Mantalks Podcast: Purpose | Legacy | Relationships | Self Mastery | Business

This is something I'm seeing a lot on social media, but also in everyday dialogue and even some clients: labeling someone with a definitive psychological term to shut down dialogue or shame someone else, usually without really knowing what's being talked about. This only speeds up our polarization and harms our ability to connect. How about we...stop doing that? Note: the article in the NYT I mentioned was written by Dr. Tara Isabella Burton, not Bayo Akomolafe. I'll link it below, along with his interview on the Emerald Podcast. The Problem With Letting Therapy-Speak Invade Everything: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/12/opinion/mental-health-therapy-instagram.html The Emerald: The Revolution Will Not Be Pscyhologized, Part 2: https://podtail.com/en/podcast/the-emerald/the-revolution-will-not-be-psychologized-part-2-in/ Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Check out some free resources: How To

Talking points: Navy SEALS, grit, BUD/S, hardship, mindset, rehabilitation, paralympics We had some network issues near the end, so Dan is coming back for round 2 soon! I'm grateful for every single interview I get to do, but it's less often that I'm so deeply humbled. Listening to Dan's story, and his thoughtful and considerate approach to such intense trauma, is something that will stick with me for a long, long time. Listen to this episode for a gripping and honest look into the life of an incredible athlete. (00:00:00) - Welcome and Dan's defining moment (00:06:09) - What was BUD/S like for Dan? What were some the greatest lessons? (00:19:20) - What goes into being a SEAL? (00:27:41) - What was your first deployment like? (00:33:11) - How Dan lost his legs (00:42:00) - The aftermath and the injuries (01:02:51) - Where did the desire to become a paralympic athelete come from? Lieutenant Commander Dan Cnossen was serving as the platoon commander for SEAL Team One in Afghanistan in September 2009 when he ste

Talking points: regret, purpose, direction I was recently reminded of a powerful moment I had with an old mentor. At the time, I was having trouble deciding what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, and I felt directionless and fearful of regret. This is a topic I've covered before, but it's one worth reflecting on. Listen in. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Check out some free resources: How To Quit Porn | Anger Meditation | How To Lead In Your Relationship Build brotherhood with a powerful group of like-minded men from around the world. Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or P

Talking point: centrism, politics, social media, racism, censorship, AI, China, CRT Hot on the heels of last week's chat with Amir Odom, Coleman and I dug into a wide range of topics. We mostly focused on political polarization and where that's coming from, but also how AI might play into further issues, his definition of critical race theory, and much more. Listen to this episode if you've been curious about any of the above talking points, don't know where to start, and want a level-headed discussion. Coleman is a smart guy, and (I'd say) mostly center-right in his politics, so this is a good place to begin gaining awareness of the issues. [00:04:33] - Coleman's defining moment [00:10:16] - Do you think we live in a death-phobic culture? [00:14:50] - When you look at the American political landscape, how do you describe what's happening? [00:22:45] - Do you have any hope for the de-polarization of America? [00:31:55] - What are you most concerned about re: American democracy in 2023? [00:41:02] - CRT and ed

Talking points: porn, stress, hentai, isolation Every year, Pornhub releases a bunch of stats detailing how long people are watching, top search terms, when people are watching, and more. This data is from Dec 2022, so it's a bit old, but I wanted to share some thoughts on what some of these stats might be implying, particularly for men. This is an episode for anyone curious about porn's implications outside of just "sexual entertainment". I go into how it might be affecting (or a be a response to) other parts of our lives, and offer up some thoughts on what to do. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts,

Talking points: growing up gay, LGBTQ+ issues, trans issues, culture Fair warning, this is a different kind of episode than the ones I usually put out. I encourage you to listen to it fully. Thanks to Amir for his candor and willingness to come on the show. Amir Odom takes time every week to reflect on…well, anything that’s been on his mind that week. Sometimes it’s current events, sometimes it’s a story from 10 years ago, sometimes it’s a conspiracy theory and sometimes it’s his alter ego “Jamal” going on a rant. You never know what you are going to get, but that’s what keeps it interesting. [05:17] - Amir’s defining moment[10:24] - What was life like for Amir growing up?[21:34] - Do Black Americans still face systemic issues?[27:27] - Is the culture most Black men grow up under not conducive? Why?[29:14] - Broadly, what’s going on in the LGBTQ+ community?[48:54] - Amir’s mission Connect with Amir -Website: https://www.amirodom.com/ -YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amirxodom This podcast is brought to you

Talking points: marriage, relationships With marriage rates seemingly at an all-time low, and most of the old reasons for marriage largely defunct, it's a question many men are asking. It was something I wrestled with too. So...why bother with marriage? And why did I get married? [00:00] - Statistics on marriage and some of the reasons we used to get married [06:56] - Why I chose marriage This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave 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 tools and training they’re looking for. And don't f

Talking points: masculinity, femininity, achievement, dating, psychedelics, competition, culture, truth, what men and women want (and what they get wrong) Wow. Danica and I covered a LOT of territory in this conversation. Like, top 3 widest-ranging conversations I’ve had on the podcast. Listen in for everything from masculine/feminine dynamics, to the nature of truth, to sharing psychedelic stories, to what men get wrong about women (and vice versa). This is a brilliant episode to dig into if you’re looking less for answers and more for wonder. Much of what we discussed is better served by not forcing solutions, but simply wondering about viewpoints. Plus, you get a little of everything in this one!   [00:03:54] - Danica’s defining moment [00:11:41] - Women and the masculine [00:17:49] - How did masculine energy show up in Danica’s career? [00:23:47] - How does it feel to be told, as a woman, “You’re more masculine than I am”? [00:37:17] - The intersection of achievement and spirituality [00:44:52] - Psychede

Shorter episode today, but something I'd love to get your thoughts on. This came from a recent conversation between Lex Friedman and Aella, a sex researcher, writer, and sex worker. She surveyed her followers on what men and women actually want in the bedroom, and noticed an interesting discrepancy. I polled my own followers and found something similar. Listen in! Check out Aella's work here: https://knowingless.com/ This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave 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 tools and training the

Talking points: masculinity, men, death, porn, educationThere's few things I like more than wide-ranging yet deep conversations. This is one of them. Grateful to Richard for his time, eloquence, and commitment to men. This is a great episode if you're curious about some of the challenges young men face. Reeves is data-driven, open-minded, personable, and thorough, so check the time stamps to see more of what we explore.00:03:41.500 - Richard’s defining moment, and how he and his family handled the grief00:10:11.100 - Living well means facing death00:14:07.500 - “Death in one hand and gratitude in the other”00:17:49.500 - Do men have a different perception of time?00:22:18.500 - With how polarized everything is, how does Richard navigate modern culture?00:28:01.000 - Fewer men are graduating college than ever before. Why? What are some of the implications?00:36:44.500 - What are some biological differences between men and women, and what sort of caveats need to enter the discussion?00:41:41.000 - Historically,

Talking points: breathwork, calm, emotional volatility I've talked pretty often about leading in a relationship, but a session with a recent client inspired me to dig into one of the more key components: regulating yourself and staying level-headed while your partner is upset. What does this mean, how do you do it, and why? Listen in. 02:02 - What it means to regulate 05:24 - Why the "take a deep breath" cliche actually works 08:33 - Women don't want to have to validate your emotions This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the

Talking points: male isolation and "lostness", dating, dating apps, relationships, redpill, AI AJ, John and I covered a lot of ground, my friends. I've been following along with their work for a while and was recently on their podcast, The Art of Charm. Check the timestamps to see just how wide the net is! This is a great episode to listen to if you're wondering about some of the challenges younger men seem to be facing, what's shifted for them compared to the GenX and millennial experience, and whether or not there's hope. 00:03:12.000 - AJ’s defining moment 00:06:14.700 - John’s defining moment 00:12:57.500 - What’s changed for men since AJ and John started? 00:22:10.500 - Male isolation is increasing. Why? 00:40:43.00 - The shifting male archetype 00:47:23.500 - Good relationships with other men is a status signal 00:58:03.000 - Is AI going to impact mating and dating? 01:02:16.500 - What are some key foundations to an intimate relationship? 01:09:24.750 - Is there hope for young men? AJ and John, through

Talking points: masculinity, discipline, purpose How's that for a spicy title? This is a look at some common behaviors and patterns I've seen in men overall, clients I've worked with, and my own life. Patterns that erode our capacity to truly live, lead, and love. 01:31 - We lack impulse control 04:06 - We chase p***y over purpose 08:42 - We don’t clarify our values, and we don’t say no to ourselves 09:35 - We pick the wrong partner 12:26 - We settle for an “okay” career or business 17:10 - We lack like-minded men that our willing to challenge us 21:21 - We haven’t prioritized seeing what our body is capable of 24:23 - We choose domestication over discipline 26:15 - We don’t take money seriously 30:11 - We disconnect from a sense of wonder This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A P

Talking points: gender, gender equality, alpha males, alpha females, violence, culture, psychology I’ve been following Frans’ work for a while, and have admired how dedicated he is to his work and to uncovering the complexity of primates. This was such an enjoyable and fascinating conversation! This episode is a compelling look at just how complex and nuanced something like gender can be, from one of THE world’s top primatologists. With more and more pressure to outsource your opinions, your arguments, and your beliefs to the fastest talking pundit, it’s more important than ever to take a step back, breathe, and check the science. Dr. Frans B. M. de Waal is a Dutch/American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behavior and social intelligence of primates. His first book, Chimpanzee Politics (1982) compared the schmoozing and scheming of chimpanzees involved in power struggles with that of human politicians. Ever since, de Waal has drawn parallels between primate and human behavior, from peace

Talking points: dating apps, selection preferences, statistics, what to do I don't know the specific number of people actually satisfied with the modern dating scene, but given what I've read and researched, it's a VERY small number. What happened, and what can men do? In this mini-ep, I dig into some statistics around modern dating, how it's been a growing shift for a while now, and what young men can do about it instead of giving in to cynicism, misogyny, or victimhood. [00:00] The stats and what women seem to want. [03:58] Women’s selection preferences mean their pool of eligible men is shrinking. [06:27] Even I noticed this back in the day. [08:02] The data can be overwhelming; what are the consequences of that? [11:21] Prioritize male friendships. Go out and do things. Here’s why. [15:33] Don’t allow yourself to read data like this and become the victim. [16:24] How Quinn Mossmacher in White Lotus seems like the epitomization of what many young men are experiencing. This podcast is brought to you by Org

Talking points: vision quests, initiation, culture, ritual Do things like vision quests and ceremony actually DO anything? Should they? What does it mean to "connect to a place"? What happens to a man when he's immersed in nature—without a phone or a to-do list or even a destination? These are some of the wonderings I had with Mr. Darren Silver in this fascinating and enjoyable conversation. I'm a big believer in getting everything, not just men, out into the wild occasionally to reconnect with the non-human, and Darren shows us just how fruitful that can be. Darren Silver, MA, is a rite of passage guide, Nature-Connected Coach, ceremonialist, and innovative educator. He has over a decade of experience working with ritual, wilderness living skills, and guiding transformational experiences residentially and internationally. A gifted storyteller and apprentice to the old myths, Darren weaves the power of the natural world, vision, and community in devotion to the remembrance of regenerative culture.  Connect wi

One of biggest traps in anyone's healing journey is the idea that it's linear and rational. Yeah, you need tactics and plans, but if you go in thinking healing of ANY kind is like a recipe for cookies, you're not gonna have a good time. This is where the archetypal and symbolic power of myth comes in. Have a listen. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand-new book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ Enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave 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 tools and training they’re looking for. And don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify Looking

Talking points: breath work, balance, burnout, stress and the brain, hustle culture, children, digital detoxing It's a very demanding jungle out there. In a culture that seems to thrive on your being burnt out, how do you fight back? Can you? I sat down with my old friend Adam Hart this week to cover exactly that. Many of Adam's clients compare his work to a finding the “Fountain of Youth” as they regularly break free from self sabotage, fatigue and unhealthy behaviours that they have been stuck in for you years. Adam specializes in helping people ignite their full potential by unlocking themselves from patterns of stress and anxiety and begin to master the mindset necessary for living a fulfilled and purposeful life. With a degree in Sociology and accreditation by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Adam has coached hundreds of people over the past 15+ years as Founder of Clear Impact, established in 2005. When Adam is not coaching, he can be found hanging out with his loving wife and two kids in the mou

Cue "Sweet Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac, please. Why DO we self-sabotage? Why do we spend the money we don't have, break down the gym routine or go for the nastiest fast food—even after we've decided we're stopping? I think one of the most popular reasons we're given is actually pretty...wrong. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next here: https://www.organifi.com/mantalks Pick up my brand new book! Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/ 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 transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group

Talking points: working in/with the wild, initiation, trauma, what nature teaches you, masculinity This has been one of my most anticipated guests of all time. Like, years. An incredible storyteller, a man with a mighty heart and passion for everything wilderness, this is an episode I encourage you to share with the men in your life. Seriously. The wildlife and literacy activist Boyd Varty, author of the memoir Cathedral of the Wild, had an unconventional upbringing. Born to a family of conservationists, Boyd grew up on Londolozi Game Reserve in the South African wilderness, a place where man and nature strive for balance, where perils exist alongside wonders. Founded more than 90 years ago as a hunting ground, Londolozi was transformed into a nature reserve beginning in 1973 by Varty’s father and uncle, visionaries of the restoration movement. But it wasn’t just a sanctuary for the animals; it was also a place for ravaged land to flourish again and for the human spirit to be restored. When Nelson Mandela was