In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan and Kipp kick things off with a lighthearted but revealing conversation before diving into listener questions on purpose, vision, balance, and meaning.

They explore why men struggle to articulate what they want, how early conditioning shapes silence, and what happens when men open up and feel shut down. The discussion also tackles work-life balance, daily meaning versus long-term purpose, and why purpose is built through action, not found through thinking alone.

00:00 Christmas Check-In and Opening Banter
01:12 Viral Knife Story and Public Reactions
09:42 AMA Begins: Getting the Most from the Iron Council
16:57 Vision vs Character Traits
19:34 Why Men Are Conditioned Not to Want
20:17 What Happens When Men Open Up
30:53 Work, Home, and Community Balance
39:20 Finding Meaning in the Mundane
47:29 Purpose Is Built Through Action
50:16 Christmas Reflections 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

You know about breath work. You know about cold exposure. It's a thing all the major "influencers" tell you to do. I had some skepticism myself and that's why I wanted to have this man, the original cold exposure and breath work guy on himself, Wim Hof!

He is a man who has redefined the limits of the human mind and body. Known globally as The Iceman, Wim Hof has shown millions of people how to take control of their physiology through breath, cold exposure, and mindset. From climbing mountains in nothing but shorts to teaching everyday men how to regulate stress, build resilience, and reconnect with their primal strength, Wim's work challenges everything we think we know about comfort, health, and human potential. Today, we're talking about cold, breath, discipline, and what it really means to return to our factory settings as men.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 Introduction and Creative Rituals
01:30 Daily Cold and Breathwork Ritual
03:02 Shutting Off the Thinking Brain
05:07 Stress, Cortisol, and Modern Life
07:24 Cold Exposure Myths and Shortcuts
10:05 Minimum Effective Dose of Cold
12:34 Enduring Extreme Cold
14:28 Cold Exposure and Better Sleep
17:09 Breathing, Detox, and Biochemistry
21:35 Carbon Dioxide vs Oxygen
23:45 Ancient Practices, Modern Brains
27:50 Purpose, Presence, and Feeling Alive
30:11 Fulfillment Beyond Words
36:50 Getting High on Your Own Supply
38:11 Faith, Soul, and Inner Purpose
43:26 Motivation, Discipline, and Cold
46:50 Intuition and Better Decisions
50:00 Dopamine, Depression, and Energy
51:02 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More

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 don't need more information - they need fewer lies.

The most common lie?
"I'm fine."

In this Friday Field Notes episode, Ryan breaks down why "fine" is how men drift, how standards quietly erode, and why most men wait until catastrophe forces them to take their life seriously.

This isn't an emotional exercise.
It's a logical, factual audit of your body, relationships, finances, mission, and integrity - with no stories, no excuses, and no rationalizations.

Ryan challenges you to stop protecting your weak spots, identify where you're cutting corners, and draw one non-negotiable line in the sand that you enforce daily.

You don't rise to your potential.
You fall to what you tolerate.

This episode will push you to:

• Take an honest inventory of your life
• Cut distractions, excuses, and self-deception
• Set one standard that changes everything
• Stop waiting for pain to force change
• Start today - not January 1st

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 - The Lie of "I'm Fine"
01:55 - How Men Drift Without Realizing It
03:02 - Why You Must Audit Your Life
05:21 - Body, Marriage, Finances, Mission
07:01 - Where You're Lying to Yourself
09:02 - You Fall to What You Tolerate
10:41 - What Weakens You Is a Liability
11:23 - One Non-Negotiable Standard
12:13 - Discipline Doesn't Wait
13:14 - Stop Waiting for Catastrophe
15:23 - Audit Your Life Before It's Too Late
17:47 - Iron Council & Final Charge

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