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

In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan Michler and Kipp Sorensen tackle the number one issue facing men today: money. From scarcity mindset and debt to retirement planning, investing, and raising financially responsible kids, the conversation blends practical financial wisdom with deeper insights on discipline, self-belief, and values.

Ryan breaks down Dave Ramsey's baby steps, explains Roth vs. traditional IRAs, challenges popular budgeting rules, and shares how to instill abundance thinking in your family. A must-listen for men looking to build wealth without losing perspective.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 Financial stress and the current economy
03:46 Physical baseline and discipline
08:59 Scarcity vs. abundance mindset
19:23 Dave Ramsey's seven baby steps
26:01 Roth IRA vs. traditional IRA
34:45 The 50-30-20 budgeting rule
37:29 Building wealth in an underpaid career
45:08 Teaching kids financial discipline
56:18 Iron Council and end-of-year 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

Too many men today aren't struggling because they lack information. They're struggling because they're drowning in noise. And, I think it's time we start unpacking why the "modern masculinity" space has become obsessed with hot takes, call-outs, online outrage, and performative "accountability" - and why none of it builds strong men, meaningful connection, or lasting improvement.

Today I'm joined by my friend, Jack Donovan, to talk about why gossip masquerades as moral authority, how "calling men out" often replaces real accountability, the difference between integrity, honor, and reputation, why social media rewards division, not leadership, the dangers of pedestalizing others—and why men need a code to live by.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 - Studio Setup & Creative Work
02:24 - Why the Right Needs to Create Culture
04:22 - The Problem With Hot Takes
06:06 - Engagement vs. Building a Movement
08:17 - Writing as Intellectual Discipline
10:16 - AI Art, Aesthetics, and Snobbery
12:01 - Giving People the Benefit of the Doubt
14:11 - Funding Art and Leaving a Legacy
17:07 - Storytelling as Masculine Power
19:33 - Integrity as Aesthetic Congruence
21:09 - Integrity vs. Disintegration
23:14 - Faith, Ritual, and Mental Wholeness
25:16 - Philosophy as a Code of Conduct
26:50 - Honor as Reputation
30:13 - Tribalism and Dehumanization
33:18 - Why Men Gossip
36:49 - Malicious Gossip vs. Accountability
41:14 - Reality TV Culture and Privacy
44:43 - Judging Without Context
46:22 - The Danger of Moral Pedestals
49:32 - Hubris and Public Failure
52:31 - The Trust Recession
55:29 - Projection and False Narratives
58:51 - Redemption and Change

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