Every young man should have a hard, dirty job in his late teens.

Start at sixteen or seventeen during the summers. Shovel gravel. Haul lumber. Dig trenches. Stack crates in a warehouse or under a blazing sun. Work alongside other men. Get blisters. Get a tan. Bleed. Operate tools. Push through fatigue. Learn how to keep going when everything hurts.

That kind of work recalibrates a young man. It teaches him how the world works. He learns how to manage risk. It humbles the ego. It strengthens the will. And when he later moves into more intellectual work, he’ll carry the weight of that discipline with him. He’ll be grounded in reality. He’ll respect the people who keep the world running.

For blue-collar men, this work may become a permanent path. For others, it becomes part of their foundation. Either way, it builds the man.

For women, the equivalent is care.

Caring for children. Helping the elderly. Supporting a relative. Babysitting or assisting in a daycare. The act of nurturing life shapes them. It brings out their natural strength. It teaches patience, empathy, and the quiet endurance that holds families together.

Both paths form the soul.

One through hardship.

One through love.