Some of the most misunderstood and emotionally charged topics for men are: attraction, compatibility, and what actually creates lasting connection with a woman. My guest, Laurin Ponce, helps us break down the difference between compatibility, connection, and chemistry - and why confusing those three is where most relationships go off the rails. We talk about what women truly find attractive in a grounded man, what it really means when a woman asks for space, why it feels like there are more rules for men, and how respect is built long before it's ever given. From attachment styles and masculine frame to why women's touch is medicine and how peace and respect create a relationship where both people feel safe and free, this conversation cracks open the unspoken dynamics most men are trying to navigate alone.

We also explore the practical side: non-negotiables, testing for compatibility, shared values, money, day-to-day living, and why partners are often mirrors and triggers for our own unresolved work. Laurin and I get into anxious versus avoidant dynamics, masculinity and femininity in modern relationships, emotional expression in men, vulnerability, physical attraction, and how connection is built - and rebuilt - over time

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Understanding Men and Women 01:07 - Is There a Line in "Figuring Each Other Out"? 03:22 - Masculine and Feminine Polarity 05:08 - The Bowl and the Water Analogy 06:46 - Why Respect Starts With Self-Respect 08:21 - Non-Negotiables in Relationships 10:05 - Compatibility vs. Chemistry 13:18 - Core Values and Relationship Dealbreakers 14:58 - You Can't Out-Love Incompatibility 17:16 - Chemistry vs. Trauma Bonds 18:46 - What Real Chemistry Feels Like 19:29 - Peace and Respect in Relationships 22:47 - Creating Emotional Safety 26:52 - Masculine and Feminine Imbalance Today 30:30 - Polarity Always Finds Its Way 33:41 - Letting Go of Armor and Control 35:16 - Becoming the Partner You Want to Attract 39:13 - Consistency and Trust 40:10 - Physical Attraction and Discipline 43:02 - Connection Is Built Over Time 46:37 - Scarcity Mindset in Dating 48:02 - Where Men Should Start in Long-Term Relationships 50:32 - Rekindling Attraction and Intentionality 57:12 - "Cracking the Code" of Your Partner 01:00:29 - Never Get Comfortable in Love 01:05:05 - Serving Each Other Without Shame 01:06:23 - Where to Find Laurin'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

As we head into 2026, Ryan Michler breaks down 10 destructive money mindsets that quietly sabotage men's ability to build real wealth.

Drawing from his experience as a former financial advisor, Ryan explains why income is not the same as wealth, how debt has been falsely normalized, and why outsourcing responsibility for your finances is a losing strategy. He challenges the belief that "more money will fix everything" and dismantles the idea that your situation is somehow different from everyone else's.

This episode is a hard-hitting call to take ownership of your financial decisions, develop discipline, and shift your focus from chasing money to creating real value in the world.

Key Topics Covered

• Why procrastination destroys wealth faster than bad investments
• The difference between earning money and building wealth
• How debt has been normalized - and why it's costing you freedom
• Why outsourcing your finances weakens your sovereignty
• The danger of entitlement-based spending ("I deserve this")
• Why more money magnifies problems instead of fixing them
• Investing vs. gambling - and why doing nothing is the riskiest move
• Why you must understand money instead of delegating it
• The myth of being "special" or financially different
• Why money isn't the problem - behavior and priorities are

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

What does it really mean to lead with integrity when institutions fail and people disappoint? In this Ask Me Anything episode of Order of Man, Ryan Michler answers real questions from the community on leadership, anger and forgiveness, building passive income, physical fitness, accountability, and personal standards.

Ryan shares hard-earned insights on responsibility, discipline, and how to operate with clarity in uncertain times. This candid AMA delivers practical guidance and mindset shifts for men committed to growth, strength, and personal ownership.

00:00 Ask Me Anything Kickoff 02:42 Asking Better Questions as a Leader 13:36 The Quality Ryan Is Most Proud Of 19:27 Passive Income and Multiple Streams 28:21 Faith, Truth, and Broken Institutions 33:50 Society, Maturity, and Self-Control 41:32 Baseline Physical Aptitude Test Explained 44:16 Letting Go of Anger and Forgiveness 54:52 Dealing With People Who Drop the Ball

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

Leading others doesn't begin with a title—it begins with self-leadership. Too many men chase influence, authority, or recognition before they've learned how to lead themselves. That's where imposter syndrome creeps in—of course you're not as good yet; leadership isn't a destination, it's a discipline. It's not just tactical execution or getting things done—it's service, responsibility, and the relentless pursuit of getting better. Leadership at home, leadership with your kids, leadership over your own habits and standards.

In this episode, I talk with leadership expert, Kipp Sorensen. Today, we break down the three traps of self-leadership that quietly sabotage men: the Victim, the Persecutor, and the Rescuer, the dark side of influence, how to get your own wishes and desires met, how to be aware of "polite manipulation," and why honoring agency (yourself and others) is the key to leading well.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Why Self-Leadership Comes Before Leading Others 03:10 - Can Everyone Be a Leader? Mindset vs Skillset 06:15 - Why Ryan Rejects "Imposter Syndrome" 09:00 - Parenting, Projection, and Self-Awareness 12:55 - Jiu-Jitsu, Ego, and the Cost of Pretending 17:45 - Where Men Struggle Most With Self-Leadership 18:05 - The Victim Mindset Explained 22:10 - The Hidden Payoff of Victimhood 26:00 - Taking Ownership and Closing the Integrity Gap 30:30 - Why We Justify Our Worst Behaviors 37:00 - The Persecutor Trap in Leadership 44:15 - How to Have Hard Conversations Without Blame 46:35 - Why Performance Is Emotional, Not Technical 51:20 - The Rescuer Trap and "Nice Guy" Leadership 56:10 - Why Difficulty Is Required for Growth 01:00:40 - Stress as a Catalyst for Learning 01:03:40 - Alignment, Leadership, and Kipp's New Mission

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

In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan and Kipp dig into how men adapt when life throws setbacks their way. From injuries and burnout to financial risk and career pressure, they break down how to adjust without regret and keep moving forward. The conversation covers smart risk management, why momentum doesn't have to die after failure, and how boundaries protect your family, finances, and future. This AMA is a masterclass in resilience, decision-making, and staying productive through uncertainty.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Holiday catch-up 03:49 - BHAGs, quarterly planning, and long-term vision 11:09 - Iron Council changes and system efficiency 18:54 - Injury, momentum, and recalibration 28:42 - Entrepreneurial risk and acceptable loss 38:48 - Masculinity, culture, and cycles of chaos 43:20 - Work overload, boundaries, and family protection 56:42 - Seasonal depression and staying in the game 01:02:28 - Balancing growth across life quadrants

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

It seems anymore that people are operating increasingly out of extremes without any context, nuance, or understanding. I get it – outrage sells. And, to some degree, I've been guilty of it myself. But I've found myself as I get older – wanting to go find a piece of land and work on my canoe – rather than engage in what social media has diminished us too.

My guest today, Brady Pesola, would agree and, he's made a life out of studying ancient philosophy combined with practical, nuanced modern insight. Today, we talk about social independence, the "Golden Mean," what he calls "The Stop Light" theory, meta-cognition, and the concept of the Grayman and how it can help you operate as a man.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Welcome Back & Reconnecting 01:03 - The Breakdown of Modern Communication 04:52 - Hive Mind, Social Media & Framing Bias 06:53 - Marketing Yourself vs Manipulating Emotion 09:17 - Finding the Right Tribe 12:27 - Value, Reciprocity & Relationships 14:48 - Technical Interruption & Reset 16:46 - The Golden Mean vs Extreme Success 20:35 - Sacrifices, Success & Contentment 24:55 - Adversity, Resilience & Upbringing 27:11 - Red Light vs Green Light Theory 29:59 - Perspective on Inconvenience & Gratitude 33:18 - When Red Lights Save You 36:47 - Grace for Yourself & Others 38:24 - "I've Never Done This Before" Mindset 41:37 - Road Rage, Ego & Consequences 47:00 - Measuring Self-Awareness 48:20 - Metacognition & Emotional Control 52:49 - The Gray Man Concept 55:42 - Mental Discipline Over Appearance 58:02 - Ego, Posturing & Survival 01:00:13 - Where to Find Brady 01:03:33 - Outro & Recording Wrap

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

In this Friday Field Notes episode, Ryan Michler delivers a direct and uncompromising message: success never happens by accident. He challenges listeners to confront the ways they may be drifting through life, reacting to circumstances rather than intentionally leading themselves.

Ryan explores how comfort, avoidance, and distraction quietly compound into years of lost potential, and contrasts that with the strength and freedom created through discipline, structure, and brotherhood. This episode calls men to choose hardship on purpose, define their standards, and begin taking directional action immediately instead of waiting for motivation to arrive.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Introduction to the Drift 02:29 Weakness as the Default Setting 04:56 The Deceitful Nature of Drift 07:19 Mistaking Activity for Productivity 09:43 Structure, Discipline, and Freedom 13:26 Chaos Versus Ownership 15:03 Drift Creates Weak Default Patterns 16:22 Blindness to the Cliff 18:15 Choosing Your Struggle 19:42 Direction Before Motivation 20:23 Standards and Daily Requirements 21:30 Brotherhood as an Antidote 24:34 Identifying Where You Are Drifting 26:58 Final Call to Action

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

In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan and Kipp kick things off with a lighthearted but revealing conversation before diving into listener questions on purpose, vision, balance, and meaning.

They explore why men struggle to articulate what they want, how early conditioning shapes silence, and what happens when men open up and feel shut down. The discussion also tackles work-life balance, daily meaning versus long-term purpose, and why purpose is built through action, not found through thinking alone.

00:00 Christmas Check-In and Opening Banter 01:12 Viral Knife Story and Public Reactions 09:42 AMA Begins: Getting the Most from the Iron Council 16:57 Vision vs Character Traits 19:34 Why Men Are Conditioned Not to Want 20:17 What Happens When Men Open Up 30:53 Work, Home, and Community Balance 39:20 Finding Meaning in the Mundane 47:29 Purpose Is Built Through Action 50:16 Christmas Reflections and Closing Remarks

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

You know about breath work. You know about cold exposure. It's a thing all the major "influencers" tell you to do. I had some skepticism myself and that's why I wanted to have this man, the original cold exposure and breath work guy on himself, Wim Hof!

He is a man who has redefined the limits of the human mind and body. Known globally as The Iceman, Wim Hof has shown millions of people how to take control of their physiology through breath, cold exposure, and mindset. From climbing mountains in nothing but shorts to teaching everyday men how to regulate stress, build resilience, and reconnect with their primal strength, Wim's work challenges everything we think we know about comfort, health, and human potential. Today, we're talking about cold, breath, discipline, and what it really means to return to our factory settings as men.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Introduction and Creative Rituals 01:30 Daily Cold and Breathwork Ritual 03:02 Shutting Off the Thinking Brain 05:07 Stress, Cortisol, and Modern Life 07:24 Cold Exposure Myths and Shortcuts 10:05 Minimum Effective Dose of Cold 12:34 Enduring Extreme Cold 14:28 Cold Exposure and Better Sleep 17:09 Breathing, Detox, and Biochemistry 21:35 Carbon Dioxide vs Oxygen 23:45 Ancient Practices, Modern Brains 27:50 Purpose, Presence, and Feeling Alive 30:11 Fulfillment Beyond Words 36:50 Getting High on Your Own Supply 38:11 Faith, Soul, and Inner Purpose 43:26 Motivation, Discipline, and Cold 46:50 Intuition and Better Decisions 50:00 Dopamine, Depression, and Energy 51:02 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More

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