The Art of Manliness

The 5 Shifts of Manhood

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a ...

When the Game Was War — Lessons From the Greatest NBA Season of All Time

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While there may be some heated rivalries in today's NBA, the ferocity of competition doesn't compare to the hard-hitting contests that took place duri...

How to Develop Rugged Flexibility

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Change is a constant. Changes big and small are always happening in our lives, while the world also changes around us. We can either resist these chan...

Take Back the Weekend

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Note: This is a rebroadcast. Do you ever get to feeling kind of down, dejected, and anxious come Sunday evening? People refer to this phenomenon as t...

Leadership Is Overrated

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When an organization wants to get more productive and better reach its goals, it typically looks to retool its leadership, trying to find lone figures...

For Whom The Bell Tolls

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ernest Hemingway's classic novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, is often designated as one of the greatest books about war ever written and has appeared on...

How to Use the Principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Overcome Obstacles in Business and Life

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there are certain principles like timing, leverage, and positioning that practitioners must master to successfully overcome an...

Is Cannabis a Safe Drug?

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last decade, cannabis use has been legalized in more states. At the same time, the idea that marijuana is a safe drug has steadily increased....

Advice on Making Love Last . . . From a Divorce Lawyer

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are tons of podcasts, blog posts, and books about how to get more focused. Focus is seen as the key to greater productivity and success.While fo...

The Life We're Looking For

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Note: This is a rebroadcast.In the quiet moments of our lives, we can all sense that our hearts long for something, though we often don't know what th...

The Psychology of Effective Weight Loss

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Note: This is a rebroadcast.When most people think about losing weight, they think about the details of a diet plan — what food to eat, how much o...

The Most Insightful Personality Test

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Personality tests sometimes come in for criticism these days for not being very accurate or helpful or for putting people into boxes. And it’s true ...

Why We Fight

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often suppose that wars are fought over things like resources, border disputes, and ideologies. My guest calls this "the spreadsheet approach to wa...

Finally Learn to Say No

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Set Your Future Self Up for Success

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As you move through time, you exist as a present self who makes decisions, an in-between self who should carry out those decisions, and a future self ...

The Fourth Turning — How History's Crisis Period Could Unfold

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While studying history back in the 1990s, Neil Howe and the late William Strauss noticed something: there seemed to be a pattern to history that repea...

Here's What It Could Look Like to Put the Trades Back in School

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lately, I've been talking to my son Gus about considering a career in the trades. A lot of the white collar jobs out there don't seem very fulfilling,...

The Science of Getting Psyched Up

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re an athlete, you know that it can be helpful to get psyched up before a big game. But getting in the right mindset is important in any kind...

Thick Desires, Political Atheism, and Living an Anti-Mimetic Life

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Master Microtransitions to Improve the Happiness, Success, and Flow of Your Life

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout each day, all of us make little shifts in our roles and responsibilities; we take off one hat and put on another. Sometimes these shifts ar...

Would You Have Been a Patriot or a Loyalist?

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When Americans think back to the War of Independence, most are apt to feel that, had they lived back then, they would have been Patriots for sure. In ...

How to Read a Tree

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re walking in the woods, you’re often surrounded by trees. But you probably don’t notice them much, and when you do spot some irregular...

Stop Being a Complainer

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My flight was awful. The restaurant's service was terrible. The traffic was horrible. My boss is the worst. Our culture is the stupidest.Whenever we g...

Become a Morning Workout Person

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Working out at any time of day is great. But my guest says there are distinct benefits to doing it in the a.m., and he's going to walk you through eve...

Cormac McCarthy, The Road, and Carrying the Fire

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 such an impact on my so...

How Emerson Can Help You Become a Stoic Nonconformist

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we think about Stoic philosophers, we typically think about the thinkers of ancient Greece and Rome, like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. But my g...

The Rise and Fall of the Golden Age of Action Heroes

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 1980s America, gritty streets were filled with crime, the threat of Cold War hovered in the air, and action movies starring tough guy heroes domina...

How to Survive Any Worst Case Scenario

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When people think about survival and preparedness, they tend to think of dealing with an end-of-the-world kind of scenario. But lots of bad things can...

Magician's Secrets for Becoming More Commanding, Convincing, And Charismatic

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To be successful at their craft, magicians must possess the well-honed technical skills to pull off their mystifying tricks and clever sleights of han...

The Myths and Truths Around Suicide

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You might think we’re heading into a low time of year for suicides because they peak during the cold, dark months of winter. But, in fact, suicide p...

The Essential Guide to Getting Promoted

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been languishing in the same role at work, frustrated that you haven't been promoted to a higher position with more pay and different respons...

The Heroic Exploits of WWII’s Pacific Paratroopers

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When people think of the paratroopers of World War II, they tend to think of the European theater — the 101st Airborne Division and the Band of Brot...

Answers to the FAQ of Modern Etiquette

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Art and Science of Getting Unstuck

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel stuck in life — that you aren’t making progress in a relationship, job, or goal and you don’t know how to fix the problem and move f...

The Essential Guide to Visiting and Camping in the National Parks

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

America’s national parks are one of the country’s greatest treasures, and many people have it on their bucket list to visit one or more of these g...

Thoreau on Making a Living

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We don't often think of work when we think of Henry David Thoreau. We think of Thoreau living with his family, or loafing around at a cabin at Walden,...

Optimize Your Testosterone

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When men think about optimizing their hormones, they tend only to think about raising their testosterone. But while increasing T can be important, an ...

Leadership Lessons From Military Mentors

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

Become a Focused Monotasker

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Writing an email while on a Zoom call. Talking on the phone while walking. Scrolling through social media while watching a movie.In both our work and ...

Generations — The Surprising Truths and Persistent Myths

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Different generations love to cast aspersions on each other. Boomers think Millennials and Gen Zers are fragile narcissists. Those younger generations...

Toastmasters, Aristotle, and the Essential Art of Rhetoric

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When John Bowe learned that his extremely reclusive cousin, who had lived for decades in his parents' basement, had moved out and gotten married at th...

The Wisdom of Psychopaths

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When most people think of psychopaths, they think of uniformly monstrous characters who lack empathy and conscience.But my guest says that those chara...

The Science of a Better Daily Routine

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's plenty of advice out there about how to have a better daily routine. But what's just bunk and what actually works to improve the quality of yo...

The Golden Rules of Success

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You know Michael Phelps, the most successful and decorated Olympic swimmer of all time who won a record 28 medals, 23 of which were gold.Well today, m...

What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Several years ago, the American Psychological Association issued a set of guidelines for psychologists working with boys and men. Guideline #1 says: "...

The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy, has trained professional athletes, Olympians, and military special operators, helping them unlock peak p...

How to Deal With the Worry of Waiting

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever waited, and perhaps are now currently waiting, to hear whether or not you've tested positive for a disease, passed medical boards, or g...

The Naturalist’s Art of Animal Encounters

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you see some deer, have a fox cross your path, or spot a moose, there’s something disportionately delightful about encountering wildlife. E...

The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in a World That Won’t Stop Talking

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a chatter-filled world. People will talk your ear off when you see them in person and everyone is constantly sharing their thoughts online....

A Kantian Guide to Life

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've had some contact with the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, there's a good chance you found it abstract, heady, and hard to understand. But my gu...

Finally Follow Through

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You get really excited about an idea to start an exercise program, or become a better partner, or get organized. And then you do . . . nothing. Absolu...

Bat Bombs, Truth Serums, and the Masterminds of WWII Secret Warfare

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many a man has been impressed by the ingenuity of secret agent operations, and intrigued by the subterfuge, gadgets, and disguises required to pull th...

Anxiety Is a Habit — Here's How to Break It

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Fitness Supplements That Actually Work

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In your journey towards becoming stronger, fitter, and healthier, there often comes a point where you wonder if taking some supplements will help your...

The Essential Framework for Understanding The Art of War

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Why You Like the Music You Do

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 co...

Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

The Myths of Trauma

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Among people who experience some sort of trauma, what percentage do you think go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder? A third? A Half? More?A...

Leadership Lessons from a Disastrous Arctic Expedition

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard of Ernest Shackleton, and his ill-fated Antarctic expedition. The Endurance, the ship on which he and his crew sailed, famous...

Jane Austen for Dudes

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Years ago, I was flipping through TV channels and came across Hugh Laurie, of Dr. House fame, decked out in 19th-century English gentleman garb. Becau...

Get a Handle on Your Shrinking Attention Span

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, it didn't seem like a burdensome task to write a handwritten letter to a loved one. Fifteen years ago, it wasn't a big deal to write...

The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Surviving in the wild can seem like a romantic proposition, at least as it often plays out in popular culture and our imagination. We picture ourselve...

Escape the Happiness Trap

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happiness is the subject of thousands of articles, podcasts, and scientific studies. Yet all this focus on happiness doesn't seem to be making people ...

Dante's Guide to Navigating a Spiritual Journey

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dante's Divine Comedy is considered one of the greatest works of literature ever written. The poem not only imagines the three parts of the afterlife,...

Move the Body, Heal the Mind

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we think about the benefits of exercise, we tend to think of what it does for our body, making us leaner, stronger, and healthier. But my guest i...

Kit Carson's Epic Exploits

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Within the space for just three decades, monumental episodes of exploration and expedition, politics and violence, including the mapping the Oregon ...

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the 21st Century

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Advice on Achieving Any Long-Haul Dream

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a world that celebrates overnight success, it's easy to forget that very often, achieving your dreams takes a heck of a long time. My guest knows t...

Key Insights From the Longest Study on Happiness

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Started in 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development represents the longest study on happiness ever conducted. It set out to follow a group of men ...

Heal the Body With Extended Fasting

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the last several years, intermittent fasting — only eating for a short window each day — has gotten a lot of attention, particularly for the ...

7 Journaling Techniques That Can Change Your Life

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In my twenties and early thirties, I was a regular journaler. Several years ago, however, I stopped journaling almost entirely because I wasn't gett...

Get Fit, Not Fried — The Benefits of Zone 2 Cardio

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When most people work out, they jump right from a resting state called Zone 1 cardio to Zone 3 cardio. But in skipping over Zone 2 cardio altogether, ...

Why You Don’t Change (But How You Still Can) [ENCORE]

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight, curb their temper, quit smoking, or alter any other habit in their lives knows that personal change is hard....

How Testosterone Makes Men, Men [Encore]

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What creates the differences between the sexes? Many would point to culture, and my guest today would agree that culture certainly shapes us. But she’...

The Unexpected Origins of Our Christmas Traditions

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With Christmas coming up, you're likely in the full holiday swing of things — decorating your tree, eating certain foods, listening to particular...

The Affectionate, Ambiguous, and Surprisingly Ambivalent Relationship Between Siblings

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For most people, their siblings will be the longest-lasting relationships of their lives, potentially enduring all the way from birth until past the...

Why Homer Matters

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Even though the legendary poet Homer wrote the Iliad and Odyssey thousands of years ago, my guest would say that these epic poems are just as relevant...

Befriending Winter

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 possib...

How Polio Made a President

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Of the dozens of men who have served as US president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had a particularly close connection with the citizens he served. The o...

The Existential in Red Dead Redemption 2

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ne...

The Real Rules of Power

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Brain Energy Theory of Mental Illness

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mental illnesses of all kinds are on the rise, and yet we seem no closer to being able to treat them effectively. We're only able to treat the symptom...

Overcome the Comfort Crisis

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 entertain...

The Future Is Analog

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2016, David Sax wrote a book called The Revenge of Analog, which made the case that even as we marched towards an ever more digital future, we were...

The Infidelity Formula

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amongst supposedly monogamous couples, 23% of men and 19% of women have cheated on their current partner, and while studies have long found that men a...

Live Life in Crescendo

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve heard of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. But did you know that its author, Stephen Covey, was in his late fifties when it came ou...

The 5 Priorities of Short-Term Survival

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While we all wonder how we would fare if we had to survive for months in the wild like Brian does in the book Hatchet, the reality is that most survi...

Overdoing Democracy

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Kate was growing up, her grandfather often told her that when he was serving on a Navy ship during WWII, there were two things he and his fellow ...

Bo Jackson, The Last Folk Hero

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the 80s and 90s, few sports stars loomed as large as Bo Jackson. A Kansas City Royal and an Oakland Raider, he was the rare athlete to play two ...

Magic, Archetypes, and the Mysteries of the Unconscious

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are two parts of the mind: the conscious and the unconscious. While the former dominates your attention, the latter actually occupies far more o...

Life Lessons From The Twilight Zone

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

7 Ways to Achieve Tranquility by Tuesday

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of people feel dissatisfied about how they spend their time. They often feel busy, but that busyness doesn’t add up to anything — not to fun...

A Guide to Getting Off the Grid

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Note: For fall break, the McKays are attempting their first familial backpacking trip. Kate and I have been before, but we've never brought the kids, ...

What Happened to the Idea of Self-Control?

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As long as humans have existed, we’ve had to choose between our lower and higher desires — between what we want in the moment, and what we want in...

What People Get Wrong About Walden

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two years, two months, and two days Henry David Thoreau spent at Walden Pond represent one of the most well-known experiences in American literary...

When to Quit

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Don’t be a quitter!” “Quitters never win, and winners never quit!”These maxims encapsulate our usual attitude towards quitting, which i...

The Vagabond Travel Ethos

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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, har...

Can Virtue Be Taught?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The ancient Greeks and Romans thought a lot about what it means to live a virtuous life. They believed that good character was essential for achieving...