In the first year of his presidency, the press used Theodore Roosvelt's name in connection with the word "strenuous" over 10,000 times.| The Art of Manliness
If you’ve been following The Art of Manliness for awhile, you know we’re big fans of Theodore Roosevelt. The man embodied the Strenuous Life. He was a rancher, a soldier, a hunter, a statesman, and a practitioner of boxing and judo. But what many people don’t know about Roosevelt was that he was also an […]| The Art of Manliness
Start jogging around the block, or simply sitting outside on a hot summer day, and you begin to feel moisture develop all over your body. Maybe a drop of sweat will roll down your face. Your clothes get sticky. You start feeling in greater intensity a process that’s actually going on all the time: sweating. […]| The Art of Manliness
Interview with psychologist Mark Leary about his book The Curse of the Self. He shares the benefits and downsides of having a sense of self.| The Art of Manliness
When it comes to investing, your brain can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Here's what you can do to ensure your brain is a staunch ally.| The Art of Manliness
The last time we had entrepreneur, professor, and author Luke Burgis on the show, he discussed the concept of mimetic desire, which says that we want the things we want because other people want them. Since that time, Luke has continued to explore the idea of mimesis, and how to resist its negative consequences, in his Substack: […]| The Art of Manliness
Despite his sometimes poor reputation, if you look at Ulysses Grant more closely, you can find a shining example of courage, resilience, and quiet dignity.| The Art of Manliness
While the divorce rate has fallen over the last several years, plenty of couples still don't pass the test of time. Here's how to strengthen your marriage.| The Art of Manliness
Uncover the brilliance of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. Delve into its themes, storytelling, and impact on literature.| The Art of Manliness
As the dying approach their death, up to 88% of them experience certain vivid, moving dreams — though “dreams” isn’t even the best word for these experiences, as they can happen to people when they’re both awake and asleep, and are described by them as being “more real than real.” My guest today has studied […]| The Art of Manliness
Henry David Thoreau is one of America’s most influential thinkers and writers. 164 years after it was published, Walden continues to inspire readers to get out into nature and march to the beat of their own drummer. But what was the worldview of the man who wrote those immortal words? Well, for one thing, […]| The Art of Manliness
Whenever you experience an injury or have a niggling pain in your lower back, you probably decide to completely rest up so that whatever ails you can heal and recover. But the pain doesn’t go away, so you introduce some light isolation movements to help with the recovery. But the pain still doesn’t go […]| The Art of Manliness
For some Reagan is the embodiment of all that’s good in America, while for others he's the very opposite. Who was Reagan, the man?| The Art of Manliness
The Gila National Forest covers about 3.3 million acres in southwest New Mexico. During the dry summer season, wildfires pose a serious threat to the area. To spot wildfires in this vast landscape as soon as they start, the U.S. Forest Service relies on fire towers spread throughout the area that are each manned […]| The Art of Manliness
It can feel like we've made a lot of progress during the past 30 years. But if you look closer, you start to notice that we've been running on repeat.| The Art of Manliness
Nietzsche is one of the most polarizing and misunderstood of modern philosophers. Dismissed by some and misinterpreted by others, the real philosophy of Nietzsche in fact holds some incredibly life-affirming truths.| The Art of Manliness
What does it mean to live a good life? How can we achieve that good life? These are questions a Greek philosopher explored over 2,000 years ago.| The Art of Manliness
“Don’t be a quitter!” “Quitters never win, and winners never quit!” These maxims encapsulate our usual attitude towards quitting, which is to see it as a bad thing, a weakness, a character defect. We celebrate those who stick with things, who have grit. But my guest would say that quit and grit are just two sides of the same coin, and that quitting is a […]| The Art of Manliness
I’ve been barbell lifting for seven years. In that time I’ve hit some personal records that I’m proud of: a 615-lb deadlift, 225-lb shoulder press, and 465-lb squat. The last couple years though, I haven’t notched these kinds of big milestones for a combination of reasons, including dealing with injuries, having less time, and experiencing […]| The Art of Manliness
When John Bowe learned that his reclusive cousin, who had lived for decades in his parents’ basement, had moved out and gotten married at the age of fifty-nine, John was extremely surprised. What made him equally surprised was how his cousin had finally launched his life. It hadn’t been meds or therapy. Instead, he had […]| The Art of Manliness
We’ve been told since we were little kids to “Be nice.” But what if being nice isn’t really that good and it’s making you and those around you miserable? That’s the provocative argument my guest today makes. His name is Dr. Aziz Gazipura. He’s a psychologist and founder of the Social Confidence Center. In his […]| The Art of Manliness
After more than a year of being cooped up due to pandemic restrictions, lots of people are itching to hit the open road and get the heck out of dodge. If that’s you, my guests have some great tips for planning and executing an awesome road trip. Their names are Jeremy and Stephanie Puglisi […]| The Art of Manliness
Being famous. Knowing someone famous. Getting a laugh after telling a joke. Getting a good grade. Getting likes on a social media post. Winning a video game. Cooking a tasty meal. Being good looking. Having inside knowledge. Sharing a good recommendation. We often think of status exclusively in terms of wealth, but it’s actually at […]| The Art of Manliness
This is a rebroadcast. This episode originally aired January 2019. If you’re like a lot of men listening to this podcast, you’ve likely made it a goal to lose some weight this year. But if you’re also like a lot of men listening to this podcast, you’ve made that goal before, maybe even succeeded […]| The Art of Manliness
I talk with Robert Maurer about this philosophy of small, continuous improvement used by Japanese carmakers for over 60 years| The Art of Manliness
Inside many men is the call for adventure. My guest today is one of those men and he's pursued a lifetime of amazing expeditions.| The Art of Manliness
Have you ever been put in a situation that you weren’t ready for at all, but somehow managed to rise to the occasion and do what needed to be done? Imagine being Harry Truman. He grew up a poor farmer’s son in Jackson County, Missouri, didn’t graduate from college, failed at multiple businesses, and […]| The Art of Manliness
It’s hard not to notice how heated and divided our public discourse has gotten, especially online. People insult and vilify each other, take unnuanced positions, and seem to be competing as to who can seem the most committed to a cause or the most outraged about an issue. You may have called some of […]| The Art of Manliness
When neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Chris Winter sees adult patients in his sleep clinic, they often come to him because of a struggle with insomnia, which, as he described in a previous appearance on the AoM podcast, is caused by stressing too much about sleep, so that going to bed becomes an anxious and […]| The Art of Manliness
Many of us want to learn a new skill or master a new area of expertise, but going deep in a subject takes time and money. There's another way.| The Art of Manliness
Financial independence is a goal for a lot of folks. But what does it take to get there? My guest today explores that question.| The Art of Manliness
The four factors that need to be in place for a man to feel like a man, and why experiencing these qualities has become harder to do in the present age.| The Art of Manliness
The Spartans were warriors par excellence, but their culture was much more complex. I unpack some of these complexities with historian Paul Rahe| The Art of Manliness
Why do you feel so motivated and excited about tackling a new project at first, but then get bored and abandon it? Why does passionate love quickly turn into ambivalence? Why does it feel like you had more zest for life and work in your twenties than in your thirties and forties? […]| The Art of Manliness
Do you ever feel like you're spinning your existential wheels in life? That outwardly, you seem to be doing ok, but inwardly, you feel kind of empty?| The Art of Manliness
We live in a time of hype and self-aggrandizement. But my guest today argues that what the world needs more of are quiet professionals -- people who’s only focus is to get the job done well. His name is Rob Shaul and he’s the founder and president of Mountain Tactical Institute.| The Art of Manliness
Insults are a part of the human experience. We insult others and we get insulted back. Social media has only amplified our tendency to ridicule one another, and increased our likelihood of being on the receiving end of a barb. Yet we don’t typically understand the dynamics of insults very well. Why do we […]| The Art of Manliness
What is nostalgia? What makes it different than other memories? Does it have any purposes or benefits? Listen in to this great podcast episode.| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy, has trained professional athletes, Olympians, and military special operators, helping them unlock peak performance. But as he approached his fifties, he started to see cracks appearing in the health of the folks around him. What had worked for his peers in their 20s […]| The Art of Manliness
Different generations love to cast aspersions on each other. Boomers think Millennials and Gen Zers are fragile narcissists. Those younger generations think that Boomers are selfish, closed-minded pinheads who helped themselves to economic success and then pulled the ladder out for everyone else. But are these and other generational stereotypes true? Here to unpack […]| The Art of Manliness
When Paul Kalanathi was 36 years old, he was on the cusp of becoming a neurosurgeon. But then he learned he had terminal stage four lung cancer.| The Art of Manliness
In his book Lucky 666, Bob Drury shares the incredible story of a group of ragtag WWII airmen in the Pacific theater and their ringleader, Captain Jay Zeamer.| The Art of Manliness
At some point all of us will likely experience a job loss or some other big life setback. While it can feel like your world is crashing down, there’s one asset you'll hopefully have at your disposal which can help you weather the storm: your social circle.| The Art of Manliness
Over the past decade there's been an emerging focus on the importance of sleep. But stressing about sleep may be what's hurting your sleep.| The Art of Manliness
When it comes to advice around getting better sleep, nearly all of it is directed at the individual sleeper who feels they’ve got room to improve: Here’s what you might be doing wrong; here’s how to straighten out your sleep hygiene. Yet for the millions of people who are sleeping with someone else in their bed, […]| The Art of Manliness
Running is a gloriously democratic and accessible sport. All you need is a pair of shoes and the will to start moving your legs. It’s so seemingly simple, that you may never think to figure out how you might get better at it — you just follow what your peers may be doing (who may […]| The Art of Manliness
Whether you’ve been dating someone for a short time or been married for years, there’s one question that can remain perennially interesting — did I choose the right partner? My guest today has some answers to that question that aren’t based on crowd-sourced anecdotes or biased personal hunches, but reams of scientific research. His name is Ty Tashiro […]| The Art of Manliness
While we often associate Eastern spiritual and philosophical traditions with meditation and contemplation, there’s another side to this wisdom that centers on action and can help us move through depression, anxiety, fear, and just general malaise. My guest today is the author of a book about this action-oriented philosophy. His name is Gregg Krech, […]| The Art of Manliness
My guest today — Master Penman Michael Sull — argues that we can increase our sense of humanity and our connection to the physical world with penmanship.| The Art of Manliness
The marathon race is one of sport's most physically demanding events. To compete at the highest levels takes dedication to training, recovery, mindset.| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. You may think of anxiety as a reaction, a feeling, or a disorder. My guest today says that perhaps the best way to think about anxiety, especially if you want to treat it effectively, is as a habit. His name is Dr. Judson Brewer, and he’s a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, […]| The Art of Manliness
We’re often told violence is never the answer. My guest today would argue that not only is that idea wrong, it's also extremely dangerous.| The Art of Manliness
Note: Cormac McCarthy died last week at the age of 89. To commemorate his passing, we’re rebroadcasting one of my favorite episodes about one of my favorite books: The Road. Please enjoy. Once a year, I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It’s a cathartic annual ritual for me. What is it about this novel that has […]| The Art of Manliness
Most leadership advice says the same thing: to be a good leader, you need to be generous, humble, and authentic. My guest, professor of organizational behavior Jeffrey Pfeffer, would say that kind of advice may make us feel good and represent the world as we’d like it to be, but it doesn’t actually work in […]| The Art of Manliness
The Twilight Zone is arguably one of the best and most influential shows in television history. The reason it endures, and is still being watched and talked about more than sixty years after its debut, can not only be traced to its superior storytelling and innovations in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, […]| The Art of Manliness
Dr. Charles Raison's thoughts on how to figure out the right treatment for depression for each individual and what new reserach is telling us.| The Art of Manliness
Plato’s Republic is a seminal treatise in Western political philosophy and thought. It hits on ideas that we’re still grappling with in our own time.| The Art of Manliness
Whenever a financial or technological disaster takes place, people wonder if it could have possibly been averted. Listen to this podcast to find out more.| The Art of Manliness
The charge to be well-mannered, to treat others with civility, kindness, and respect, is perennial. But the rules for how to carry those manners into action, the rules of good etiquette, change over time. Given all the cultural and technological changes modern society has experienced, it’s not always easy to know the best practices for […]| The Art of Manliness
Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley. Three great U.S generals that led the Allies to victory in Europe during WWII. Learn more about them.| The Art of Manliness
Are great leaders born or made? Do circumstances make great leaders or do great leaders change the times? These are a few of the big picture questions my guest explores in her latest book. Her name is Doris Kearns Goodwin, she’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and in her latest book, Leadership: In Turbulent Times, she explores […]| The Art of Manliness
There is seemingly more collaboration going on in the workplace than ever before. People are working and talking across teams, and within teams, using a wide array of communication channels. As a result, employees, managers, and CEOs alike can feel pulled in a ton of different directions, by a ton of different asks, and find […]| The Art of Manliness
The town of Concord, Massachusetts has been famous twice in history. First as the location of the “shot heard round the world” which kickstarted the American Revolution in the 18th century, and second, as the home of several famous writers and thinkers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, in the 19th. My guest […]| The Art of Manliness
Which should you do first when you work out -- cardio or weights? How long does it take to get in shape? How long does it take to get out of shape?| The Art of Manliness
The case for hunting to those unfamiliar with it, as well as how to become competent in the outdoors, no matter your activity.| The Art of Manliness
When you think about ancient Greek tragedies, you probably think about people in togas spouting stilted, archaic language — stories written by stuffy playwrights to be watched by snooty audiences. My guest today argues that this common conception of Greek tragedies misses the power of plays that were in fact created by warriors for warriors, and which […]| The Art of Manliness
When it comes to fitness and nutrition, the nutrition part can cause a lot of confusion. There’s so much information out there about the best diet to follow and often the advice is contradictory. My guest today is here to clear up some of the confusion.| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. When you think about someone having a midlife crisis, you probably think of a man getting divorced, stepping out with a younger woman, and buying a sports car. But my guest today says the often jokey, mockable trope of the midlife crisis we have in our popular culture discounts the […]| The Art of Manliness
How long does it take to make friends — for someone you meet who’s a potential friend, to turn into an actual friend? If you’re out of college and not a young adult anymore, you know that it sure feels like it’s a process that takes an awfully long time. Well my guest has actually […]| The Art of Manliness
Our world has never been more convenient and comfortable. With just a few taps of our fingers, we can order food to our door, access endless entertainment options, and keep our climate at a steady 72 degrees. We don’t have to put in much effort, much less face any risk or challenge, in order to sustain […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. When men think about optimizing their hormones, they tend only to think about raising their testosterone. But while increasing T can be important, an ideal health profile also means having testosterone that’s in balance with your other hormones as well. Today on the show, Dr. Kyle Gillett joins me to […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. Matthew Dicks wears a lot of hats. Among other things, he’s a storyteller, communications consultant, writer, and schoolteacher. In order to excel in his professional life, as well as do what he loves in his personal life, he’s developed a set of strategies that help him be more creative and […]| The Art of Manliness
What albums and songs are getting a lot of play on your Spotify or iTunes app currently? My guest would say that the music you put in heavy rotation comes down to your unique “listener profile.” Her name is Susan Rogers, and she’s a music producer-turned-neuroscientist as well as the co-author of This Is What […]| The Art of Manliness
When it comes to lists of men’s favorite movies, The Godfather is a perennial inclusion. And as hard as this may be to believe, the critically acclaimed and popularly beloved film is coming up on the 50th anniversary of its release. Journalist Mark Seal wrote an in-depth piece on the making of The Godfather for […]| The Art of Manliness
Over the last decade, there’s been an increase in the number of people, particularly young adults, who struggle with low moods, distractibility, and anxiety, and consequent difficulties with getting their life on track and making progress in work, friendship, and romance. In addressing these difficulties, people are often given or adopt a mental health […]| The Art of Manliness
Happiness and depression can feel like slippery and befuddling things. We can do the things we’ve been told will make us happy, while still not feeling satisfied. Or, on paper, our lives can look great, yet we feel depressed. And the advice that’s out there about these states doesn’t always seem to correspond to […]| The Art of Manliness
In the 19th century, Cerro Gordo, which sits above Death Valley, was the largest silver mine in America, a place where dreamers came to strike it rich. In the 21st century, Brent Underwood used his life savings to buy what had become an abandoned ghost town, and ended up finding a very different kind of […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. When it comes to losing weight, you can find plenty of complicated programs that involve long, intense workouts and strict calorie-counting diet plans. But my guest today takes an approach to fat loss that’s awesomely simple, and even more effective because of that fact. His name is Dan John and […]| The Art of Manliness
Dip your toes into the world of personal finance and you can find plenty of questions which are the subject of endless debate. How much of your income should you save? Is it okay to take on debt? Which is better — renting a home or owning one? When it comes to the stock market, […]| The Art of Manliness
When we think about finance, we typically think about numbers and math. My guest today, however, argues that doing well with money is less about what you can put on a spreadsheet and more about what goes on in your mind, and that if you want to master personal finance, you’ve got to understand how things like […]| The Art of Manliness
You heard about The Art of War, and it sounded pretty cool. So you picked up a copy to read. But you found that, beyond a few of its famous maxims, a lot of this text attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu was hard to understand, much less incorporate into your life. […]| The Art of Manliness
Why do some people who look can’t-miss high-achievers on paper end up floundering in life, while those who can seem like underdogs end up flourishing? When my guest noticed this phenomenon while being involved in the selection process of veteran SEALs for a specialized command, it led him to the discovery that beneath more obvious […]| The Art of Manliness
If you want insight on how to make love last, you might ask friends, family, a therapist, or a pastor for advice. You probably wouldn’t think to turn to a divorce lawyer. But my guest, James Sexton, who does that very job in New York City, says there may be few people who have a […]| The Art of Manliness
Planning a national park camping trip? Get expert advice on securing a campsite and navigating the reservation system to make the most of your experience.| The Art of Manliness
When someone asks us to do something we don’t want to do, we often say yes even though we want to say no, because we think that saying no will feel terrible. But my guest, Dr. Vanessa Patrick, says the opposite is true: we actually feel great when we say no. So why do we […]| The Art of Manliness
When Daniel Zia Joseph decided to join the Army at the unusually late age of 32, he solicited advice from his buddies who had served in the military on how to succeed in the experience and become a good officer and leader. Today, he passes on these leadership lessons to us. Dan is the author […]| The Art of Manliness
If making small talk makes someone anxious, it may just be because they have a fear of such interactions, and my guest today, Rich Gallagher, can help them overcome it through his practice as a therapist. Or, someone’s anxiety around small talk can be based in part on simply not knowing how to do it, […]| The Art of Manliness
People sometimes ask me what I think of video games. I think that, in moderation, they’re a fine source of the kind of passive entertainment we all need little doses of in our lives. But for me personally, I rarely play video games because there’s just too much other stuff I’d rather do instead. There […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. Charisma can make everything smoother, easier, and more exciting in life. It’s a quality that makes people want to listen to you, to adopt your ideas, to be with you. While what creates charisma can seem like a mystery, my guest today, communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards, says it comes […]| The Art of Manliness
Amidst the epic clashes of armies and navies that make war such a fascinating subject, lie the smaller human interest stories that prove just as compelling. One such story is that of World War II soldier Joe Johnson Jr., which is told by Marcus Brotherton in a newly published book called A Bright and Blinding […]| The Art of Manliness
The Medal of Honor is the military’s highest and most prestigious decoration and is awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces who “distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” During World War II, no U.S. unit would produce more […]| The Art of Manliness
War is a violent and bloody business, but it's rarely a ree-for-all. Instead, codes of conduct have existed since ancient times.| The Art of Manliness
Influence comes down to a person’s level of authority. When someone is perceived as having power, status, and worth, others readily follow them and comply with them. Authority isn’t just a matter of position. It’s also a personal quality. When people attempt to develop their influence or authority, they tend to focus on learning social […]| The Art of Manliness
When Nick Gray moved to New York City, he was a shy introvert with few friends. But he wanted to build up his social network. So he started throwing cocktail parties to meet people. These parties changed his life, and he thinks they can change yours, too. Nick knows what you’re thinking: you don’t throw […]| The Art of Manliness
Many a man has been impressed by the ingenuity of secret agent operations, and intrigued by the subterfuge, gadgets, and disguises required to pull them off. Much of what we think about when we think about spies got its start as part of the Office of Strategic Services, the American intelligence agency during World War […]| The Art of Manliness
Many people dream of leaving the city and creating a simpler, more independent life farther from the mainstream population and entirely off the grid.| The Art of Manliness
Travel can often be approached as just another consumer good; travelers quickly dive in and out of a place, check off the things they want to see, harvest the requisite pictures to prove they were there, and wear their trip as a status symbol. My guest, Rolf Potts, thinks there’s a better way to approach […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. Over the last year, my 12-year-old son has been doing one challenge every week as a rite of passage and chance to earn a special trip. Some of these challenges have involved reading a book in a week, and the most recent book we gave him to read was How to Win Friends […]| The Art of Manliness
Some people dread winter with its cold weather, long dark nights, and the downcast mood these elements often induce. But my guest would say it’s possible to befriend winter, and truly enjoy the rhythms and opportunities that are unique to this season. Micah Mortali is the founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership […]| The Art of Manliness