In this week's Ask Me Anything, Ryan and Kipp dive deep into goal setting, New Year's resolutions, discipline, personal systems, and the internal dialogue that derails many men. They discuss practical strategies for building momentum, tracking progress, leading communities, and staying accountable even when motivation fades.

Listeners ask about goal-setting frameworks, balancing long-term and short-term ambitions, and how to prioritize key areas of life. Ryan and Kipp also explore integrity, honesty, and the real influence every man carries - whether he acknowledges it or not.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 Discipline, systems & flexibility
03:50 Community goal-setting question
14:27 Internal dialogue & low points
21:46 New Year's resolutions
25:34 Balancing easy vs. long-term goals
30:11 Prioritizing life quadrants
34:19 Daily systems & accountability
45:21 Being influential and showing up
46:50 Promotions & call to action
48:03 Episode close

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

For something that we do every single day, and something that has the power to change every aspect of our life, we sure don't focus on, train, or develop it. And, that thing is conversation. Nothing great ever happened in your life without, first, a conversation – no promotions, no jobs, no clients, no dates, nothing.

My guest today, Payam Pakmanesh (known as "The Convo Guy") is here to explain why and, more importantly, how we can build and develop our ability to communicate more effectively. We cover the proper principles of communication, Adlerian Psychology and how it helps you focus on what you can control, the "Zoom Flow" model for deeper connection, how to make yourself more approachable, and becoming aware of how others perceive you.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 - Conversation as a Life-Changing Tool
01:06 - Why Men Struggle With Communication
02:33 - Nature vs. Nurture in Your Voice
03:18 - How Environment Shapes Language & Identity
04:19 - Film Yourself: The First Breakthrough Exercise
05:30 - Pausing, Filler Words & Leadership Presence
06:55 - Listening Critically to Yourself
07:48 - Buying Time vs. Fear of Silence
09:18 - Authenticity vs. Performance
11:03 - Why Humans Detect Inauthenticity
12:20 - Reading Engagement & Disengagement Cues
13:51 - The Power of Real Listening
15:10 - Faces, Interpretation & Owning Your Identity
16:28 - Getting Out of Your Own Head
17:55 - Fear of Judgement & Perfectionism
18:34 - Social Masks & Status Games
20:32 - Adlerian Psychology & Letting Go of Others' Opinions
21:43 - Book Structure & Thoughts on "Courage to Be Disliked"
22:06 - Biggest Communication Mistakes Men Make
24:25 - Auditing Your Stories & Mental Frameworks
25:19 - Choose Stories that Serve You
27:45 - Tracking Thoughts & Fact-Checking Beliefs
30:18 - Inner Peace as the ROI of Self-Development
31:22 - Misreading Signals from Others
33:44 - Why Hard Conversations Must Be Live
34:50 - Growth Through Discomfort
35:17 - Why Men Avoid Difficult Conversations
37:06 - Nice Guys, Suppressed Emotions & Blowups
38:10 - Joker Example: From Nice to Extreme
40:12 - Standards vs. Expectations
41:14 - Make the Implicit Explicit
42:26 - Experimenting Like a Scientist
43:31 - Everyone Is Human-Even High Status People
44:04 - Scripts vs. Flow in Communication
47:32 - Headphones, Avoidance & Missed Opportunities
48:27 - Disagreement Statements That Build Trust
50:37 - Context Creates Empathy
52:19 - Why Courage Earns Respect
54:01 - The Value of Small Talk
55:48 - The Elevator Test
57:06 - Why Communication Creates Opportunities
58:29 - Movie Character Communication Breakdown
59:55 - How to Work With Payam

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 Friday Field Notes episode, Ryan Michler challenges men to stop drifting through life and confront the apathy holding them back. He breaks down the five core actions that help men regain direction, eliminate complacency, and move with purpose. Ryan speaks candidly about distraction, burnout, and his own past patterns of escape, giving listeners a direct path to clarity and discipline. This episode offers a clear call for men to reclaim their focus, cut the noise, and commit to what actually matters. A powerful, practical reminder for anyone who feels stuck or overwhelmed.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 Introduction
00:22 Burnout and rising apathy
01:54 Why men are giving up
03:40 Know what you want
06:10 Delegate what drains you
08:45 Remove energy draining people
11:23 Go deep, not wide
14:50 Ryan's story of sedation
16:06 Stop escaping your life
18:34 Final message and 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