30 Tips to Help You Get Your Swagger Back

photography by Delgoff

We’ve all been through it at some point. I’m talking about that rut, funk, spell or period in our lives where we feel like we’ve lost our swagger. There are many reasons why this loss in confidence occurs (I’ll let you fill in the blanks), but when it happens to you, it sucks major. Here are 30 tips to get you out of the doldrums and help you get your swagger back.

Some say to get a tattoo, go sky diving, shave your head, change your name, throw out all your clothes, move back to your home town, have a one-night-stand and things of that nature, but I want to focus on less extreme measures and more of the simple things you can do.

If you think about it, when an NBA player is in a slump, they’re always told to get a few easy layups in or to get to the free throw line to get them going. These types of things should be no different for you. You don’t need to necessarily overhaul everything you do. Sometimes you just have to do the little things that make a big difference to get you going again.

Take a Good Hard Look in the Mirror

1. Improve your diet. Like the old adage says, “You are, what you eat.” Take out Rockstar, add in water. Take out beef, add in fish or chicken. Take out the M&M’s, add in vitamins. Take out McDonald’s, add in Subway. You get the point.

2. Get more sleep. Not only will it make you feel more refreshed, but it helps in so many other countless ways. Here’s a great article about the importance of sleep: “Sleep: You Need More.” [LifeClever.com]

3. Get to the dentist. Now is not the time to reschedule that appointment. Get your teeth cleaned, crowns fixed, bridges built, and root canals dug.

4. Get yourself a real haircut. Okay there’s nothing wrong with those Supercut $14 specials, but it just won’t do this time. I’m not saying go to one of those foofy salons where they serve you wine and make you take off your shirt. But just ask that one guy (you know who I’m talking about) in your circle of friends where to go.

5. Update your wardrobe. When you look good, you tend to feel good. Treat yourself to a new outfit. Stick to buying pieces that you will always have a need for like a 2-piece suit and leave the trendy new stuff for the fashionistas.

6. Get new glasses. Update your look with a fresh or modern pair of specs. If you’re tired of wearing glasses then try contact lenses.

7. Get a new watch. It’s time to retire that Fossil of a watch and get a true timepiece. Skip the brands that also make clothes and opt for those that only specialize in making watches exclusively.

8. Shine your shoes. Don’t use the fake liquid shine stuff. Use real shoe polish, some water and a lot of elbow grease. If you can’t see your reflection on the shoe, then get them shined by a professional.

9. Buy new cologne. The goal here is not to smell like teen spirit. Sample more than a few scents and ask the sales person for their recommendation.

10. Bring your suits to the tailor. It might cost you a few bucks, but there is simply no substitute for well-fitting clothes (even better if you can swing a made-to-measure suit). Here’s a great video we posted before, “How to Suit Yourself.”

11. Wear your favorite underwear. If you don’t have one, get one. If you can’t decide between boxers or briefs, go with boxer briefs.

12. Get a car wash. There’s something about arriving in style that never seems to get old (even better if you get your car detailed).

13. Stop comparing yourself to others. This is easy to say and difficult to do, but it is essential.

Get Your Shit Together

14. Align your priorities. Take a piece of scratch paper out and identify what is important to you in your life right now. Make sure you put yourself as #1.

15. Set goals. You don’t have to wait for the new year to set goals. Here are some tips on “How to Write Resolutions That Stick.”

16. Take care of business at work. You spend roughly 60% of your waking life there so make sure you’re doing what you need to be successful. If you don’t like your current job, then quit and find a new one.

17. Organize your finances. Read “What Every Guy Ought to Know About Proper Money Management.” If you need more assistance, make an appointment to meet with a financial adviser.

18. Drop bad habits and develop good ones. They say it only takes 9 days to form a habit. Do you really need another reason to stop biting your nails already? Start today.

19. Cut dead weight. Let go of anything and everything that is weighing you down. This includes extra pounds, negative friends and the subscription to that magazine you never read.

Be More Active

20. Change your latitude. Take a trip to somewhere you’ve never been. Traveling often opens up our eyes and changes our perspective (even better if you can afford to go international).

21. Hit the gym. Exercising makes you look and feel better.

22. Start running. Running doesn’t require a gym membership and is also one of the best ways to get in shape. Here is a fantastic article if you want to start running: “Beginners Guide to Running.” [ZenHabits.net]

23. Take up a new hobby. Even if you’re already a skilled juggler, you can still always learn a few new tricks.

24. Join a public sports league. They have all sorts of different leagues with sports ranging from kickball to bowling to basketball. This is a great way to get in shape and meet new people at the same time.

25. Learn a new language. This is a great way to flex your brain and to challenge yourself. I recommend taking it at a community college or online at Mango (they offer up to 12 languages and it works–I’ve tried it).

Get Inspired

26. Get nostalgic. Get out your old football highlight reel, dust off your trophies, and pull out pictures of your hot ex-girlfriends. We’re not saying to live in the past, but it’s always good to give yourself some credit and remind yourself that you were once a badass mofo.

27. Listen to music that gets you going. Check out some of these songs: “The Top 15 Songs to Get You Pumped Up.”

28. Watch your favorite movies of all time. Grab some popcorn and watch that go-to movie that always seems to make you feel alive.

29. Bring your friends close and family even closer. Friends and family are almost always your biggest supporters and can give you that needed pep talk to lift your spirits.

30. Rekindle some of those long dormant dreams. It’s never too late to go after your dreams. Here are two videos that remind us that anything is possible: “Rocky Inspiration” and “The Best Speech I’ve Ever Heard Steve Jobs Give.”

You may find that these won’t all work for you, but that’s okay. The key ingredient here is to take action and to truly believe in yourself. If you have any tips you’d like to share please leave a comment so others can benefit from them.