In today's episode of Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler challenges one of modern self-help culture's most sacred ideas: vulnerability. While honesty, humility, and emotional awareness are essential to growth, Ryan makes the case that vulnerability - when practiced without discernment, responsibility, or purpose - often becomes performative, destabilizing, and counterproductive, especially for men in leadership roles.

This episode is not an argument against emotion. It's an argument for self-mastery, containment, and earned honesty.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Why Vulnerability Became a Sacred Cow
02:45 - Emotional Awareness vs Emotional Exposure
04:55 - Vulnerability Without Discernment = Emotional Exhibitionism
07:40 - Oversharing Shifts the Emotional Burden
09:50 - Why Emotional Dumping Kills Trust & Attraction
12:55 - Leadership Requires Stability, Not Collapse
14:40 - Transparency vs Discernment
16:30 - Honesty Is Not a Lack of Self-Mastery
17:40 - Regulation vs Repression
19:20 - Lessons from Stoic Men & Great Leaders
21:10 - Earned Vulnerability Explained
23:00 - Secure Containers, Not "Safe Spaces"
25:05 - Responsibility Over Emotional Relief
27:00 - What Men Actually Need More Of
28:20 - Vulnerability Is Not the Goal—Integrity Is
30:20 - Final Thoughts & 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 weekly Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan and Kipp open with reflections on consistency, discipline, and what long-term success actually requires. They then tackle listener questions on deeply held beliefs, fatherhood, masculinity, and how perspectives change with age and experience.

The conversation moves into practical advice on building strong male circles, writing and publishing a book, and preparing for marriage with clarity and intention. As always, the episode blends personal insight, hard-earned lessons, and actionable guidance for men committed to growth.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 - Welcome and Consistency
09:08 - Question on Strong Beliefs and Doubt
17:00 - Fatherhood, Leadership, and Manhood Expectations
29:09 - Finding High-Caliber Men and Brotherhood
36:32 - Writing and Publishing a Book
44:27 - Preparing for Marriage
50:24 - Iron Council Update and Closing

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

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