GreatMan Podcast

In one of Stephen’s favorite films, Legends of the Fall, there are two brothers who embody different spirits of manhood. Alfred is refined. Tristan is wild. There’s a scene where Alfred turns to Tristan and says, “I followed all of the rules, man’s and God’s, and you followed none of them. And they all loved you more.” Men live in tension between innate wildness and societal rules. Yes, rules are...

Build the culture around you through the stories you tell. Words are the fast-track in culture building. Weed out the dark and disillusioning, and fill in with the inspiring and encouraging. This summer, Stephen challenges you to evaluate what you’re talking about on a regular basis. Are you constantly griping or mired in negativity? What are you telling most often, and what does that encourage to...

In this special episode recorded for both the GreatMan Podcast and the Stephen Mansfield Podcast, Stephen reflects on the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Tune in for a discussion of gun laws, school security, but most importantly: the powerful role that family and community can play in preventing troubled young men like the Uvalde shooter from taking such brutal and vio...

After the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters, NASA became very risk-averse in their corporate culture. As a result, they didn’t have any major failures. They also capped innovation. SpaceX, on the other hand, failed and failed often. Elon Musk built a corporate culture that turned those failures into fuel for growth. Similarly, when you attempt something daring and new, there will be...

Men need both a team and a purpose or they will go about digging holes in their lives. Going it alone, they will allow themselves to be destroyed by addiction, excess pleasure, and past traumas. They will crash. Stephen illustrates the point by sharing a story he recently heard Bedros Keuilian tell. Men, find a band of brothers and get to work on fixing the problematic areas of your life before a...

Many a man has discovered the power of rebellion in his teenage years. It feels good. It makes you feel alive. A little bit of opposition and rebellion can even be healthy. But don’t get stuck there. If you allow rebellion to become a primary force in your life, you live constantly in a state of reaction. When rebellion and anger thrive in your soul, you are not able to pursue a destiny or take ho...

The strength and glory of a man are exhibited when he takes responsibility. It’s at the heart of noble manhood. Owning your responsibility is more than just checking off a list of household chores. (Though that’s part of it.) Being responsible in a manly way includes taking charge in the broader sense of your “field” – that is, your relationships, obligations to community, and self. Take responsib...

Men have an ability to set radiating goals. When you set a big radiating goal, your life naturally aligns in support of that goal. Stephen shares his big radiating goal in this episode and encourages you to do the same. Set your goal completion for four months from now. Ideally, you will make it physical, aggressive, and largely outdoors. Keep it achievable, but aggressive, and let it radiate thro...

Do you ever feel discouraged about where you are in life? Did you know that there is a benevolent conspiracy underway, leading you to a destined moment? In fact, the mundane and challenging parts of your life are building greatness within you. Though you may not see it, your weaknesses are being refined into skills that will lift you to great heights. Don’t miss this encouraging and powerful episo...

The poet Thomas Babington Macaulay wrote in “Lays of Ancient Rome” – And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his Gods. Churchill memorized all 1,200 lines of this poem and quoted from it often in his wartime addresses. Stephen sees the poem’s sentiments coming to life today in the lives of men in Ukraine. You see, men are not meant to l...

If you are attempting to live out a code of noble manhood, you aren’t alone. You are part of something Stephen’s never talked about before on the GreatMan Podcast: a fellowship of men in the world. Tune in as Stephen discusses the global pursuit of great manhood, and what it means to care about righteous manhood across racial, ethnic, and national lines. Now, let’s get to the work that’s set out b...

At just 44 years old, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, is calling his nation to greatness. Stephen discusses Zelensky’s unique path to the Presidency, his admirable leadership qualities, and his ability to rouse his people. Despite having a military budget one-tenth the size of Russia’s, Zelensky’s Ukraine is holding its ground. Tune in to find how this man has lit up his nation, and...

Stephen recently visited with an old friend who has planted roots for 40 years in a small town in Texas. This man is highly respected, his business is thriving, and he has a beautiful and impressive home with many acres. Unlike so many who chase shiny objects or strike out for distant cities, this man cast down his buckets where he was, to borrow language from Booker T. Washington. He planted root...

Being generous and large-hearted is one of the ways you can change lives, build a legacy, prosper, and honor God. In fact, generosity is one of the features of a great man. A great man doesn’t hold his possessions too closely. He is big-hearted. Tune in to find out just how generous Americans, in particular, have been in recent years. (Did you know Americans’ generosity throughout the pandemic top...

Stephen is currently watching Hulu’s new docuseries, Secrets of Playboy, which exposes Hugh Hefner’s toxic and fraudulent house of cards. As you’ve heard Stephen say before, pornography is divorce training. And Playboy opened the floodgates. In this episode, Stephen talks about his own childhood exposure to pornography and how this cancerous bilge is destroying men of all ages. It’s time for us to...

There’s a word that can make a big difference in your life as you pursue great manhood: build. We are often advised to live in a way that dodges missiles. But life for a man is not just about reacting and responding. Life is about how you build. In his late 30s and early 40s, Stephen was around men who talked about “building” their lives. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the difference between “...

Relief is short-term. It’s the glass of wine at the end of the day, the massage, the TV show. Relief is the short-term lifting of weariness or pain. Relief is not restoration. In this episode, Stephen shares the struggles of two friends who are using relief when they should be using restoration. Learn from their ways and then evaluate your own behaviors. Are you seeking relief or restoration? Let’...

Stephen responds to questions about a controversial word we hear often in our society: patriarchy. “Rule by men” hasn’t always been a happy time for women, and so it makes sense this term is cast in a negative light. Why are most societies ruled by men? What does noble, righteous, and good manly leadership look like? Tune in. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N...

Whether you are a CEO with means or a college student making ends meet, Stephen has a challenge for you this year. Commit to hosting at least one event for men. This can be as big as a 10,000-person conference or as simple as getting a few guys together for a workout or pizza. Men connect best through indirect connection. When we gather around another activity, whether that’s a hunting trip or tos...

Winston Churchill once said, “When the notes of life ring false, men should correct them by referring to the tuning-fork of death.” In other words, ponder your own mortality. Or, as the Ancients phrased it, memento mori. Remember death. What would your life look like if you lived every day as though it was your last? What would you change? Consider thoughtfully, and act. Also, confirm that your fa...

A man should be self-possessed. He should walk with confidence. Listen to a few trusted individuals, and walk according to the wisdom of the ancients. Internalize your faith and draw from your family and band of brothers. Take stock of your internal security system. Are you preoccupied with the opinions of others? Have harsh comments left you off balance or seeking approval you’ll likely never get...

In the early years of a boy’s life, the father is sometimes on the perimeter, as the mother is the primary nurturer. In the early adolescent years, boys will then migrate away from their mothers toward their fathers. This is when Dad needs to step in at a greater level and usher his son into manhood. The driving force in the boy’s life shifts from Mom (“God is there, he cares, and he’s loving.”) t...

Stephen was recently asked, “If you look at the culture of men, what one word would best describe that culture?” That one word is respect. Men in our generation are often raised in a culture of disrespect. When a man begins to realize the power he has and what he’s meant to be doing in the world, it can all be summarized by this word. Respect. Tune in as Stephen describes the process of realizing,...

Last month, Stephen spent some time with a group of men who had a completely different outlook on exercise. Many of these former military guys described their physical fitness activities (lifting weights, going for a run, etc.) not as “working out,” but as “training.” A workout is a daily obligation you wish you could discard. Training, as Stephen learned and shares with listeners, is physical wor...

Welcome to the last GreatMan Podcast of 2021. As we approach the end of the year, Stephen has some concern. 2022 is probably going to be a bumpy ride. You’ve got to be ready. You’re going to need a band of brothers to prevail against difficult times. For some of you, your struggle to be a noble man is made more difficult by having an incomplete or faux band of brothers. Rather, you need to have a...