Every day, men are dying. Not in some abstract, far-off statistic, but in your town, in your circles, maybe in your own family. They're isolated, disconnected, and being told the very things that make them men are the things that need to be fixed. Meanwhile, the culture cheers on the idea that hating men is a sign of strength, the family courts treat fathers as optional, and any space built exclusively for men gets torn down before it can do any good. Somewhere along the way, we decided men were the problem.

My guest today says that's a lie, and he's got the platform to prove it. George from The TinMen joins me to talk about why men are checking out, dropping out of therapy, and ending their own lives at staggering rates, and what it actually takes to turn that around. This isn't about coddling men or excusing them. It's about telling the truth: men aren't broken, the system around them is. We get into male friendship, the war on masculinity, the family court system, and why "man up" might be the worst advice we ever gave.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Welcome to The Tin Men & Men's Emotional Expression

03:09 Are Men Talking—Or Are We Failing to Listen?

05:17 Why Therapy Isn't Working for Many Men

07:45 The Power of Shoulder-to-Shoulder Conversations

08:29 Grief, Brotherhood & Opening Up

11:02 Normal Responses to Difficult Experiences

14:00 Men as Individuals, Not Categories

16:53 When Talking Alone Isn't Enough

21:59 Why Society Pushes Back on Men's Issues

24:18 Boys, Education & Cultural Messaging

28:33 Building Better Men in Everyday Life

34:18 Health, Education & Structural Change

38:43 How Boys Learn Differently

43:36 Misunderstanding Boys' Behavior

46:15 Grassroots Solutions vs Government Solutions

48:24 Why Men Need Male Spaces

52:04 The Loss of Men-Only Communities

54:47 Brotherhood, Belonging & Better Outcomes

59:28 Final Thoughts & Where to Find The Tin Men

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

Most men never receive training for fatherhood - but that doesn't make the role any less important.

In this week's Friday Field Notes, Ryan shares 7 strategies to become a better father and explains why your presence, discipline, standards, and personal growth matter more than you think.

Your kids are watching how you lead, how you respond to adversity, and how you show up every day. Whether your children are young, grown, or somewhere in between, these principles will help you become the father they remember and respect.

This isn't about perfection. It's about intentional fatherhood.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Why Fatherhood Matters

02:58 Be Present, Not Just Around

04:50 Model the Man You Want Them to Become

07:09 Discipline Without Losing the Relationship

10:28 Let Your Kids Struggle

13:28 Tell Them Who They Are

17:56 Build Something Together

19:48 Father From a Full Tank

28:55 Iron Council & Final Challenge

29:36 Final Father's Day Message & Outro

If one of these principles hits home, choose one and apply it this weekend.

Join Iron Council: https://orderofman.com/ironcouncil

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

Ryan and Kipp open with a conversation about building, creating, and the satisfaction that comes from seeing your work in the world before diving into another Ask Me Anything. This week, they tackle questions on approval seeking, self-development investments, measuring progress, unpopular opinions, intuition, instant gratification, rebuilding after divorce, and designing an intentional reset year.

They also discuss why progress often feels invisible, how to involve family in personal goals, and why growth requires structure instead of endless information gathering. If you're trying to become more intentional and build a life with purpose, this episode delivers a practical perspective.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Intro & catching up 06:48 - Approval seeking vs being likable 20:10 - Investing in self-development 24:30 - Measuring personal growth 26:42 - Unpopular opinions 35:49 - Escaping instant gratification 39:30 - Taking an adult gap year 45:53 - Showing progress to others 53:00 - Getting spouse buy-in for big goals 01:07:00 - Why systems beat information 01:09:30 - Wrap up

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

We've never been more connected, and we've never been more alone. Men have endless ways to reach each other and almost no reason they'll actually use them. We don't reach out. We don't check in. We won't pay another man a compliment without slapping "no homo" on the end of it to make sure nobody mistakes us for caring. And somewhere along the way, we decided that the first flowers a man receives should arrive at his funeral.

This week, AJ Kazmierczak joins the show to tear that pattern apart. We get into why connection is the single most valuable skill a man can build, how to develop it on purpose, and why most guys would rather avoid the discomfort of self-auditing than face what's actually holding them back. We talk accountability, discernment, evolving without losing yourself, and what it really costs to be the kind of man other men want in their corner.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Episode Introduction 01:30 - Reconnecting After Montana Knife Company 05:20 - Why Men Are More Connected Yet More Isolated 08:00 - The Lost Art of Complimenting Other Men 12:57 - Building Relationships Through Small Conversations 16:24 - Accountability and Encouragement in Unexpected Places 21:16 - Why Communication Skills Matter More Than Credentials 24:47 - Whose Opinions Should Actually Matter 31:21 - Creating an Identity Instead of Fitting In 35:49 - Authenticity, Attention, and Standing Out 38:36 - Evolving Without Losing Yourself 42:55 - Why Honest Feedback Is So Rare 45:09 - Self-Auditing and Becoming More Self-Aware 49:08 - Fast Decision Makers vs Overthinkers 51:59 - The Problem With Being the "Nice Guy" 54:14 - Technical Reset + Bringing It Home 55:12 - Redefining What It Means to Be Alpha 57:36 - Family, Purpose, and Building a Meaningful Life 01:00:18 - Connection, Conversation, and Community 01:01:12 - Winter Strong, Sorenex, and Future Plans 01:02:59 - Final Thoughts 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

Modern culture often treats masculinity as something dangerous that needs to be suppressed, softened, or apologized for. In this episode of Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler challenges that narrative and draws a critical distinction between masculinity and manliness.

Masculinity, Ryan argues, is the raw, God-given force within men - the drive to compete, build, protect, lead, and conquer. It is neither good nor bad on its own. Manliness, however, is what happens when that force is refined, disciplined, governed by principle, and directed toward a righteous purpose.

Ryan outlines five practical ways to forge masculinity into manliness: attaching your strength to a mission, submitting yourself to discipline, living by a code, serving others, and embracing voluntary hardship. He explains why purpose, responsibility, and self-mastery are essential for becoming the man you're meant to be.

If you've ever wrestled with what it means to be a strong man in today's world, this episode offers a framework for harnessing your natural gifts and turning them into something valuable for yourself, your family, and your community.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Introduction 00:07 The Lie We've Been Told About Masculinity 02:32 Masculinity vs. Manliness 04:58 Why "Toxic Masculinity" Gets It Wrong 07:17 Responsibility Over Shame 09:14 Choosing Who You Become 11:22 1. Attach Your Masculinity to a Mission 15:47 2. Submit Your Masculinity to Discipline 19:11 3. Govern Masculinity with Principles 23:08 4. Aim Your Strength in Service of Others 25:27 5. Embrace Voluntary Difficulty 28:46 Happiness vs. Fulfillment 30:18 Why Men Are Not the Problem 32:09 Becoming a Man in Command of Himself 33:13 Iron Council Invitation 34:02 Final 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

Two hosts, five powerful listener questions, and a conversation that moves from comparison and fatherhood to relationships, self-awareness, and personal growth. Ryan and Kipp open with a quick catch-up before diving into questions from listeners on feeling behind in life, protecting children from cultural influence, rebuilding relationships with adult children, navigating difficult conversations with a spouse, and developing greater self-awareness.

Along the way they discuss intentional parenting, accountability, ownership, communication, and why the quality of your questions often determines the quality of your life.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Intro & Hawaii recap 08:29 Comparison and feeling behind 21:00 Protecting your kids from culture 31:35 Rebuilding relationships with adult children 40:09 Talking to your spouse about difficult issues 51:19 Building self-awareness 01:08:59 Men's Forge event announcement 01:11:12 Outro

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

Every man carries forces that pull against each other. It could be the urge to numb out and the call to face it, the inheritance of his father's failures and the responsibility to break the chain. For Michael Millin, those opposing forces weren't a metaphor. They were the difference between a life lost to addiction and the 17 years of sobriety he's built since hitting bottom with his back against the wall. Today, Michael and I talk about generational trauma, the instability of growing up with a father who came in and out of his life, and what it actually takes to stop running from the pain you've spent your whole life numbing. This is a raw conversation about alcoholism, faith, and the lie that we have to wrap our identity up in being broken. Michael shares how he went from mocking Christianity to wrestling honestly with God, how a single sober friend changed the trajectory of his life, and why enablers do more damage than they'll ever admit. If you've ever told yourself you weren't okay, this one is for you.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Episode Introduction 01:04 - Fatherhood, addiction, and absent fathers 04:06 - Growing up with addiction and instability 05:33 - Ryan's recovery experience and AA discussion 06:28 - Watching a father relapse after 15 years sober 09:24 - Rock bottom, poverty, and getting sober 13:39 - What rock bottom actually looked like 16:03 - Recovery, Indonesia, and spiritual searching 17:18 - Christianity, marriage, and life transformation 20:29 - Finding an outlet and building a meaningful life 21:51 - Addiction, purpose, and destructive patterns 23:37 - Fatherhood and defining a personal mission 26:49 - Turning childhood pain into purpose 28:50 - Faith, doubt, and searching for God 32:43 - Generational cycles and breaking family patterns 35:56 - Accepting hard truths and personal responsibility 39:50 - Addiction, identity, and becoming okay internally 41:50 - Family trauma and inherited suffering 44:20 - Native American heritage and generational impact 50:30 - Spiritual warfare and healing 51:16 - The story behind A Life of Opposing Forces 53:20 - Surfing, sharks, and feeling alive 59:16 - Lessons from being new on the journey 01:00:10 - Relationships, faith, and changing direction 01:01:55 - Where to connect with Michael

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

Masculinity isn't inherently good or bad - it's a force. Like fire, it can be used to build or destroy. The real question isn't whether masculinity is the problem; it's whether a man has learned to direct it with discipline, character, and purpose.

In this episode of Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler explores the critical distinction between masculinity and manliness, then breaks down five immature archetypes that keep men from reaching their full potential. From the Man Child to the Jester, Ryan explains how these patterns show up in everyday life and what it takes to move beyond them.

If you're willing to take an honest look in the mirror, this episode may reveal exactly where you need to grow.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Intro 00:17 Masculinity Is Not Inherently Good or Bad 02:26 Masculinity vs. Manliness 04:33 Being Good vs. Being Good at Being a Man 05:44 Manliness Requires Virtuous Direction 06:40 The Meaning of Arete 08:29 Masculinity Without Refinement 09:27 Archetype #1: The Man Child 15:31 Archetype #2: The Ghost 21:27 Archetype #3: The Tyrant 25:36 Archetype #4: The Martyr 30:49 Archetype #5: The Jester 34:45 Which Archetype Are You? 36:45 Iron Council Preview Invitation 38:05 Final Thoughts and Challenge

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 solo Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan Michler tackles some of the most common challenges men face in midlife: complacency after success, leading a family without becoming controlling, overcoming conflict avoidance, dealing with regret, and building meaningful male friendships.

Ryan shares practical frameworks for finding purpose after you've achieved your goals, developing conviction without coercion, stepping into leadership at home, and letting go of past mistakes through accountability and changed behavior. He also offers candid advice on creating deeper connections with other men and why meaningful struggles are essential for growth and fulfillment.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:12 - Introduction and Iron Council Preview Call 01:20 - Staying Sharp After Success and Comfort 07:09 - Passing Faith to a Teenage Son Without Control 12:32 - The Midlife Emptiness Many Men Experience 15:28 - Overcoming Conflict Avoidance and People-Pleasing 30:50 - Leading Your Family Without a Power Grab 44:18 - How to Deal with Real Regret and Move Forward 55:32 - Why Men Struggle to Build Deep Friendships 01:05:30 - Where to Find Strong Male Relationships 01:06:55 - Final Thoughts 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

Most men are surrounded by people and completely alone. They've got coworkers, neighbors, guys from high school they still text but nobody who will tell them the truth, call them forward, or sit with them when things go sideways. That's not friendship. That's just proximity. And the difference between those two things might be the most important gap a man can close in his life.

Today I'm sitting down with Jimmy Rex, founder of We Are The They, author of BE ONE, and one of the most intentional men I know when it comes to building real brotherhood. We get into where men actually find high-caliber friends, how to tell the difference between a true friend and a liability, the masculine dynamics that make marriages and relationships work, and why most guys are betraying themselves long before anyone else gets the chance. This is a conversation that will change the way you think about the men in your life - and the ones who should be there but aren't.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

• Podcast Introduction and Montana Knife Company Gift
• Shifting Trip Plans to Montana and Wild Bear Sightings
• Connecting with Nature and Managing Phone Screen Time
• High School Pranks and Getting Arrested at a Church Event
• Exploring Masculine Softness, Vulnerability, and Leadership
• Tiptoeing into Asshole Territory to Set Healthy Boundaries
• The Qualifications of Church Leaders and Dating Advice Pitfalls
• Communication Languages and Understanding The Queen's Code
• The Role of a Coach and Pushing Boundaries in Sports
• Taking Action and Establishing Clear Boundaries in Marriage
• Prioritizing Women's Safety and the True Purpose of Men's Groups
• Critiques of Modern Vulnerability and the Value of Having a Plan
• Accountability Through Combat Sports and Jiu-Jitsu
• Overcoming the Ego and Inviting Friends to Highlight Blind Spots
• Two Critical Questions for Evaluating Received Feedback
• Colin Cowherd's Philosophy and Navigating Family Conflict
• Handling Social Media Group Misunderstandings and the Grace of Repair
• The Importance of a Sparring Partner and Jiu-Jitsu with Pete Roberts
• Finding Your Band of Brothers and Letting Go of Unproductive Roommates
• Household Management and Adam Lane Smith's Household CEO Model
• Orion Tarabin's Captain and Passenger Relationship Concept Reconciling Navigational Promises and the Power of Pre-Selection
• Net Worth and Jimmy's Investment Board Role with Dave Bateman
• Changing Your Personal Environment and Matching Partner Standards
• Proximity vs true Investment and Jimmy's Real Estate Systems
• Evaluating Competence, Discernment, and Destructive Patterns in Circles
• Distancing Low-Performing High School Friends and Surviving a $150,000 Scam
• Golfing in Southern Utah and Embracing Imperfect Execution

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