"Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy."

- Robert H. Heinlein

Check your blood pressure, have a cat scan and test your blood sugar, but here is the most simple and cost effective test any man can take for his health. Look down and tell me what you see. Do you see your belly button or your little soldier? When all you see is belly then either your little guy is in fact little or your gut has grown out a too far. Since every major health study says having a large waistline is the first indicator for elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes... you just failed the test!

Imagine the left side of your face paralyzed from a stroke or having your right foot amputated because of diabetes, it's tough to be happy when you think about your health that way. Besides not dying an uncomfortable death, there are many other benefits to practicing a healthy life. Exercise regularly and you'll have more energy. With more oomph in your day, playing with your children is actually fun (since you can keep up with them). Increased energy translates to more productivity at work and a more productive sex life. 

Practice eating healthy foods and your body will function as it's supposed to. Your memory will get better, your joints won't ache as much and you'll be in a better mood. Living a healthy lifestyle will not only help you live longer, but you'll save you money too! How much do you think a trip to the hospital will cost after that stroke? I'm guess you would be happy with less medical bills and saving time by not sitting in the doctor's waiting room.

There are thousands of surveys, scientific research studies and expert opinions about what makes a man happy. With all of those people trying to find the answers there are thousands different conclusions, but there is always one consistency. Healthy people are happier! Your body and its health are the most important aspect of a Happy Man, so start practicing today.

When you look at the equation (HW + C = GJ), it seems pretty simple. So when many high school and college students hear this, they think "Great, all I have to do is get good grades and I'll get a good career." To anyone who still has college in front of them, it seems quite plausible because it's coming from a credible source (parents and teachers). Why would anyone in today's world want to give their child such a false sense of security or entitlement?

Yep, I said entitlement! By the time your teenager is three-quarters of the way through college, he or she has heard this line a thousand times. If you were told a thousand times by Harvard doctors that ice cream had no fat and was good for you, you'd believe it too. There's a natural tendency now of a college student to think, "Since I put in all of this hard work here at the University of Wherever, I deserve a good job." This couldn't be farther from reality!  

Growing up I heard this all of the time. Now that I'm a parent, I'm amazed at the number of other parents who are still saying the exact same thing to their children. I am by no means against the idea of going to college, education and more education are crucial to society and personal growth. I just want the next generation to be better prepared for the "real world." Also, keep in mind this is not just an investment in your future anymore, college could be a huge $$$$ commitment too. Have a solid plan to pay for your tuition. When anyone is deciding to further their education, stop and think about why you're doing it. Don't just go because you're supposed to; find a major you're passionate about and learn it better than anyone else.

Here's my updated formula for a successful career:

Hard work + experience + education + life lessons + passion + opportunity + a little bit of luck = a great career

Let's assume you get the chance to sit down to dinner with the family. Your wife made chicken parmesan, green beans, garlic bread and a nice salad (sounds pretty good). About ten minutes into the meal your cell phone rings, what do you do?

a)      Excuse yourself to get up and answer it.

b)      Flip it open at the table, look at the caller ID, and answer it.

c)       Let it ring until the call goes to voicemail.

Quite often your first instinct would be to do either "a" or "b", especially if it's your boss calling. What message does that send to your children? This attitude says that work and anyone else calling is more important than them. Then before you know it your teenage daughter's cell phone is buzzing nonstop and what do you say to her when she wants to answer it during dinner? Parents are experts when it comes to the cliché, "do as I say, not as I do." Here's a better catchphrase for parents who want to be a role model for their children, "do as I do and do it right."

Have you seen any of your bad habits show up in your children's behavior? It certainly doesn't feel good when you see that, but the opposite is true too. When your kids display excellent behavior... you're one proud parent!