People have always been happy to take me under their wing. Whether that is true or not, it gave me a sense of security. And I always asked for help.
Now I am the age of the men who did that for me. An athlete has a peak body. A singer has a peak voice. A dad has the years when he is at his best for his children. For helping other men, I believe the peak is somewhere in our late forties to our sixties. We have made enough mistakes to make fewer, and we have very little left to prove.
We are always helpful. Around this age is the peak of it. Or it should be.
If you are at that age
Someone younger is watching how you handle things: at work, at home, with drink, with bad news. You do not need a title or a programme. You need to answer the phone, and say what you actually think, kindly. boys.guide is about exactly that: lead by example, not by force. If you have hours and experience and nowhere to put them, philanthropic.guide is about giving time rather than money.
If you are younger
Ask. It is the one habit I would keep if I lost every other one. Asking for help is not a weakness. It is how I got most of what I have. Every man is interesting with the right question, and most of the men worth asking are closer than you think.
If there is nobody to ask tonight, start here. Tell me what is going on, and I will point you to the right guide.