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17 skills every guy should know
Want to pick up a new skill? You have come to the right place. Below we have 17 skills every guy should know and I have included video tutorials to help you learn and master these skills in minutes.
Ranging from practical to esoteric, entertaining to outlandish, these are all skills every guy should know and will almost certainly come in handy one day.
17 Skills Every Guy Should Know And Can Master In Minutes
Around here we are always growing, learning, and bettering ourselves. I have been on a health journey over the past 1.5 years, lost 50 pounds, completed multiple triathlons, and am currently training for an Ironman 70.3 later this year as a stepping stone to a full IM race next year. I am also attempting to learn basic Japanese in preparation for a trip next Spring.
Why? Because keeping our brains and bodies active is key to longevity in life. We’re all going to get old either way but wouldn’t it be nice to be strong and healthy when we get there so the quality of life is a whole lot better? And I’m not saying you need to go to the extremes of 2-4 hours of training 7 days a week, I’m not saying that at all. In fact, these skills are all things you can learn in a matter of minutes. So let’s get to it!
1. Lock Picking: Est. 5 minutes to 1 hour
If you don’t think that learning to pick locks is a handy skill then you have never been locked out of your home and/or locked in a room within your house. The first time I encountered someone I know using lock picking knowledge was in college when my roommate lost his keys and one of his fraternity brother was like ‘hold up, I got you’ and was able to get into his room, which locked within our house, in a matter of seconds.
I questioned why he knew that skill but in hindsight it’s incredibly valuable given the number of times in life I have found myself on the business end of a locked door that I need to get through.
2. Ollie On A Skateboard: Est. 3 Days to Few Weeks
Do you need to learn to ollie on a skateboard? Some would argue no, I would argue yes. It will teach you a new physical mastery of your body. And it will almost certainly led to a new hobby. I spent some time at the Venice Beach Skate Park a few weeks ago and it reinvigorated the drive to skate. Join me.
3. How To Tie A Necktie: Est. 10-15 Minutes
Not only can you learn a new necktie knot within minutes, you can learn an array of knots in no time. I’d start by picking your favorite. Personally, I’m a half or full Windsor Knot kind of guy but to each his own. Once you master a single knot, which should take you no more than 10-15 minutes, you can move along to learning a whole host of knots. Then challenge yourself and learn to tie a bowtie!
4. How to Properly Taste Bourbon: Est. 10 Minutes
This is an ‘act like you’ve been there before’ skill that will almost certainly come in handy. Of course, there are countless reasons why someone might not drink Bourbon or Whiskey. This isn’t encouraging someone who abstains from alcohol to run out and start drinking.
All I am saying here is learning the fundamentals of tasting bourbon properly will open up a whole new world of aromatics for you when tasting and give you an entirely new appreciation of Bourbon.
5. Juggling 3 Balls: Est. 1-3 Hours
At some point in our childhoods we all saw someone at a circus juggling and thought “I want to do that.” Only 1 in 1,000 of us ever bothered to learn the fundamentals. Luckily, it is a skill that can be mastered at home in an hour. Learning the fundamentals takes minutes. By the end of the afternoon you could be a juggling master and take that skill to the bar tonight.
6. How To Sew A Button: Est. 5-10 Minutes
This is a skill I learned in the Boy Scouts as a kid and one I have used countless times in life. Somehow, my wife never learned how to sew a button or sew patches on so whenever something needs mending or sewed in our house, like a karate patch for my son or a button that fell off a sweater, I get the call to fix it and being able to sew and make these repairs is satisfying. Fixing things feels good. You can learn this in 5 minutes. Do it.
7. Learn Basic Guitar Chords: Est. 6 Hours to 1-3 Months
Got a guitar handy? Doesn’t matter. You can find one used at Goodwill for cheap. Within a matter of hours you can learn basic guitar chords. By the end of the day you could convince someone you know your way around the music hall. Stick with it for a week, a month, and you can convince the world you’re a guitarist. Give it a shot!
8. Raising One Eyebrow: Est. Few Hours To 2 Weeks
I honestly had no idea that some people, many people (!!), aren’t capable of raising one eyebrow. Maybe it is because I grew up watching The Rock on WWE and emulated his eyebrow raise but I’ve always taken it for granted. Anyway, if you are unable to raise one eyebrow you can pick up this skill within hours.
9. How To Tie Essential Knots: Est. Time 10 to 60 Minutes
We already covered necktie knots but learning knots to tie down lines/ropes is invaluable. This is another skill I was taught in the Boy Scouts and will forever be thankful for.
Being able to dock a boat and secure it with lines is a crucial skill for spending days on the water. Setting up camp would be impossible without knowing a few basic knots. Teach yourself the basics in minutes!
10. How To Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies: Est. 1-2 Hours
You don’t need to be a master baker and know how to whip up every recipe under the sun but knowing how to bake an easy chocolate chip cookies recipe is clutch and a skill every guy should know. It’s simple. The longest part is just waiting for them to bake in the oven. Once you learn the fundamentals the rest is easy and you can tweak the recipe as you see fit.
11. Learn Morse Code: Est. 10 Minutes to 2 Hours
Learning Morse code, why? To that I’d say ‘why not?’ Sure it is a mostly antiquated skill and one that most guy swill never need to use in their lives but what if you ever find yourself in a situation where it’s necessary. Wouldn’t you be glad you spent those 10 minutes learning how.
12. How to Meditate: Est. Time Few Minutes
The ability to clear one’s mind is a skill that some people devote their lives trying to master. Luckily for you, you can learn the basics in minutes. I find the ability to meditate helps me calm my nerves at the start of a race or in high stress situations.
13. How to Taste Wine: Est. 10-15 Minutes
Similar to learning the fundamentals of tasting Bourbon, the skill of tasting wine can take you far in life. It can impress your peers, and helps you get the most out of the bottle you (probably) overpaid for.
14. How to Solve A Rubik’s Cube: Est. 10-60 Minutes
This one was a New Year’s Resolution of mine a few years ago. Solving a Rubik’s Cube seems impossible until you learn the code to crack it and then suddenly it all seems so easy. You can learn it in as little as 10 minutes.
15. Learn Basic Magic Tricks: Est. 5 Minutes
Why not? What’s stopping your from mastering a few quick card tricks. Those Summer nights when you’re sitting around with the family on game night is the perfect time to wow someone with a new card trick and you can learn these three in just five minutes.
16. Learn PhotoShop Basics: Est. 15-60 Minutes
Learning PhotoShop basics is clutch. Sure, you can lean on AI for a lot these days but the ability to alter media yourself in the ways you actually want to and not just describe to an AI bot what you want done will always yield better results. It will make you a more effective creator in every way possible. Give it a shot.
17. How To Throw Cards Like Gambit From The X-Men: Est. 10 Minutes to 4 Hours
This is one I learned as a kid but haven’t practiced in years: throwing cards. This skill is all about muscle memory. You can learn to throw cards in 10 minutes and then spend the next few hours mastering your skill. Get after it!
What’s a skill you would add to this list? Let me know down below in the comments!