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3. Be willing to fail.
A man is willing to make mistakes. Hes willing to be wrong. Hed rather try and fail than do nothing. A mans self-trust is one of his greatest assets. When he second-guesses himself by worrying about failure, he diminishes himself. An intelligent man considers the prospect of failure, but he doesnt preoccupy himself with pointless worry. He accepts that if a failure outcome occurs, he can deal with it.
A man grows more from failure than he does from success. Success cannot test his resolve in the way that failure can. Success has its challenges, but a man learns more about himself when he takes on challenges that involve risk. When a man plays it safe, his vitality is lost, and he loses his edge.
4. Be confident.
A man speaks and acts with confidence. He owns his attitude. A man doesnt adopt a confident posture because he knows hell succeed. He often knows that failure is a likely outcome. But when the odds of success are clearly against him, he still exudes confidence. It isnt because hes ignorant or suffering from denial. Its because hes proving to himself that he has the strength to transcend his self-doubt. This builds his courage and persistence, two of his most valuable allies. A man is willing to be defeated by the world. Hes willing to be taken down by circumstances beyond his control. But he refuses to be overwhelmed by his own self-doubt. He knows that when he stops trusting himself, he is surely lost. Hell surrender to fate when necessary, but he wont surrender to fear.
A man channels his sexual energy into his heart-centered pursuits. He feels such energy pulsing within him, driving him to action. He feels uncomfortable standing still. He allows his sexual energy to explode through his heart, not just his genitals.
A man chooses his friends, lovers, and associates consciously. He actively seeks out the company of people who inspire and challenge him, and he willingly sheds those who hold him back. A man doesnt blame others for his relationship problems. When a relationship is no longer compatible with his heart-centered path, he initiates the break-up and departs without blame or guilt. A man holds himself accountable for the relationships he allows into his life. He holds others accountable for their behavior, but he holds himself accountable for his decision to tolerate such behavior. A man teaches others how to treat him by the relationships hes willing to allow into his life. A man refuses to fill his life with negative or destructive relationships; he knows thats a form of self -abuse.
1. Be as contradictory as possible.
"People tell you who they are, but we ignore itbecause we want them to be who we want them to be." In Don's own words lies his personal brand of intrigue. Don's most detestable actions clearly tell us who he is (an insatiable womanizer driven by selfish desires), but we still want to see him as more. Don is a lovable scoundrel only because he evades definition. We watch him baiting a flight attendant with elaborate lies just after he's warmed a glass of milk for his pregnant wife. We see him unleash of spitfire of insults on an unwilling client, and minutes later he's gently encouraging Peggy. We see him asking to be slapped by a prostitute, and just minutes later he's the warm, caring father instilling values in his children. Don's faults are just as integral to his swagger as his strengths, if not more so. His charisma is derived from this sense of conflict. He is both the bad boy and the gentleman, and he is wildly unpredictable because of this dichotomy. He is a walking enigma that begs to be dissected, and yes, humped. Harness your own set of contradictions. Don't shy away from inconsistencies, embrace them with an unbridled panache of Don Draper. Believe you are "beautiful...interesting and modern" like Frank O'Hara insists, but balance that with the "catastrophe of [your] personality. You are not wholly good or bad. You too are a walking enigma, a nut that people will clamor to crack. When they're scratching at your door, desperately wanting into your head, you can thank us.
Women hope they hold the magic key to his mystery-shrouded heart and men vie to be his confidant (remember Roger feeding him martinis and prodding him about his marriage?). Like Don's Right Guard slogan, the people around him want "any excuse to get closer" to the enigma that is Don Draper. Play up the riddle of your personality by being intensely private and acting as if you too have something to hide (even if you don't) and the people around you will be entranced with the idea of unraveling the conundrum.
5. Rather than trying to earn the respect of others, make them work for yours.
Don is impervious to the opinions of others. At least, that's what his co-workers would claim, after watching him walk out on countless clients because he finds their ideas to be dull and uninventive. Don never acts as though he needs anyone. He believes his worthiness of respect comes from his work. He doesn't feel the need to overcompensate in other areas and abhors when he's asked to(see the shade he throws Conrad Hilton when he's asked for personal advice and called in for seemingly meaningless late-night chats). His exasperated glances seem to say, "Doesn't my work speak for me?" He resents being tested, because he prefers to do the testing. Think of Pete, and the way he always seems to respect Don almost as if by default, and craves his acceptance more than his wife Trudy's or even his own father's. Don doesn't dote on Pete, or dole out plentiful compliments like Lane. He gives him tough love, frequently pointing out Pete's failings while rarely apologizing for his own.
It's not fair, but it is effective. Take a tip from Don: Rarely apologize or admit your mistakes. Instead, act as if your every error is justified and purposeful. You're the creative man, and creative men don't make mistakes. They make bold moves simple minds can't understand.
Airlines, even when it means snagging a more lucrative client, American Airlines. He drinks like a gentleman (well, at least for seasons one, two, and three), and generally tempers his mouth and curbs his behavior when he's in the company of a woman. He sympathizes with the plights of others less fortunate, which we see when he gives Midge cash for her crappy "Look ma, I made this while doing heroin" painting, and in the way he tirelessly mentors Peggy. Ninety percent of the time, do the right thing, and demand the same of your company. The other 10% have no regard for anything but your own selfish desires. More on those later.