The Art of Manliness

John Zeratsky, co-author of 'Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day,' shares a 4-step daily framework to optimize energy, focus, and time. Topics include choosing a daily highlight, managing time and avoiding distractions, setting priorities with highlights, dedicated time for personal projects, protecting our 'picture highlight,' and maintaining productivity systems and habits.

Ryan Craig, Managing Director of University Ventures and author of A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College, discusses the rising costs of traditional higher education and explores alternative education models like boot camps and apprenticeships. He highlights the skills gap in the digital economy, the concept of last mile training programs, and the evolution of alternative education models that prioritize real-life job skills over traditional college degrees.

Do you have a teenage boy who struggles in school? Or do you have a younger son who you can imagine struggling in school as he gets older? He may be an otherwise capable young man, but seems apathetic and unmotivated, to the point you think he's not excelling simply because he's lazy. My guest today says that's the wrong conclusion to draw, and one that leads to the wrong parenting approach to addressing it.His name is Adam Price and he's a child psychologist and the author of He's Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself. Today on the show, Dr. Price argues that the real reason many young men are unmotivated is not that they don't care about succeeding, but that they feel too much pressure to do so, and are scared of failing. We discuss why nagging and over-parenting simply exacerbates this issue, and how stepping back and giving boys more autonomy can help them become more self-directed and find their footing.Get the show notes at aom.is/notlazy.

The ancient Greek poet Archilochus said, "A fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing."The original meaning of the quote has been lost to the mists of time, but my guest today argues that it's a great metaphor for classifying two types of leadership strategies.His name is John Lewis Gaddis and he's a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, an expert on the Cold War, and a professor of military history at Yale University. Today, Professor Gaddis and I talk about his book, On Grand Strategy, in which he distills insights about strategy from political and military history going all the way back to antiquity.We begin our conversation discussing what strategy is and what it means to have grand strategy. John then shares the analogy of the fox and the hedgehog, and the benefits and downsides to each approach to thinking and acting. We then discuss why the best strategists combine fox-like and hedgehog-like mindsets, examples from history of great leaders who had both, and how he helps his students see the relationship between principle and practice.Get the show notes at aom.is/grandstrategy.

Rener Gracie, head instructor at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, discusses the history and effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He explains the differences between sport and self-defense BJJ, the confidence gained from learning self-defense, and its impact on life. The podcast also covers finding the right Gracie school, exploring online training options, and a new business venture.

Professor Christian Miller discusses the concept of the character gap, highlighting how people are a mix of virtuous and vicious traits. He explores the influence of context on behavior, practices to strengthen moral character, and the impact of world religions on moral development. The podcast challenges the idea of labeling individuals as purely good or bad.

Procrastination can be a big stumbling block to our success in life. If you’re a student and you put off studying to the last minute, you might not do as well on a test. If you wait to start saving for retirement until you’re in your 40s, you lose out on the power of compound interest.We know that we need to do certain things sooner, rather than later, but we don’t. Why?My guest today is Dr. Piers Steel, and in his work and his book, The Procrastination Equation, he's distilled all the research out there on procrastination into a kind of formula that explains why we put things off. Piers explains why his approach to procrastination is different from that taken by many psychologists, and what they often get wrong about its root causes. He then digs into the different components of why we procrastinate, as well as actionable advice on how you can mitigate these issues and start getting more stuff done.Get the show notes at aom.is/procrastinationequation.

Writer David Giffels recounts building a coffin with his father, reflecting on life lessons. They discuss Rust Belt loyalty, sports resilience, and the profound experience of coffin-building. Exploring themes of aging, mortality, and family bonds, the conversation touches on near victories in sports, Ohio humor, and navigating midlife challenges.

Learn about Rocky Marciano, the unlikely heavyweight champion who rose to fame through grit and fate. Discover how he navigated fame, money, and organized crime in the boxing world. Explore the inspiring and tragic sides of his journey, from humble beginnings to becoming a cultural icon in 1950s America.

Do you feel like you’re putting your nose to the grindstone and working longer and longer hours, but not getting anywhere with your career? My guest today makes the case that if you want to be a top performer and advance in your job, you need to start working smarter instead of harder.His name is Morten Hansen and in his book Great at Work, he highlights his groundbreaking, exhaustive analysis on top performers and shares his "7 Work Smarter Practices” that can maximize your job performance, without necessarily requiring you spend more time at it.Today on the show, Morten explains why top performers concentrate on fewer things, but obsess more about them, as well as the optimal number of hours to be working each week. He then shares some advice on how to convince your boss to limit the number of irons you've got in the fire. We then discuss a practice Morten called "the one thing" that will elevate your skills, why you shouldn't pursue a job based on passion alone, why the best collaborations involve a bit of heated debate, and why you need to find more time to work alone. This show busts a bunch of myths as well as offers a lot of really interesting insights that you can put into practice. Get the show notes at aom.is/greatatwork.