In this week's Ask Me Anything, Ryan Michler and Kipp Sorensen tackle some of the toughest questions men face today. They discuss whether purpose is something you discover or build, how to find closure after losing a parent, and what it takes to save a struggling marriage before it's too late. They also talk about accountability between friends, rebuilding your life after alcohol, returning to faith, and introducing your children to difficult experiences like hunting without letting your own ego get in the way. Plus, they kick things off with a spirited debate about when, if ever, violence is justified in defense of your family.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Welcome & Recent Iron Council Conversations

03:07 - Is Violence Ever a Wholesome Activity?

14:38 - Grieving an Unfinished Relationship with Your Father

25:08 - Finding Purpose When You Feel Stuck

34:06 - Can a Marriage Be Saved Before It's Too Late?

41:03 - Rebuilding Friendships After Getting Sober

44:54 - Holding Friends Accountable Without Becoming Judgmental

51:26 - Returning to Faith or Just Seeking Structure?

57:29 - Teaching Your Son to Hunt Without Letting Ego Get in the Way

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 think preparedness is a bunker full of gear and ammo. My guest today, Mike Glover, knows better. A Green Beret, former CIA contractor, and founder of Fieldcraft Survival has spent his life teaching men that real readiness is a mindset before it's a skillset and that the hardest terrain you'll ever navigate isn't in the wilderness, it's the purgatory of your own worst chapter. In this conversation, Mike opens up about hardship, redemption, and what it took to pick himself up when the ground gave way beneath him.

We get into why men today aren't weak so much as broken down, physically, hormonally, and spiritually. And, we talk about what it takes to rebuild. We talk about purpose and identity, the difference between the people who scatter and the people who'll always have your back, and why being targeted only sharpened his clarity about who he is and what he's built. This is a raw, unflinching look at accountability, manhood, and the courage to say what needs to be said. Mike doesn't hedge, and neither do we.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Mike's public redemption story

02:23 - Why men think about giving up

05:08 - Is fatherhood enough of a purpose?

07:29 - Rendering yourself obsolete as a father

09:42 - Why mortality gives life meaning

12:35 - Surviving public controversy

15:37 - Why people judge what they don't understand

18:02 - Avoiding bitterness after betrayal

19:23 - The "Three Rows at Your Funeral" lesson

22:42 - Whose criticism actually matters

24:08 - Why criticism often reveals your own insecurities

28:36 - Stress, preparedness, and real-world emergencies

32:12 - American Contingency and government scrutiny

37:00 - The danger of putting influencers on pedestals

39:10 - Tribalism and following the crowd

40:26 - Why not everyone becomes a leader

43:08 - Natural selection and modern society

45:52 - Government investigations and censorship

51:16 - Why prepared citizens matter

55:20 - The Second Amendment and balance of power

58:41 - Why conservatives need to become more vocal

01:00:58 - Rebuilding Fieldcraft Survival

01:03:22 - Mike's mission moving forward

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 carry a wound they rarely talk about—and it often begins with their relationship with their father.

Whether your dad was absent, emotionally unavailable, overly critical, or simply unable to give you what you needed, that experience can quietly shape your identity, relationships, ambition, anger, and even the way you parent your own children.

In this episode, Ryan shares his own story of growing up without a present father and explores how the "father wound" influences countless men long into adulthood. More importantly, he explains why understanding the wound isn't about making excuses—it's about taking responsibility, breaking generational cycles, and becoming the man your children need.

If you've ever found yourself chasing approval, struggling to feel "enough," or determined not to repeat your father's mistakes, this conversation is for you.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 The Father Wound Most Men Never Discuss

02:36 Growing Up Without a Present Father

04:52 The Hidden Cost of Father Absence

06:40 What the Father Wound Really Is

08:54 How the Wound Shows Up in Adult Men

13:21 Understanding Isn't the Same as Blaming

14:45 Grieve It—Don't Bury It

15:52 Becoming Your Own Father

18:43 Stop Waiting for His Approval

21:02 Breaking the Generational Cycle

22:30 Forgiveness Is Not the Finish Line

24:41 Build Your Band of Brothers (Iron Council)

26:06 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

the role of sports, politics, masculinity, and national pride. They then tackle listener questions on building meaningful male friendships later in life, reigniting a flat marriage, overcoming destructive habits, breaking generational patterns in fatherhood, exploring faith beyond traditional religious texts, and preparing mentally for a first archery elk hunt.

Along the way, Ryan shares personal lessons from his divorce and recovery journey while both hosts offer practical guidance on leadership, relationships, personal growth, and becoming a stronger man.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Father's Day Reflections

03:50 UFC at the White House: Wholesome or Not?

11:03 Building Male Friendships After 30

21:45 Marriage Feels Flat: Where Do You Start?

31:39 Ryan on Divorce, Drinking & Real Change

39:16 Breaking Generational Patterns in Fatherhood

48:34 Faith Beyond the Traditional Canon

55:58 Mental Preparation for First Elk Hunt

59:29 Listener Feedback, Social Media & Closing 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

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