Build the culture around you through the stories you tell. Words are the fast-track in culture building. Weed out the dark and disillusioning, and fill in with the inspiring and encouraging. This summer, Stephen challenges you to evaluate what you’re talking about on a regular basis. Are you constantly griping or mired in negativity? What are you telling most often, and what does that encourage to grow in your life? Words matter. Learn to use them, especially the power of story, to shape culture...
Jun 07, 2022•18 min•Ep. 242
In this special episode recorded for both the GreatMan Podcast and the Stephen Mansfield Podcast, Stephen reflects on the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Tune in for a discussion of gun laws, school security, but most importantly: the powerful role that family and community can play in preventing troubled young men like the Uvalde shooter from taking such brutal and violent actions. Image via Sergio Flores for the Texas Tribune See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/...
May 31, 2022•27 min•Ep. 241
After the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters, NASA became very risk-averse in their corporate culture. As a result, they didn’t have any major failures. They also capped innovation. SpaceX, on the other hand, failed and failed often. Elon Musk built a corporate culture that turned those failures into fuel for growth. Similarly, when you attempt something daring and new, there will be failures. But the “perfect” is the enemy of progress. You’re going to screw up. Mistakes will happen...
May 24, 2022•19 min•Ep. 240
Men need both a team and a purpose or they will go about digging holes in their lives. Going it alone, they will allow themselves to be destroyed by addiction, excess pleasure, and past traumas. They will crash. Stephen illustrates the point by sharing a story he recently heard Bedros Keuilian tell. Men, find a band of brothers and get to work on fixing the problematic areas of your life before a blow-up. Better to avoid the crash than have to skillfully fix it afterwards. See Privacy Policy at ...
May 17, 2022•10 min•Ep. 239
Many a man has discovered the power of rebellion in his teenage years. It feels good. It makes you feel alive. A little bit of opposition and rebellion can even be healthy. But don’t get stuck there. If you allow rebellion to become a primary force in your life, you live constantly in a state of reaction. When rebellion and anger thrive in your soul, you are not able to pursue a destiny or take hold of a higher cause. You’re too busy reacting. If this is an area where you’ve struggled, tune in, ...
May 10, 2022•17 min•Ep. 238
The strength and glory of a man are exhibited when he takes responsibility. It’s at the heart of noble manhood. Owning your responsibility is more than just checking off a list of household chores. (Though that’s part of it.) Being responsible in a manly way includes taking charge in the broader sense of your “field” – that is, your relationships, obligations to community, and self. Take responsibility and prosperity will follow. This episode originally aired on September 18, 2018. See Privacy P...
May 03, 2022•15 min•Ep. 237
Men have an ability to set radiating goals. When you set a big radiating goal, your life naturally aligns in support of that goal. Stephen shares his big radiating goal in this episode and encourages you to do the same. Set your goal completion for four months from now. Ideally, you will make it physical, aggressive, and largely outdoors. Keep it achievable, but aggressive, and let it radiate through your life. Tune in to join the challenge! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...
Apr 26, 2022•12 min•Ep. 236
Do you ever feel discouraged about where you are in life? Did you know that there is a benevolent conspiracy underway, leading you to a destined moment? In fact, the mundane and challenging parts of your life are building greatness within you. Though you may not see it, your weaknesses are being refined into skills that will lift you to great heights. Don’t miss this encouraging and powerful episode, as Stephen touches on David and Goliath, Churchill, Zelensky and others who have had greatness b...
Apr 19, 2022•18 min•Ep. 235
The poet Thomas Babington Macaulay wrote in “Lays of Ancient Rome” – And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his Gods. Churchill memorized all 1,200 lines of this poem and quoted from it often in his wartime addresses. Stephen sees the poem’s sentiments coming to life today in the lives of men in Ukraine. You see, men are not meant to live just for themselves. Our purpose is not even just to provide for our families and immediate kin....
Apr 12, 2022•15 min•Ep. 234
If you are attempting to live out a code of noble manhood, you aren’t alone. You are part of something Stephen’s never talked about before on the GreatMan Podcast: a fellowship of men in the world. Tune in as Stephen discusses the global pursuit of great manhood, and what it means to care about righteous manhood across racial, ethnic, and national lines. Now, let’s get to the work that’s set out before us. This episode originally aired on July 7, 2020. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...
Apr 05, 2022•16 min•Ep. 233
At just 44 years old, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, is calling his nation to greatness. Stephen discusses Zelensky’s unique path to the Presidency, his admirable leadership qualities, and his ability to rouse his people. Despite having a military budget one-tenth the size of Russia’s, Zelensky’s Ukraine is holding its ground. Tune in to find how this man has lit up his nation, and find yourself inspired to lead others in your sphere of influence with greatness. Mentioned in this ...
Mar 29, 2022•22 min•Ep. 232
Stephen recently visited with an old friend who has planted roots for 40 years in a small town in Texas. This man is highly respected, his business is thriving, and he has a beautiful and impressive home with many acres. Unlike so many who chase shiny objects or strike out for distant cities, this man cast down his buckets where he was, to borrow language from Booker T. Washington. He planted roots, and they grew deep. In seeking out the places where they think success may lie, men have a tenden...
Mar 22, 2022•18 min•Ep. 231
Being generous and large-hearted is one of the ways you can change lives, build a legacy, prosper, and honor God. In fact, generosity is one of the features of a great man. A great man doesn’t hold his possessions too closely. He is big-hearted. Tune in to find out just how generous Americans, in particular, have been in recent years. (Did you know Americans’ generosity throughout the pandemic topped 2019 giving levels?) Whether you’re a seasoned giver or looking to build new giving habits, Step...
Mar 15, 2022•17 min•Ep. 230
Stephen is currently watching Hulu’s new docuseries, Secrets of Playboy, which exposes Hugh Hefner’s toxic and fraudulent house of cards. As you’ve heard Stephen say before, pornography is divorce training. And Playboy opened the floodgates. In this episode, Stephen talks about his own childhood exposure to pornography and how this cancerous bilge is destroying men of all ages. It’s time for us to extricate our generation and the generations to come from the chains of pornography and to enjoy gl...
Mar 08, 2022•15 min•Ep. 229
There’s a word that can make a big difference in your life as you pursue great manhood: build. We are often advised to live in a way that dodges missiles. But life for a man is not just about reacting and responding. Life is about how you build. In his late 30s and early 40s, Stephen was around men who talked about “building” their lives. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the difference between “building” and simply “getting by.” Take in wisdom and input. Get help. Call in the reinforcements. B...
Mar 01, 2022•16 min•Ep. 228
Relief is short-term. It’s the glass of wine at the end of the day, the massage, the TV show. Relief is the short-term lifting of weariness or pain. Relief is not restoration. In this episode, Stephen shares the struggles of two friends who are using relief when they should be using restoration. Learn from their ways and then evaluate your own behaviors. Are you seeking relief or restoration? Let’s agree to make a change together. Restoration is one of the arts of being a GreatMan. This episode ...
Feb 22, 2022•14 min•Ep. 227
Stephen responds to questions about a controversial word we hear often in our society: patriarchy. “Rule by men” hasn’t always been a happy time for women, and so it makes sense this term is cast in a negative light. Why are most societies ruled by men? What does noble, righteous, and good manly leadership look like? Tune in. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Feb 15, 2022•13 min•Ep. 226
Whether you are a CEO with means or a college student making ends meet, Stephen has a challenge for you this year. Commit to hosting at least one event for men. This can be as big as a 10,000-person conference or as simple as getting a few guys together for a workout or pizza. Men connect best through indirect connection. When we gather around another activity, whether that’s a hunting trip or tossing the frisbee, we can layer in an informal discussion of manhood that then grows. This year, comm...
Feb 08, 2022•17 min•Ep. 225
Winston Churchill once said, “When the notes of life ring false, men should correct them by referring to the tuning-fork of death.” In other words, ponder your own mortality. Or, as the Ancients phrased it, memento mori. Remember death. What would your life look like if you lived every day as though it was your last? What would you change? Consider thoughtfully, and act. Also, confirm that your family will be taken care of in your absence. Prepare with the appropriate life insurance and burial i...
Feb 01, 2022•15 min•Ep. 224
A man should be self-possessed. He should walk with confidence. Listen to a few trusted individuals, and walk according to the wisdom of the ancients. Internalize your faith and draw from your family and band of brothers. Take stock of your internal security system. Are you preoccupied with the opinions of others? Have harsh comments left you off balance or seeking approval you’ll likely never get? Focus on what matters and what is true so that you feel God’s pleasure as you run your life. See P...
Jan 25, 2022•20 min•Ep. 223
In the early years of a boy’s life, the father is sometimes on the perimeter, as the mother is the primary nurturer. In the early adolescent years, boys will then migrate away from their mothers toward their fathers. This is when Dad needs to step in at a greater level and usher his son into manhood. The driving force in the boy’s life shifts from Mom (“God is there, he cares, and he’s loving.”) to Dad (“God is powerful, but he can be trusted.”). Tune in as Stephen describes this process and adv...
Jan 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 222
Stephen was recently asked, “If you look at the culture of men, what one word would best describe that culture?” That one word is respect. Men in our generation are often raised in a culture of disrespect. When a man begins to realize the power he has and what he’s meant to be doing in the world, it can all be summarized by this word. Respect. Tune in as Stephen describes the process of realizing, owning, creating, and living in a culture of respect – for this is one of the great arts of a good,...
Jan 11, 2022•18 min•Ep. 221
Last month, Stephen spent some time with a group of men who had a completely different outlook on exercise. Many of these former military guys described their physical fitness activities (lifting weights, going for a run, etc.) not as “working out,” but as “training.” A workout is a daily obligation you wish you could discard. Training, as Stephen learned and shares with listeners, is physical work that you do to prepare for a greater challenge. There is a connection between a GreatMan’s inside ...
Jan 04, 2022•17 min•Ep. 220
Welcome to the last GreatMan Podcast of 2021. As we approach the end of the year, Stephen has some concern. 2022 is probably going to be a bumpy ride. You’ve got to be ready. You’re going to need a band of brothers to prevail against difficult times. For some of you, your struggle to be a noble man is made more difficult by having an incomplete or faux band of brothers. Rather, you need to have a group of men around you who know your life without you having to narrate it to them. You need to hav...
Dec 14, 2021•12 min•Ep. 219
When it comes to toasts, many men have a tendency toward smack talk and humor. While there’s nothing wrong with sarcasm or humor – it can even be a useful tool – this approach is often rooted in insecurity. It also makes the talk about you, the speaker, not the subject. Feel free to use humor, but also speak words that call out the person’s destiny. In this episode, Stephen shares how he plans for a speech. One of the keys is to ask: “What will be remembered years from now?” The truth is, no one...
Dec 08, 2021•14 min•Ep. 218
This football season, you’ve probably seen a huge amount of advertising for online sports gambling. In this episode, Stephen addresses the issue bluntly without getting preachy. Gambling is going to be a great seduction focused on men in our generation. Unfortunately, it’s only going to get worse. Draw your moral line now, and certainly pull in your band of brothers for help. Stephen’s strong suggestion: stay away from gambling (with, perhaps, some soft edges to this general rule). Tune in for m...
Nov 30, 2021•18 min•Ep. 217
Do you know the true, historically accurate Thanksgiving story? The Pilgrims are often under attack these days, but these godly men and women sacrificed much, giving their lives to bring the Gospel to the new world. They laid a foundation our nation would do well to remember. Tune in and recall the heritage and the purposes to which the Pilgrims were devoted. And while you listen, think of who may be changed and challenged by hearing this episode. Think of how you can get this story in front of ...
Nov 23, 2021•22 min•Ep. 216
Men have a tendency toward cowardice when it comes to how they treat women. Men tend to think that what a woman allows, sexually, is what is appropriate. A man should know in advance what his ethical code will allow. We must eliminate this cowardly notion that what happens between a man and woman is determined solely by what a woman will permit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Nov 16, 2021•13 min•Ep. 215
The GreatMan Podcast is typically “big picture.” Not today! This episode is crucial for every man to hear. Stephen gets granular, talking through some of the nuts-and-bolts that should be a part of every man’s life. These are the things you absolutely must do – for yourself, your family, and those in your sphere of influence. Listen up. But most importantly, take action. This episode originally aired on November 12, 2019. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...
Nov 09, 2021•20 min•Ep. 214
Growing up in a military household, and moving as many as ten times in nine years, Stephen became a master liar. All that changed when he became a Christian at the age of 18. Take stock of yourself. Are you deceiving yourself or others? Do you lean toward falsehoods? If you are lying, why? A good man is devoted to the truth, the raw truth. Conquer lying. Build the good and noble in your life, and talk about that. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...
Nov 02, 2021•17 min•Ep. 213
