The Way of the Superior Man Book Summary - The Way of the Superior Man Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

The Way of the Superior Man summary

David Deida

A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire

3.8 (61 ratings)
16 mins

Brief summary

The Way of the Superior Man challenges men to embrace their masculinity and purpose in life. It encourages balance between achieving greatness and nurturing relationships, offering insights into personal growth and conscious living.

Table of Contents

    The Way of the Superior Man
    Summary of 5 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 5

    Your obligations shouldn’t be an excuse for inaction

    What stands between a man and his full potential? In other words, what holds him back in life? For many, the answer lies in waiting – waiting for a tomorrow that never comes. The truth is, many men fail to find their purpose because they convince themselves that the right time is always just around the corner.

    Masculinity is intertwined with the concept of duty. To be a man has often meant – and for many men still means – doing what’s necessary. This ideal can inspire men to do the right thing even when it’s difficult and unpleasant. But it can also function as an alibi for inaction. 

    It’s easy, after all, to talk yourself into putting off life-altering projects when you’re raising a family, paying down a mortgage, or building a career. And so you wait for the day when all the hard stuff is finally done. But that’s not how it works. Sure, at some point you’ll have more financial security and the kids will be in college, but there’s always another hurdle to clear. Put differently, if you fall into this way of thinking, you’ll always find another good reason to postpone action. In the end, it’s a dodge. An excuse. 

    This hard truth should be liberating. Obligations never stopped a man who was truly set on something. Great inventions and ideas and works of art have taken shape in the moments men snatched for themselves between fixing roofs, taking their kids to school, or earning money. 

    So what is it that you want to do? Better yet, what is it that you feel, in the deepest part of your being, that you need to do? If you can answer that question sincerely, you will discover the thing that animated such men: a purpose. And once you have that, you can get to work. 

    All you have to do is set aside one hour each day to do what you love doing. Fulfill your obligations, do your duty, raise your kids, pay your bills, fix the leak in your roof – do all the things you must do. But find that single hour too. 

    Be forewarned, though: it’s possible that you’ll realize you don’t want to pursue the purpose you believed was yours. Or that you can’t. The future you imagined for yourself might turn out to have been an idle fantasy. That can be a bitter blow, but it’s ultimately a good thing: it’s by cutting down false ideals that you clear the ground to find your true calling.

    Want to see all full key ideas from The Way of the Superior Man?

    Key ideas in The Way of the Superior Man

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is The Way of the Superior Man about?

    The Way of the Superior Man (1997) is a spiritual guide for men seeking a life of integrity, authenticity, and freedom. Full of insights into men’s careers, their families, and the women they love (and sometimes struggle against), it empowers readers to discover more fulfilling and meaningful ways of living. 

    Who should read The Way of the Superior Man?

    • Men grappling with their masculinity and their relationships
    • Individuals exploring personal and spiritual growth
    • Anyone seeking more authentic intimate relationships

    About the Author

    David Deida is an American author who has written widely on sexuality and spirituality. He is the founder of the Integral Institute, an interdisciplinary think tank that seeks to synthesize Western and Eastern scientific and spiritual traditions. His other books include Finding God Through Sex, Blue Truth, and the autobiographical novel Wild Nights.

    Categories with The Way of the Superior Man

    Book summaries like The Way of the Superior Man

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    36 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Get started