Jason Wilson and David Goggins Represent the Highest Forms of Healthy Masculinity for Boys and Men Everywhere.

David Goggins and Jason Wilson are showcasing another side of masculinity for a new and older generation.

Photos Courtesy of Instagram

Representation is important for us as humans. Seeing positive examples of people who resemble us increases the chance we will develop healthy outlooks on ourselves. All too often, most men grow up getting their fix from athletes and entertainers we idolized. More than likely, we saw the raw physical posturing that we associate with toxic masculinity, which overemphasizes aggression and strength instead of concentrated assertiveness.

But if we were lucky, we saw men being affectionate, stern, strong, and confident. These men who embodied what Jason Wilson calls “comprehensive manhood” were the guys we looked up to for being masculine, but also sensitive. They were fair but tough, playful, but never taken lightly. Fortunately, social media has allowed men like Jason and David Goggins to become permanent fixtures in our lives, as they use their own stories to rewrite the playbook on what it is to be a man.

My first introduction to both David Goggins and Jason Wilson came from social media. I saw David Goggins on Tom Bilyeu’s show Impact Theory and not long after listened to his audiobook in his life. Most people who read it can attest to how honest, raw, and brutal his story is, but for me, what stuck with me was how comfortable David is with acknowledging his own weaknesses. Here is someone universally regarded as the toughest guy on the planet, yet even he can acknowledge how tempted he and other men are to promote false images of coolness and care.

Goggins’ commitment to hard work reshaped my ideas on what being a man entails. With Jason, I saw one of his videos from his martial arts studio, the Cave of Adullam. Seeing how he greeted and coached his students through one of their drills reminded me of positive interactions I had with my martial arts coach back in the day. All too often, boys and in particular black boys find themselves forced to wear the mask of hyper-masculinity, hiding their emotions out of fear of judgment. Seeing both men embody the healthiest aspects of masculinity…