strength and a little bit of presence.
You need to be able to lift yourself up over objects or carry someone to safety.
It’s hard to feel like a protector if you don’t look the part at least a little.
Sharpen your mind to sharpen your awareness With the body in better shape, you need to work even harder on training your mind.
Not only will this be your greatest asset in a crisis, but others around you will feel it and find a feeling of safety in the clear space around you.
Moving into the role of a protector for those around you is a process.
As you work on yourself and develop, you’ll slowly discover yourself creating a feeling of safety for others, and they will want to be around you for the subtle protection you offer.
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