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 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 society tells about leadership and what actual effective leading looks like, and how it all. comes. back. to. discipline. Doug McKinley spent the first 15 years of his vocational life serving as a clinical psychologist and founded his own group practice in the early 90s. He was honored to be able to assist clients in the relief of unnecessary suffering and finding a healing path forward. While this was fulfilling in its own right, Doug knew that he wanted to do more; the collective insights of 30 years of investing in people have led him to the conclusion that clarity and culture are not simply “nice to have.” After meeting Pat Williams, renowned leadership coach and author, at a conference on marriage counseling, Doug transitioned from clinical psychology into serving clients as an executive leadership development coach and consultant. Part of this transition included moving on from his clinical practice and founding an executive coaching firm. In 2012, Doug created a successful consulting company with a business partner that they would run together until selling it in late 2017. McKinley currency runs DLM Pathways, an organization dedicated to guiding leaders increase their self-awareness, discover their purpose, and develop their competencies. Doug holds a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the Adler Professional School of Psychology and a Master's Degree in counseling from Wright State University. He has earned the Master Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation and is a practicing member of ICF. Doug is the author of The Resiliency Quest: A Journey of Personal Leadership Development for the Thriving Physician, and the co-author of Go Positive: Lead to Engage. He’s also authored several training program manuals that focus on leadership development.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 powerful human inventions.-A quick look at why AI will never surpass human intelligence-How we're losing narrative diversity—and why that's leading to polarization.-The function of anger. Angus Fletcher is a professor of story science at Ohio State's Project Narrative, the world's leading academic think-tank for the study of stories. He has dual degrees in neuroscience and literature, received his Ph.D. specializing in Shakespeare from Yale, taught Shakespeare at Stanford, and has published two books and dozens of peer-reviewed academic articles on the scientific workings of novels, poetry, film, and theatre. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has done story-consulting for projects for Sony, Disney, the BBC, Amazon, PBS, and Universal, and is the author/presenter of the Audible/Great Courses Guide to Screenwriting. Connect with Angus -Website: https://www.angusfletcher.co/ -Book: Wonderworks: Literary Invention and the Science of Stories: https://amzn.to/3smnhjQ -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angus-fletcher-99713617/   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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, sexuality, and personal empowerment. He is founder and CEO of The Evolved Masculine, a pioneering coaching and training company for men, and author of the book “The Evolved Masculine: Be the Man the World Needs, and The One She Craves”. Destin is also an international speaker and host of the podcast, "The Evolved Masculine: Redefining Sex, Power, & Success". His innovative lens is the result of more than 20 years of academic rigor and direct study -- including 7 formative years traveling the world living and teaching as his provocative alter ego, ‘The Erotic Rockstar’. Destin has taken the most potent aspects of his bold life experimentation and integrated it into his iconic body of work, directly supporting thousands of men to have better sex, deeper connections to their masculine power, women, and themselves.   Connect with Destin -FREE video for ManTalks followers! https://evolvedmasculine.mykajabi.com/understanding-women-mantalks -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolvedmasculine/ -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destingerek -Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/destingerek -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destingerekprofile -Book: The Evolved Masculine: https://amzn.to/3s3cMl8 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested". I humbly suggest the same rule applies to podcast episodes.  Original Episodes: -Robert Greene: Define Your Relationship To Power: https://link.chtbl.com/H2X8p745 -Stephen Jenkinson: What The F*** Happened?: https://link.chtbl.com/7BxcbG3r -Dr. Anna Lembke: Dopamine Nation: Why We're Addicted: https://link.chtbl.com/SEId6mCO -Dr. Martin Shaw: The Depth And Value Of Myth: https://link.chtbl.com/vuagBOo3 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 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 of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices