Becoming Self-Aware, Overcoming Infidelity, and Disincentivizing Bad Behavior | ASK ME ANYTHING

Leadership is a word that has become completely bastardized in modern culture. Everywhere you turn, someone is hyping you up on why you need to become a better leader, the benefits of leading versus following, and how exactly you should do it. But what if I told you, it’s not the tactics that make you a leader but the mindsets that spell the difference. My good friend, brother, and leadership coach, Kipp Sorensen, joins me today to talk about what it really means to lead in a world where every man thinks they’re leading well. We address the two types of destructive leaders, the “BAR” acronym (behavior, actions, results) and which to focus on, how 83% of people in the workforce view their position in the company (and what you can do about it), why a “compensation” package is about more than just money, and the do’s and don’t’s of effective leadership. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Introduction and Business Talk   01:48 - Exploring Leadership Challenges   04:30 - How Authority Changes People   06:18 - Persecutors vs. Rescuers in Leadership   10:26 - Stanford Prison Experiment Insights   13:07 - Balancing Motivation and Honesty   17:19 - Becoming a Leader-Coach   21:41 - The Mindset of Great Leadership   23:21 - Applying Leadership at Home   29:49 - Defining the Leader-Coach Role   36:31 - Balancing Accountability and Empathy   41:29 - Focusing on Results, Not Behaviors   49:54 - Ownership and Choice in Leadership   56:00 - Handling Limited Resources   01:02:09 - Leading Family vs. Employees   01:09:20 - Closing and Kipp’s Contact Info Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

13 Maj 1h 19min

In this poignant episode of Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler delves into the pitfalls of people-pleasing, drawing from personal reflection. He identifies five critical signs—saying yes when you mean no, avoiding conflict, feeling responsible for others’ emotions, tying self-worth to praise, and feeling burned out or resentful. Michler shares candid insights, referencing No More Mr. Nice Guy by Dr. Robert Glover and Let Them by Mel Robbins, offering practical anecdotes to break the cycle. Through raw honesty, he encourages listeners to set boundaries and prioritize self-care to become their authentic selves. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:19 - Introduction to People-Pleasing 04:53 - Recommended Resources 07:21 - Sign 1: Saying Yes When You Should Say No 09:49 - Sign 2: Avoiding Conflict at All Costs 13:25 - Sign 3: Feeling Responsible for Others’ Feelings 18:53 - Sign 4: Struggling with Self-Worth Without Praise 28:04 - Sign 5: Feeling Burned Out, Resentful, and Unseen 34:50 - Actionable Steps and Closing Thoughts Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

9 Maj 36min

In this "Ask Me Anything" episode, Ryan Michler and Kipp Sorensen dive into a St. Louis event recap, sharing its triumphs and challenges. They tackle listener questions on sibling conflicts, leaving work stress behind, the pressures of leadership, marriage cycles, discovering personal values, and managing credit scores. With candid insights, Ryan and Kipp explore self-validation, intentionality, and aligning actions with values, offering practical advice for men striving to live purposefully. Join them for an inspiring discussion on growth and resilience. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00.088 - Event Recap: St. Louis Experience 06:40.662 - Handling Sibling Conflicts 13:54.412 - Leaving Work Stress at Home 24:18.870 - The Weight of Leadership 41:44.558 - Marriage Cycles: Fact or Fiction? 51:40.632 - Discovering Your Personal Values 57:09.762 - Credit Scores and Financial Responsibility 01:02:15.275 - Call to Action: Divorce Not Death   Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

7 Maj 1h 4min

We’ve all heard the quote, “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times.” Today, I have the author of that quote, Geoff Hopf on the podcast to talk about what he meant when we penned that phrase. Today, we talk about moral weakness and lacking skillsets, why masculinity does not need to be redefined, why accepting reality is such a crucial part of men’s growth, why all men want to be part of something great, the 4 pillars of survival, and overcoming illogical belief systems. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 – Introduction 01:24 – Geoff’s background and law enforcement experience 06:35 – Transitioning to writing and becoming an author 11:18 – Daily writing habits and productivity 15:47 – Finding purpose through creative work 20:26 – Violence, masculinity, and raising boys 26:55 – Personal responsibility and fatherhood 33:10 – Social media, distraction, and mental clarity 39:42 – Freedom of speech and cancel culture 44:51 – Lessons from fatherhood and legacy 50:15 – Final thoughts and where to find Geoff’s work   Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

6 Maj 1h 18min

In this episode of Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler delivers a powerful message on embracing failure as a catalyst for growth. Drawing from personal experiences, he outlines six actionable strategies to learn from setbacks, including avoiding complacency, focusing on controllables, and forgiving oneself. Michler emphasizes resilience and personal responsibility, urging listeners to let go of past mistakes and build a better future. His candid, motivational approach inspires men to confront challenges head-on and transform adversity into opportunity.  SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Introduction: The Inevitability of Failure 02:53 - Six Strategies to Learn from Failure 05:13 - Complacency Kills 07:33 - Externalities Are Rarely the Problem 11:47 - Build New, Let Go of the Old 15:16 - Do Not Grow Bitter or Label 19:27 - Forgive Yourself 27:04 - Focus on the Controllables 28:52 - Closing: Transform Challenges into Growth Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

2 Maj 31min

In this episode of Ask Me Anything, Ryan Michler and Kipp Sorenson tackle tough, real-world questions from men facing divorce, personal setbacks, and disconnection at home. They dive into how optics impact execution, how to master emotional resilience through stress, and why ego can sabotage your growth.  From powerful mindset shifts to tactical advice for navigating separation and fatherhood, this episode is packed with hard truths and uplifting insights. Whether you’re healing, leading, or rebuilding—this one hits home. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 – Technical Troubles and Weekend Recap 05:45 – Viewer Questions Begin 06:02 – What to Do When Divorce Hits 10:07 – Reconnecting Without Shared Interests 15:09 – Rebuilding After a Breakup 21:45 – Divorce Logistics and Legal Readiness 27:59 – How to Apologize to Your Kids 32:23 – Blessings Hidden in Disappointment 44:58 – Would You Want Your Son to Live Your Life? 52:07 – Hierarchical Decision-Making 52:34 – Optics vs. Execution Debate 59:00 – The Brain’s Argument With Itself 01:02:24 – Optics as a Sign of Respect 01:04:50 – Final Thoughts and Hope Through Hard Times Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

30 Apr 1h 5min

It can be challenging to be faithful towards your goals and objectives in the seemingly endless supply of trials and adversity. Whether you’re dealing with a crippling financial situation, devastating divorce, or something like my guest today, Hal Elrod, dealt with, a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. In spite of all that, and more, you have responsibilities to take care of and duties to fulfill. So, how do you do it? Today, Hal and I talk about being realistic in your pursuits by balancing the line between probable and possible, what is a true miracle and how to create more of them in your life, the powerful connection between mind and body (and, how to use it), and using affirmations in a way that works. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 — Reconnecting After Nearly a Decade 00:45 — Hal’s Cancer Diagnosis and Immediate Challenges 03:35 — Fear of Death vs. Fear for Family 06:14 — The Miracle Equation: Unwavering Faith and Extraordinary Effort 08:17 — Preparing for Death While Fighting to Live 13:08 — The Role of Affirmations in Healing 14:20 — Beating Cancer: Mindset vs. Reality 18:35 — The Mind-Body Connection and Healing Miracles 21:28 — Dr. Bernie Siegel’s Insights on Cancer Survival 23:20 — Choosing Hope Over Despair 24:51 — Fear of Failure and Others' Opinions 27:11 — Defining and Creating "Miracles" 30:09 — Faith Without Works Is Dead 31:25 — The Origin of the Miracle Equation 36:44 — The Sales Miracle: A $20,000 Breakthrough 39:42 — When Other People Influence Your Outcomes 41:29 — Overcoming Major Setbacks with the "Until" Mindset 44:53 — Adjusting Goals Without Losing Faith 45:51 — Michael Jordan and Unwavering Faith in Action 48:13 — Is It Faith or Delusion? 51:08 — What's Next After The Miracle Morning? 55:09 — Hal’s Next Project: Mastering Action and Inner Peace 57:38 — Where to Find Hal Elrod’s Work Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

29 Apr 1h 5min

Ryan Michler shares seven essential mindsets for effective money management in this episode of Friday Field Notes. Aimed at men striving to protect, provide, and preside, Michler emphasizes money as a tool and metric of value, urging listeners to overcome emotional pitfalls and societal misconceptions. He outlines a strategic approach—fortify, neutralize, attack—and stresses the importance of professional support. With practical wisdom, Michler empowers men to master their finances and fulfill their potential. Tune in to rethink money and elevate your financial game. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:37 - Money as a Metric of Value 02:57 - The Duty to Earn 07:45 - Money as a Tool 10:09 - Eliminating Emotions 15:00 - No Room for Amateurs 19:45 - Fortify, Neutralize, Attack 27:03 - Knowing Your Role Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

25 Apr 30min