To put it bluntly, this was quite the conversation. I've found Jack Donovan's work to be both challenging, compelling, and ultimately fascinating—and it's not for the faint of heart. So naturally, I wanted him on the show. Listen in as Jack and I dig into what men of today are facing, modern culture's perspective on masculinity, balancing responsibility and freedom, the role of fathers, and of course, what really are the core tactical and mythic components of "masculinity" as a concept. Jack Don...
Jul 11, 2022•53 min•Ep. 394
Wait, huh? Rules? For friends? Yes. This was inspired by a recent talk in the Alliance, ManTalks' private online group. I think it's important to cultivate meaningful, depth-oriented friendships as men, and craft that kind of brotherhood or elevate your current friendships requires a few ground rules. Here are five I've put together that have helped me maintain meaningful, fulfilling friendships. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchas...
Jul 07, 2022•11 min
This was one of those interviews that was a blast from the past and a leap into the future at the same time. See, Brian was on episode fifteen of the podcast—that's 374 episodes ago! So clearly, it was high time to have him back on the show. Brian brings his years of insight and hard work to this interview so you can get a better idea of what it takes to get your own project off the ground. Doesn't matter if you're an entrepreneur, business-curious, or simply wanting to be a better leader in wha...
Jul 04, 2022•49 min•Ep. 393
You've probably heard this one, but is it really a good way of maintaining your marriage? Don't get me wrong, the wellbeing and happiness of your partner should of course be a priority—but there's more to relationships than that. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find...
Jun 30, 2022•10 min
Preaching the obvious here, but romantic relationships are complex, and WHY something becomes a conflict can be incredibly hard to map—unless you're Figs O'Sullivan. This was such an enjoyable interview. Figs brings a sense of playfulness and humor to the tough stuff, and helps open up new ways of looking at conflict in relationships, why it happens, why reoccurring arguments happen, how to move through those arguments differently. Have a listen to this alongside your partner! Figs O’Sullivan wa...
Jun 26, 2022•53 min•Ep. 392
I get asked this a lot: what are my relationship green flags? What would I consider the biggest go-aheads in a partner? And to be honest, these come after a loooong time of not knowing what to look for or what I really wanted! So consider this list some hard-earned, but simple and tactical things to look out for when pursuing a serious partnership. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listene...
Jun 23, 2022•14 min
Sheleana Aiyana is the founder of Rising Woman, a growing community of more than 3 million readers. Her training and immersion in couples facilitation, inherited family trauma, family systems, conscious relationship, somatic healing, and plant medicines inform her holistic approach to seeing relationship as a spiritual path. More than 30,000 women in 146 countries have taken her flagship program Becoming the One. In her new book, Becoming the One, out April 12, 2022, Sheleana takes you on a tran...
Jun 20, 2022•47 min•Ep. 391
There's a lot of advice out there on how to feel more connected and more intimate in your relationship. A lot of it gets kind of, uh, overcomplicated, so let's keep things nice and simple. Here are three straightforward, lasting ways to deepen intimacy Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. ...
Jun 16, 2022•10 min
Discovering a sense of purpose in life can feel frustrating and ambiguous at times, and with the mountain of books and guides out there, it's also easy to dismiss the simple act of letting purpose find you, so to speak. Tim Corcoran specializes in helping people cut through the complexity and return to nature, so I sat down with him to dig into the nature and definition of purpose, the point of things like vision quests, and how nature speaks to us. Tim Corcoran is the founder of Purpose Mountai...
Jun 13, 2022•52 min•Ep. 390
At the start of a relationship, a lot of men dive headfirst into meeting every need the other person has. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but when you combine it with cultural messaging that seems to say men shouldn't express (or even have) their own needs in a relationship, it prevents both parties from getting to really know each other. So here's one way to break through that! Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . I...
Jun 09, 2022•11 min
Whether you've been cheated on, been the cheater, or been the couple trying to recover from it, this episode is for you. Stefanos has a gift for breaking things down with a balanced combo of compassion and accountability. Or maybe you read the title and thought, "WTF is leaky sexual energy?" Well, my friend, listen in, because it's a great way of framing personal sexual troubles from porn addiction to sexless marriages. With over 15 years of experience in the personal development space, Stefanos...
Jun 06, 2022•51 min•Ep. 389
Your excuses are the tip of the iceberg. It's what lies underneath that you need to deal with, and more often than not, that is fear. But...on the other side of your fear is exactly what you're looking for. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate tran...
Jun 02, 2022•16 min
What we fantasize about sexually can say a lot about...well, a lot. Our insecurities, our identity, our culture, the list goes on. And what you might think is some strange niche only you hang out in might be more common than you think! This is the conversation the incredible Justin Lehmiller brought to the table, and I'm excited to share it with you. If you're with a part of any variety, listen in together for some great insights. Dr. Justin Lehmiller received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from...
May 30, 2022•49 min•Ep. 388
Years ago I put out a mini-episode on this topic, and on a whim decided to put it on the YouTube channel too. Clearly, complainers were a hot-button issue, because it became one of the top-performing videos on my channel, even though it was just audio. I wanted to revisit the issue, because I don't think ghosting them, ripping into them, or enabling them are solid ways of helping them (or ourselves). Here are my thoughts; I'd love to hear yours. DM me @mantalks on Instagram. Are you looking to f...
May 26, 2022•15 min
Complexity and relationships go together like coffee and Sunday morning, and after working with hundreds of couples I've noticed some common threads that deserve a better look, like "vulnerability". Do women actually want "vulnerable" men? I think the answer is more complex than anyone wants to admit. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help oth...
May 23, 2022•15 min
Simple idea, but not easy to execute. Far too often, we mistake being a control freak for leadership, and/or reactivity with decisiveness. Let's break it down a little and look at how to effectively (and authentically) take the lead in a relationship. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. A...
May 19, 2022•17 min
Does effectively leading a company have anything in common with leading your own personal development? Of course, but what parts? This is why I brought in Doug McKinley, whose career has allowed him to bridge an individual psychological practice with coaching execs and organization heads. We cover adversity and bouncing back from it, the similarities between self-leadership and leadership within an organization, the ways men find success (or hardship) in both, some of the conflicts between what ...
May 16, 2022•46 min•Ep. 386
Continuing the discussion of nice guys, I wanted to think out loud a little about a question I get a lot: if women want men who are more open, more vulnerable, more reliable, more caring, why is it they still reject men who are those things? It's a complicated subject, and worth thinking about. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community , and help others fin...
May 12, 2022•14 min
Forgive me while I geek out for the rest of the week about this fantastic conversation! After reading Angus' book Wonderworks: Literary Invention and the Science of Stories, I knew I had to get him on the show. Story, myth, and narrative are incredible tools for change, and knowing how they affect us down to the neurological level is Angus' specialty. Listen in for... -How narrative shifts not just our perspective, but our entire life. -How literature and apology are two of the oldest, most powe...
May 09, 2022•51 min•Ep. 385
I've worked with men for almost a decade now, am good friends with Dr. Robert Glover, and we've both witnessed the evolution of Nice Guys over the years. I won't lie to you and say breaking free from being the stereotypical "nice guy" is easy—in fact, it's more difficult than most people imagine. But there are a few fundamental things to keep in mind that will make it happen. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us get ...
May 05, 2022•14 min
Sex is proof that things can be simple and complex as the same time. Men are no exception, and it's an unhelpful stereotype male sexuality is the same as a light switch: on and off. Destin and I connected to break this stereotype down, and dive into not just the symptoms of issues men face in the bedroom, but the underlying issues and how to approach them. Listen in with your partner and, uh, not in the car with your kids! Destin Gerek is a globally recognized leading voice in masculinity, sexua...
May 02, 2022•57 min•Ep. 384
I don’t always advocate for things men “should” or “must” do, but when I do… It’s taken years of working on myself, working with mentors, and working with other men to really settle on these three things, but I’ve come to cherish them and what they’ve brought me. I’ve also seen what they’ve brought other men, from friends to coworkers to clients of my own. Long story short: they’ll do you good. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser...
Apr 28, 2022•12 min
I've had the privilege of interviewing some incredibly wise, compelling, and inspiring people. This is a sampling of not just our most downloaded episodes of this past year, but also some of our more profound moments and profound guests: author Robert Greene , men's work expert Jason Wilson , psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke , and mythologist Dr. Martin Shaw . There is also some never-before-released material from spiritual activist Stephen Jenkinson , whose work I deeply admire. Francis Bacon said,...
Apr 25, 2022•57 min•Ep. 383
I've found in my work that cultivating direction is one of the most simple-yet-complex things in a man's life. Without it, most men fall into hopelessness, despair, anger, or worse, a kind of stagnant acceptance that's ultimately harmful to themselves and the world around them. So this week, some straightforward steps in how to first find direction, and then how to cultivate it. As always, let me know what you think! DM me on Instagram @mantalks. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us...
Apr 21, 2022•18 min
I'm in the thick of editing my book, so I wanted to reconnect with one of our most popular episodes ever. This was such a good conversation! Michaela and I covered a TON of ground; everything from grief's role in relationships to anal sex (yup). This was originally recorded around May 2020, so it's also an interesting sort of time capsule. Michaela Boehm teaches and counsels internationally as an expert in intimacy and sexuality. Born and raised in Austria, Michaela combines her background in ps...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 381
You're damn right it's a clickbait title! And for good reason. I put this list together after years of working with men, observing what most of them struggle with, and where their greatest potential lies. However, it's also influenced by what we're going through socially and politically. Listen in, and if it resonates with you, DM me . Let me know what skill you're working on! Or if you think I missed an important one, tell me that too. Would love to hear your thoughts. Did you enjoy the podcast...
Apr 14, 2022•25 min
I started off not really knowing much about money, nor did I have any real opinion about it. I made it, I spent it, and that was that. But recently I've taken a much deeper interest, and tried to educate myself about economics in general, especially with all the uncertainty brewing around global markets, supply chains, and the rest. Join me and Daniel Kwak this week to get a primer. Daniel Kwak came to the US in 1999 to Chicago, IL. The son of an immigrant pastor, Daniel comes from a background ...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 380
I created this challenge a while back, and the traction it got was surprising! So after several requests to revisit it, here we are. The No Challenge is a solid way to develop greater confidence and self-sufficiency, as well as clear out some of those nice guy (or nice girl) behaviors you may be having trouble with. Like most challenges and prompts I offer to listeners, clients, and Alliance members, it's straightforward, but not necessarily simple. Listen in. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, p...
Apr 07, 2022•12 min
In modern masculine culture, there can be a lot of pressure to shut down, suppress, or numb out emotions. But just like everything else we can experience, there's tremendous amounts of information in what we're feeling. This is why I'm such a big advocate for somatic practices—really feeling in your body what's going on—and cultivating emotional intelligence. And it's why I sat with EVRYMAN co-founder Owen Marcus; he's an expert on this subject. For more than twenty-five years, Owen Marcus has w...
Apr 04, 2022•57 min•Ep. 379
I get asked about this a lot, in various ways: how do I deal with rejection? What do I say (and how do I say it) when she says no? I'm worried about getting rejected, what do I do? Rejection can suck, but it doesn't have to shatter your sense of your own value. In fact, it can help you both recognize and build your worth. Listen in this week for how that works, some actions to take, and questions you can ask yourself in the face of rejection. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a r...
Mar 31, 2022•13 min
