The Man Makes

Sigma Dogma

Forty-seven virtues. Twenty-three maxims a man lives by and twenty-four traits he is known by. Open any one for its sources and a thing to do this week.

The 23 maxims

What a man makes. The rules he keeps without being asked.

  1. 1The man makes the suitSovereignty
  2. 2The man makes his lawsIntegrity
  3. 3The man makes his independenceSovereignty
  4. 4The man makes meaningful bondsBrotherhood
  5. 5The man makes deliberate choicesWisdom
  6. 6The man makes selective connectionsBrotherhood
  7. 7The man makes trust and loyalty non-negotiableBrotherhood
  8. 8The man makes his bearing speak before his wordsFortitude
  9. 9The man makes his decisions without waiting for permissionSovereignty
  10. 10The man makes it clear where he stands on mattersIntegrity
  11. 11The man makes his principles a priority over the room's approvalIntegrity
  12. 12The man makes self-respect and self-improvement a staple prioritySovereignty
  13. 13The man makes truthfulness the foundation for genuine relationshipsIntegrity
  14. 14The man makes observations and assessments before fully committingWisdom
  15. 15The man makes his decisions of friends with the precision of a master archerBrotherhood
  16. 16The man makes his own destiny, his own code, and his own exampleSovereignty
  17. 17The man makes well-being and mental clarity a priority above external expectations or pressuresFortitude
  18. 18The man makes room for solitude and the company of a fewBrotherhood
  19. 19The man makes honesty and integrity fundamental principles that guide his choices and interactionsIntegrity
  20. 20The man makes his words match his convictions, even when silence would be cheaperIntegrity
  21. 21The man makes a distinction between honest criticism and hollow noiseWisdom
  22. 22The man makes safeguarding his energy and focus a priority ensuring he can engage deeply with the world around him on his own termsSovereignty
  23. 23The man makes solitude a source of strength, returning to the world with clarity and purposeWisdom

The 24 traits

What the maxims look like from the outside, after years of keeping them.

  1. 1Walks his own path
  2. 2Reserved
  3. 3Nonconforming
  4. 4Unperformative
  5. 5Independent
  6. 6Self-sufficient
  7. 7Confident
  8. 8Inner-anchored
  9. 9Freedom lover
  10. 10Original
  11. 11Flexible
  12. 12Genuine
  13. 13Emotionally intelligent
  14. 14Secure
  15. 15Attentive listener
  16. 16Free thinker
  17. 17True leader
  18. 18Unimpressed by rank
  19. 19Adaptable
  20. 20Prudent
  21. 21Disciplined in rest
  22. 22Unconcerned with attention
  23. 23Gravitas
  24. 24Learned

How to use the code

Do not try to keep all forty-seven at once. No one can.

Pick one. Read it each morning for a week. Do the move at the bottom of its page. Next week, pick another.

The code is public. It is not a secret and it is not for sale. Read what we mean by sigma, or start from the five pillars.