GreatMan Podcast

In aptitude tests, women are superior to men in every regard except for abstract thought and aggression. That’s where the art of the quest comes in. Men need quests in their lives. You constantly need to do something to prove yourself––if only to yourself. Your quest can be physical or spiritual, so long as you are pursuing a goal through challenge and adversity. See Privacy Policy at https://art1...

Men have an obligation to provide for their families after death. It is unbelievably easy for a man to do this through relatively inexpensive term life insurance and burial insurance. If you have an insurance agent in your network, reach out to them and set this up. If you don’t, Stephen backs Ramsey Solutions’ recommendations. (Stephen is in no way compensated for this endorsement.) Don’t shrink...

Men, one of the keys to a great marriage is that you must fight the battle of the negative narrative. The positive things in your relationship are clear and easy to celebrate. For example, your wife is beautiful, loving, hard-working, and so on. But it is the negative things about a spouse (real or perceived) that can take root in your brain almost subconsciously. Before you realize it, the mind w...

Part of restoring noble manhood is that you stand guard over everything in your field. Your role as a man is to help everything within your reach rise to fulfilling its destiny. In this episode, Stephen lays out the specific steps involved in the process. From observation to implementation, this is your battle plan, men. Every step here is actionable, and you can start today. No excuses… let’s go!...

As we face a new round of COVID challenges, ask yourself these questions: when I am around others, what do people feed on that’s good and noble in my life? What morally and spiritually nutritious things do my words and actions encourage to grow? The way you lead at home or among your band of brothers is a way of creating a culture. Culture is whatever is encouraged to grow. What do you encourage i...

Smack talk is a healthy part of manhood. Sure, it’s fun. But it’s also a way that men nurture, teach, and train one another. It can be a very constructive tool. It can also be dangerous. Learn where to find the line. In this episode, Stephen discusses the appropriate and inappropriate use of humor, as well as red flags to look for in yourself. If humor doesn’t come naturally to you, follow the adv...

Does great manhood ever feel like a big “project” to you? Does it feel like some massive undertaking like going to law school or building a house? It doesn’t always have to be like that. Today, let’s have some fun and talk about the small things that go into great manhood. Stephen shares some of his many micro-disciplines in areas such as health, learning, and romance, that have become a part of h...

When you were in school, you probably had to read Lord of the Flies, the story of some English schoolboys who descend into barbarism while stranded on an island. But have you heard the true story that contrasts William Golding’s tale? In 1965, a group of boys stole a whaling boat and tried to sail 500 miles to Fiji. After eight days at sea, driven by the wind without food or water, they spotted an...

Stephen submits a proposal for your consideration, one that could turn the course of masculinity in our generation: the development of an academic minor in men’s studies. Tune in to find out what this program would look like, as well as why Stephen firmly believes it should be an 18-hour minor and not an academic major. If you work in academia or have the ability to give to the development of this...

Many of you have a band of brothers. But are you connecting in a way that produces true growth? Stephen issues a stern challenge: from time to time, you MUST sit in the same room as each other and look each other in the eye. Yes, Zoom and phone calls are okay for maintaining relationships when you are separated by distance or busy schedules. But in-person connection is critical. Men have an innate...

Clothes don’t make the man, but they do reveal the man. Over the next three months, Stephen challenges you to dress one-click up from your normal. If you’re stuck at a grunge uniform-level, make a change. Learn how to dress appropriately for the moment. You’ll find that increased awareness of your appearance and positive changes will result in greater control and confidence. You’ll be happier, and...

Did you know that men today have testosterone levels at an all-time low? Testosterone levels have been dropping every year. Stephen recently had to experience Low-T as part of a medical procedure, which resulted in the commonly associated lack of energy and drive. In this episode, he discusses some of the problems and solutions associated with Low-T. Tune in, and talk to your doctor about making s...

Stephen speaks about a type of man he’s been in the past: a type of man he doesn’t want you to be. Perhaps you know the type – the guy who’s always one offense away from breaking off a relationship, one offense away from lashing out. This kind of man has wounds, and the wounds are so painful that if he hears any offense, it almost overwhelms him. He lacks the tools to address them. So he runs. Tun...

Radical generosity is a trait of noble manhood. A great man makes generosity a part of the legacy he leaves. We also know from history and every religion that the generous man prospers. When we give we open up channels of receiving in return. In this episode, Stephen encourages you to start building “consistent generosity” into your concept of great manhood. (And, no, great generosity does not req...

Stephen wants to help you get ahead of the curve. Before summer gets here… before you’re busy with vacation, plans, kids’ activities… set your mind to completing these four challenges. From exercising the mind and body to building the spirit, these four specific challenges will help you in your pursuit of living a life of noble manhood. Don’t miss this opportunity to reset your habits and change y...

We are living through a critical time in history. Now, more than ever, we need good, noble, righteous, honorable, Great Men to arise. We need to encourage each other, to become stabilizers in our society, to rescue the young, and to help one another in living for the glory of God. Our generation can turn around manhood’s current downward trajectory. In this episode, Stephen discusses the seven fir...

Everyone you know is fighting a great battle. Stephen shares the story of one of the great battles of his own life: moving from Berlin to West Des Moines, Iowa, as a teenager in the 1970s. One thing got him through: a vision for rising up and conquering the moment. What battle do you face today? What does your day of victory look like? What’s your battle plan? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.c...

To paraphrase the sociologist Camille Paglia, a woman simply is, but a man must become. Masculinity is risky and elusive. It must be called out by other men. In this episode, Stephen unpacks the “why” behind his belief in the need for quality boys’ schools. We need more resources for a better understanding of boys and what they require in terms of education, mentorship, and growth. See Privacy Pol...

Clothes don’t make the man, but they can reveal the man. Stephen shares a recent experience attending a reception for a former state governor. While the women were wisely and appropriately dressed, many of the men were dressed like five-year-olds with white tennis shoes, jeans, and untucked plaid short-sleeved shirts. While this outfit might be fine for a backyard barbecue with your buddies, it do...

We tend to live in a bubble that is free from critical input. This is dangerous. We ought to have constant, loving, constructive feedback in a culture of noble men. In this episode, Stephen teaches how to ask the tough questions that will help you see yourself as you are. Prepare yourself to ask bold questions this summer, and may you be a greater man for it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...

Jesus and John Wayne is a book by Kristin Kobes Du Mez that Stephen disagrees with. But he wants you to read it. Tune into this podcast to find out what Professor Du Mez gets right about the modern Christian men’s movement… and what she gets completely wrong. In this episode, Stephen critiques both the book’s invalid assumptions and straw man arguments while also validating and appreciating some o...

There is stunning scientific and anecdotal evidence that men experience a dramatic change in their souls and bodies when regularly engaging in an activity that is hard, challenging, or a little bit dangerous. Most of you listening to this podcast live relatively luxurious, Western lives. When you are constantly enveloped in luxury, you become dull, shaped by domesticity. Yet men are made to conque...

Growing up, boys need men other than their fathers to speak into their lives. As a teenager raised on military bases, Stephen was on the receiving end of this relationship often. Officers and other men on base would help guide and support Stephen and other soldiers’ sons. Men, in the same way that your band of brothers has eyes on you, it’s important that you ensure men of integrity have eyes on y...

"Basically, we found that the persistence of a person's brain in holding on to a negative stimulus is what predicts more negative and less positive daily emotional experiences,” report psychologists at the University of Miami in a recent study. “That in turn predicts how well they think they're doing in their life." A GreatMan has a transcendent attitude toward life. He rises above the small thing...

Stephen was recently asked, “What are the five essential things a young man under 20 should know?” As we head into the summer, with the generations mixing and free time to spare, think about how you can work these five concepts into the life of a young man (especially in the 12-14 age range). Stephen illustrates concepts like power, duty, and wildness in ways that can transform the life and direct...