09/04/2026
Why Men Need Mindfulness - By Neil Seligma
Men are now starting to take more of an interest in mindfulness. But they are still heavily outnumbered by women. But why?
On the whole, men tend to be less motivated towards introspection having been socialized to give off an air of confidence and invulnerability. It follows that for some, even trying mindfulness can feel like an admission of weakness or fear, that could open a Pandora’s Box of emotions and baggage that we feel ill-equipped to deal with. If mindfulness asks us to turn towards the difficult, to embrace our challenges and discomforts such that we might know them a little better, this can be a tricky proposition for guys, particularly if they have adopted the role of macho Superman. Mindfulness in its modern format comes from a clinical setting, steered by doctors and psychologists motivated to help their patients with anxiety and mental health ailments. As a result, it tends to be hailed as a cure-all for the mind but this doesn’t come close to telling the whole story. Improved mental health is just the tip of the mindfulness iceberg, but those sticky clinical associations, which are tied in with the mindful message, can be off-putting for men, who might consider that there is nothing wrong with them, so don’t need a fix.
So, here’s the thing. Mindfulness is not just about stress, anxiety and counting your breath, it is also about strength, performance, and excellence.
My motivation for over 20 years of mindfulness practice was not sorrow or despair (although when those came along, it helped hugely) it was to further explore my two passions: witnessing the unfolding of human potential, and the pursuit of excellence. I wanted to be both powerful and peaceful at the same time. I didn’t see many role models for this in the world. It was mindfulness that showed the way.
So, for all the guys who have not yet found a place for mindfulness in your day, allow me to tempt you.
Mindfulness can make you smarter
Researchers at UCLA studied the brains of people who had meditated for years comparing them with those who never meditated or who only did it for a short period of time. MRI scans of 100 people, half meditators and half non-meditators found that long-time meditators showed higher levels of gyrification (a folding of the cerebral cortex believed to be associated with faster information processing).
Mindfulness improves your performance in the sack
The ability to satisfy both yourself and your partner during s*x plays an important role in happiness and wellbeing. Before we can hope to achieve ecstasy in the bedroom, we need to understand that s*x is more than a mere physical experience. Our minds and emotions are key in developing and maintaining intimacy and establishing a deep connection with our partner. Mindfulness teaches us to be 100 per cent present to our senses, all of which are stimulated during s*x. Medical research also suggests that relaxation, one of the well-known benefits of the practice, is essential for our s*x drive and ability to achieve or**sm.
Mindfulness can take you to the Olympics
You might be surprised to find out how many of your sporting heroes have turned to mindfulness to increase their ability to dive better, sprint faster, hit harder and jump higher! From Team GB’s Tom Daley to the US sporting heroes Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter, meditation is giving sportsmen the edge over their rivals. A short, simple, daily practice helps athletes build focused attention, manage their stress, see their opponents clearly, and treat failure as feedback.
Mindfulness builds true strength
Even the U.S. Marines have implemented and studied the effects of mindfulness training. As expected, Marines who received Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) prior to deployment reported a significant decrease in stress-perception in the field. For me this is where true strength arises, the capacity to meet both good times and adversity with resilience.
I honestly believe that mindfulness is as fundamental as food to a human being. To be the best I can be, I wouldn’t start the day without it!
