This is a critically important tip from @jockowillink. A lot of boys today are insecure. Modern culture gives them plenty of reasons to doubt themselves. One surprisingly effective antidote is cockiness, not arrogance, but the kind that’s funny, deliberate, and just ridiculous enough to take the pressure off. I started doing this with my son when I taught him to ski. Here’s the problem: I’m afraid of skiing. I cofounded one of the biggest ski websites on the planet, but I suck at skiing. So how do you teach your kid something when he can plainly see you’re terrible at it? How do you project confidence when you’re about to eat shit directly in front of him? Cockiness. Find ONE tiny aspect of the activity you can dominate. Then own the hell out of it. “NOBODY takes a fall like me.” Say it with complete conviction. Eventually your kid asks the obvious question: “Dad, why should I listen to you?” “Well, son, someday you may be a better skier than me. But you will NEVER take as many spectacular faceplants as I have.” He’ll laugh. You don’t. Then you fall. You get up, look him dead in the eye and say: “TOLD YOU.” Ask if he got that EPIC faceplant on camera. If he didn’t, chastise him for missing the shot. We have the most fun doing this with mini golf. I’m decent at mini golf—usually a little under par—but I act like I’m Tiger Woods on Sunday at Augusta. We spent a weekend at Lake George and played something like two dozen rounds. Why am I good but not great? Because I know one secret: EVERY. HOLE. MATTERS. I’m locked in on every single putt. It drove my son insane. After a dozen rounds, he’s nearly broken. “You’re too good, Dad. I can’t beat you.” Next course? Kid shoots FIFTEEN UNDER PAR. That’s the other reason cockiness works: it’s FUN. You can’t perform at your best when you’re terrified of looking stupid. A little ridiculous confidence removes that fear. Suddenly you’re laughing, competing and pushing yourself harder. And here’s the best part: EVERYONE wants to correct a cocky guy. I was at a rifle competition last month acting cocky. Nine guys enjoyed the show. The best shooter there did not. Eventually he pulls me aside. “You think you’re so good, but you screwed up X, Y and Z.” Then he proceeds to explain, in excruciating detail, every mistake I made and exactly how I should fix it. So I pulled out a notebook and started taking notes. Afterward, I found him again. “Can you show me?” He gave me 30 minutes of personal instruction. The best shooter there had just become my private coach. The same thing happens constantly on X. Post something timidly and people scroll past. Post it with absolute confidence and suddenly experts pour out of the woodwork to explain—in extraordinary detail—every single thing you got wrong. Perfect. Take notes. Cockiness doesn’t have to mean believing you’re better than everyone else. Sometimes it means being confident enough to look ridiculous, confident enough to fail spectacularly, and confident enough to let someone prove you wrong. And if you’re going to faceplant anyway? Make damn sure somebody gets it on camera. P.S. how do you know when you crossed from cockiness to arrogance. People stop laughing. When you are cocky you’ll piss a few people off but when you are arrogant then everyone will tire of you. Remember I’m not saying I’m better than you at everything, and I’m open to criticism at what I got wrong, but I am saying I am better than you at something specific.