Every man needs a woman to help him man up and succeed

A woman holding a man's hand [iStockphoto]

Every man, at some point, must transition from a boy to a man. Traditionally, society has understood this as a critical rite of passage, often marked by rituals like circumcision, designed to instil a sense of responsibility. The goal is simple: transform the carefree, joke-cracking boy into a focused, serious man—a leader who can provide for and protect his community.

But here’s the twist—while society demands that men become responsible, women play a pivotal role in shaping that responsibility. A well-groomed, articulate, and seemingly harmless woman is often deemed the perfect candidate to be embraced into a man’s life, granted access to his space, and, perhaps most importantly, his wealth.

The same, however, cannot be said for men. A man who is cute but broke? A total turn-off. A woman wants a provider, not just a pretty face. Being a man, in society’s eyes, is all about performance. It’s the ultimate key performance indicator (KPI).

Women aren’t interested in a kind man who can’t afford dinner. An uneducated but humble guy? No thanks. A God-fearing man with no roof over his head? Not happening. Chivalry, intelligence, and other such qualities are nice, but they pale in comparison to money. When women claim to be “sapiosexual,” they’re really saying they want to engage in deep conversation over a glass of wine—a wine that, crucially, the man has paid for with his hard-earned cash.

Women have a unique talent for bringing out greatness in a man. The daughter of Jezebel doesn’t even have to say much—just a subtle glance at a man driving a nicer car can send a clear, nonverbal message: “Step up your game, or someone else will.” This silent pressure propels men to work harder, to upgrade from that old car to something that will keep their woman smiling—at them, not the guy in the shiny new Outlander.

When society pushes a man to marry, it’s not just about tying the knot—it’s about fine-tuning his sense of responsibility. Many young men shed their reckless habits after marriage, not just because of the energy they expend “horizontally after dusk,” but because the prospect of a child on the way changes everything. The mere mention of a missed period can awaken a man’s primal instincts to hunt for wealth and secure his family’s future. Perhaps this is why God took Adam’s rib to create Eve—without her, Adam might have spent his entire life lounging in the Garden of Eden, munching on free fruit without caring to expand it.

I repeat, every man needs a woman.