Recent surveys have shown that anxiety and depression are up amongst school-aged children and teens. Parents and teachers are also reporting a decrease in motivation amongst young adults. My guests today argue that both issues stem from the same problem and can be solved with the same solution. Their names are Bill Stixrud and […]| The Art of Manliness
World record-setting powerlifter Chris Duffin embodies what Teddy Roosevelt called "the strenuous life."| The Art of Manliness
Soldiers often have a hard time adjusting to life after combat, and civilians have a hard time knowing how to welcome them back. We talk to David Danelo about these topics.| The Art of Manliness
It’s a common life trajectory for men: graduate college, get married, get a 9 to 5 job, have some kids, settle down in the suburbs. And somewhere along that way, they start to get a little soft and stagnant. They let themselves go, becoming less active, and more sedentary. They have more material possessions but fewer hobbies […]| The Art of Manliness
Most people think of anger as a problem — something to avoid or repress. It’s irrational, immature, and best left behind. But what if anger isn’t bad? What if it can actually be an incredibly positive, productive, energizing life force? My guest argues we’ve misunderstood anger — and that doing so has made us […]| The Art of Manliness
Seventy-six years years after the end of World War II, that singular event continues to capture our interest and fascination. There’s a reason for that; the war combined two greatly compelling things — the epic, historic sweep of large-scale battles and the personal stories of the individual young men who fought in them with […]| The Art of Manliness
The literature of Jack London has long been given the short shrift by scholars. Well, my podcast guest today begs to differ with this assessment.| 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 […]| The Art of Manliness
According to some estimates, only 5% of people in the West get the recommended amount of daily physical activity. Is the solution getting a fitness tracker, developing more discipline, or buying a piece of cardio equipment for your basement? My guest would say none of the above, and would have you think about kids […]| The Art of Manliness
When you were a kid, teachers and parents probably told you to concentrate. And as an adult, you likely often think about how much more productive, present, and happy you’d be if only you had better focus. But despite how much we think about our desire to improve our focus, no one ever gets […]| The Art of Manliness
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
Alexander the Great, Hannibal, and Julius Caesar. What made these ancient generals great and what can we learn from them about leadership?| 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
We find ourselves upon that holiday dedicated to romance, when our thoughts naturally tend towards the state of our relationships. Perhaps you’re single and wondering how to have better success with dating. Or already dating someone, and contemplating upping your commitment level. Or maybe you’re married and trying to keep the fire of love alive. […]| 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
In a world that often feels dominated by technology and constant change, it’s easy to forget that some people are still living by the rhythms of ancient traditions. James Rebanks, an author and shepherd, is one of them, and in today’s episode, he shares what following a way of life that has endured for […]| The Art of Manliness
Hunting is one of America’s deeply held national traditions. Some of our biggest folk heroes were hunters — men like Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and Theodore Roosevelt. But how did hunting become a tradition in America in the first place and how did that tradition influence American culture, including its arts and conservation laws? […]| The Art of Manliness
While it might not seem so at first blush, the history of the bachelor in America is complex and truly fascinating. When colonists first settled America, the bachelor as an identity didn’t even exist. But as time passed, bachelors became one of the driving forces shaping our concept of manliness in America. In fact, […]| 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
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
Nice Guys finish last. Learn how to cure your Nice Guy Syndrome from Dr. Robert Glover.| 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
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
How are you doing on your resolutions? Have you already fallen off the wagon? Maybe the goal you set for yourself was just too big to successfully tackle.| 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
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
All the neurochemicals in the brain have to do with life in the present. Except for one: dopamine. Dopamine is the one neurochemical that looks to the future. It anticipates what may be to come and drives you towards it. That can be a good thing — dopamine is one powerful motivator — but it also has its downsides. Here […]| The Art of Manliness
Note: This is a rebroadcast. A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there’s a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn’t offer a strong, overarching reason to practice them. That’s why the self-improvement advice of the Founding Fathers is particularly compelling. Though they were imperfect men, […]| 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
When you’re feeling stressed, burnt out, and anxious — when you’re striving and achieving but still finding yourself persistently dissatisfied with life — you might start looking for answers beyond what’s offered by contemporary self-help. One ancient philosophy that can cast light on the sources of and solutions to our seemingly modern dilemmas is Buddhism. If […]| 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
Research has consistently shown that a good marriage can significantly improve a man’s happiness and quality of life. But a bad marriage can make you utterly miserable. My guest today argues that by looking for certain red flags in a relationship, you can marry someone who will make your life better.| 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
If you struggle with getting your financial house in order, you may feel that what you need is more information, but that's not the right approach.| The Art of Manliness
Before Arnold Schwarzenegger, even before Charles Atlas, there was Eugen Sandow. Rising from obscurity in Prussia, Sandow became an international celebrity during the Golden Age of the Strongman.| The Art of Manliness
Over a decade ago, I remember reading a story that stuck with me. I think it was connected to the famous Harvard Study on Adult Development that studied a group of men across their lifetimes, but I can no longer find the reference. A much-beloved doctor, upon his retirement, was given a notebook filled with […]| 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
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
When you scroll through social media feeds today, you’ll find countless posts about “living your truth” and “being authentic.” These ideas feel so natural to us now that we rarely stop to ask where they came from or what they really mean. The concept of identity — how we understand ourselves — has undergone a […]| The Art of Manliness
People commonly think of time as a fixed, linear, objective structure. But our own experiences belie this belief. We’ve all been in situations where time has seemed to drag on or speed up, and there are even whole periods of our lives that seem to have gone by slower or faster. As my guest Steve […]| The Art of Manliness
For several decades, people’s reported sleep quality has declined. This, despite the fact that specially optimized sheets, mattresses, and sleep trackers have emerged during that time, and despite the fact that the amount of time people are sleeping hasn’t decreased for over fifty years. In other words, people aren’t sleeping less than they used to, but […]| The Art of Manliness
You probably think of the health effects of sunlight as a mixed bag. On the one hand, sun exposure helps your body make vitamin D. But on the other, it can cause skin cancer. To get around this conundrum, dermatologists frequently recommend avoiding sun exposure when you can, slathering on sunscreen when you can’t, and […]| 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 […]| 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 […]| The Art of Manliness
General George S. Patton is known for his aggressive, action-oriented tactical brilliance. His character was also marked by a lesser-known but equally fundamental mystic piety. Those two qualities would come together in the lead up to and execution of Patton’s greatest achievement during WWII: the relief of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. […]| The Art of Manliness
We often think happiness will be found in the completion of a goal. We often think happiness will be found in ease and comfort. My guest says real joy is found in the journey rather than the destination, and that if difficulty and discomfort are part of that journey, that’s all the better. Dr. Adam […]| 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
A lot of young men today struggle in finding their footing in adulthood. They feel lost, directionless, and unsure of who they are and how to confidently and competently navigate the world. Part of the reason for this is that most young men today lack something which was once a part of nearly every culture […]| The Art of Manliness
Learn the real benefits of HIIT workouts from Dr. Martin Gibala. Find out how shorter, intense workouts can still provide significant improvements in fitness and mitochondrial capacity.| The Art of Manliness
For the last 15 years, William Vanderbloemen has run an executive search firm that helps non-profit organizations find leaders. Over the course of conducting tens of thousands of interviews with top-tier candidates, he’s tracked and recorded what qualities the best leaders — the people he calls “unicorns” — possess that set them apart from […]| The Art of Manliness
