Being A Better Man

I have heard people say many times that “You can’t help who you love”, as an excuse for people who find themselves in a bad situation or who made a bad relationship choice. I disagree with this statement entirely. Perhaps what they mean is that you can’t help who you are attracted to, I agree with that. But we can help what we do about that attraction. Just because we are attracted to someone does not mean it would be a good idea to pursue them as a relationship…there has to be more than just attraction to create an environment where true love can flourish. The post 195 – The Difference Between Love & Lust appeared first on Being A Better Man.

The reason this is all important to us as men, is because we were designed to be in relationship with other people. The human animal does much better and survives much longer in a group of other humans. So being good at having relationships is essentially a fundamental survival skill. I think this may be more important now then it has ever been before in human history. Because the age we live in is pretty easy, too easy. All of our basic needs are easily obtained and that leaves a lot of time for people to forget about whats really important. It’s really easy nowadays, to not be a good man. However, focusing on our relationships fills that void. Our relationships are the remedy, because if we are focused on all of our relationships, that means we are engaged in the heath and well being of those relationships. It means we are doing good things and having good thoughts for the people we care about. Can you see how the very act of doing that can make you a better man every day? That’s why it’s importa

The fact that we don’t have to kill things to live every day and defend our loved ones against threats is a huge advantage. Our ancestors couldn’t even dream of a life as easy as the ones we have. It’s easy to get confused by how easy it is…at times it might seem as though life takes very little effort at all and that is where a lot of guys tend to get off track because the rules about manhood seem gray, instead of black and white. The post 193 – A Man In Modern Times appeared first on Being A Better Man.

FIDELITY…or the lack thereof As you know the launch of my book is imminent.  It will be available before the end of this month of April.  It’s called “Forging A Man” and it is a collection of stories that I have told on this very podcast, along with the lessons learned from them.  Be watching… The post 192 – Fidelity…or the lack thereof appeared first on Being A Better Man.

Even though these are my stories, you can apply these lessons to your own life. Or perhaps they will remind you of your own similar story and the lessons you learned from it. Either way, you should be entertained. As you listen, I really want you to consider your own stories. When did you learn these lessons? Can you remember? Sometimes digging up your own past can have great benefit, especially if you are made to remember that one singular moment in time when you learned something vital. It’s almost like learning it all over again. That…is the purpose of these stories. In fact, I think there is nothing quite so human as the hearing and telling of stories. It’s how our ancestors conveyed critical information from one generation to the next. The stories told around campfires the world over are what eventually shaped our species into what it is today. Today’s story, called The Saga Og Little Big Turkey, is really about confidence and attitude, and how we can use them to our advantage if used with a m

Obviously, the use of swear words really does depend on who you are, what you are doing, and where you are. There really isn’t one answer to this question. I have listeners from all over the world and it will be a little different for everyone. There is something that is the same though, no matter where you are. If you are a man, then you have an obligation to decide for yourself what is acceptable behavior, and then be true to your decision. As a man you are going to be an example for someone as well, and it’s up to you to decide what messages you want to give the people you are an example for. The post 190 – Is It Manly To Swear, Or Not? appeared first on Being A Better Man.

It might be hard to imagine, but do you think if you took nothing for granted that its safe to say you would be more appreciative of life itself? I think so. This is the part that has to do with being a better man. You might be wondering how not taking things for granted could help you be a better man, and I’m about to tell you. If life was to become a bigger deal than it is now. If we took nothing for granted and were appreciative of everything in the world around us. It stands to reason that our own lives, our actions or lack of action would also take on more significance because we would be connected to that world. The way we live would matter more than it does now because we would have a greater connection to the world we live in. Can you see how that might help you become a better man? The post 189 – Life Is Significant…so are you! appeared first on Being A Better Man.

As you listen, I really want you to consider your own stories. When did you learn these lessons? Can you remember? Sometimes digging up your own past can have great benefit, especially if you are made to remember that one singular moment in time when you learned something vital. It’s almost like learning it all over again. That…is the purpose of these stories. In fact, I think there is nothing quite so human as the hearing and telling of stories. It’s how our ancestors conveyed critical information from one generation to the next. The stories told around campfires the world over are what eventually shaped our species into what it is today. Today’s story, called Dreams Ignite Ambition, is about the power of dreams, and their ability to release the potential within all of us, if we allow it.. The post 188 – Dreams Ignite Ambition appeared first on Being A Better Man.

I realize we don’t all come from close families, or large families. Many families are fractured and broken, their customs and traditions lost to the past. Its unfortunate, but it is a reality as well. Still others of us, a good number in fact, may not have any blood family at all, but you still have chosen family. People with whom you are bound and related to, through experience and love. My message today is for all men though. Wether you are blessed with a close family or if you find yourself struggling to keep a fractured family together, or you are a member of a chosen family unrelated by blood. Your responsibility to your family is the same in either case. The post 187 – A Family Tradition…our responsibility as men appeared first on Being A Better Man.

You have probably heard me say before many times that a man should share his strength. What does that mean? Well, it can mean anything from opening a jar with a stuck lid, to being calm and confident in moments of great distress. It can mean being decisive when its necessary, or it could mean going to work every day to provide resources for the home. Sharing your strength means any situation where you are offering yourself, your time, your resources, your courage, or your compassion to someone who needs it. Most often, that will be someone in your own family, but it doesn’t have to be. The post 186 – Blueprint Of A Man…Sharing our strength appeared first on Being A Better Man.

The Absence Of Color… Every Wednesday I regal you with a story from somewhere in my unusual and interesting life.  It could be funny, sad, serious or disturbing, the important thing is that every story has a lesson.  The name of today’s story is;  The Absence Of Color. Even though these are my stories, you… The post 185 – The Absence Of Color appeared first on Being A Better Man.

Today I have someone with me here, a special guest named Dan Mcdonald. I’ll give you a little background; Dan Mcdonald is a personal friend of mine, in fact, he’s my best friend outside of my blood family, he actually officiated the wedding of me and my wife. We are blessed with his presence today because he traveled 2 1/2 hours to my home, to spend a couple days with us, visiting, because that is what friends do. I’ve been wanting to have him on the show for some time because he is one of the best examples I know of a man committed to being a better man every day, and he also has a dynamic story that I think will reach a lot of you. Since he was already here, I thought this was a perfect opportunity. Dan and I discuss a lot of things in this episode. We talk about how two guys from such different backgrounds can wind up being friends. He reveals the effects of a life-changing event that happened when he was 15, when he lost his eye. Dan talks about his 20 year career as a musician. His experience as a

To break that cycle requires a great deal of personal will, strength of character, and tremendous focus. You know I always say that the things we focus on expand right? Well the focus required to replace a bad habit with a good one is off the charts. Its the kind of focus that common men don’t have the strength for, it’s hard, and it can be uncomfortable. It’s a good thing for us that we are not common men…we my friends, you and I, are better men. But, even the best of men will slip at times, or go through a tough patch. We are human beings and thats just part of life. Its at times like these that it really helps to have a mentor. Someone to hold you accountable, someone that will be straight with you when you need it. A person you can rely on to help you alter your perspective when you need to. The post 183 – You Are Not Alone appeared first on Being A Better Man.

As you listen, I really want you to consider your own stories. When did you learn these lessons? Can you remember? Sometimes digging up your own past can have great benefit, especially if you are made to remember that one singular moment in time when you learned something vital. It’s almost like learning it all over again. That…is the purpose of these stories. In fact, I think there is nothing quite so human as the hearing and telling of stories. It’s how our ancestors conveyed critical information from one generation to the next. The stories told around campfires the world over are what eventually shaped our species into what it is today. Today’s story, called Make Guilt & Shame Work For You, is an embarrassing story, for me. Because I reveal a time in my life when I wasn't too bright, and the consequences that came with that. The good news is, that guilt and shame can either consume you, or you can use them to make yourself better. The post 182 – Make Guilt & Shame Work For You appeared first on

I think its imperative that every man take a good long look in the mirror and decide for himself what is and is not acceptable behavior…and then, abide by those rules you set for yourself. That is my definition of morality. It may seem like an exercise in redundancy, because many of your own morals will be exactly the same as those currently being imposed upon you. The difference is, that now they are yours, and you comply with them not because you are told to, but rather because it is what you as a man, have deemed to be the right thing to do. See the difference? The post 181 – Ethics & Morality appeared first on Being A Better Man.

I’ve said many times in other episodes that one of the greatest callings of a man, is the kind of example he is. Somebody is always watching us everywhere we go. If not our kids, maybe someone else’s kids, or your neighbors or your co-workers, or the guy in line at Starbucks. Someone is always watching us, and in that moment, we are the example of manhood. The post 180 – Ambassadors Of Manhood appeared first on Being A Better Man.

Even though these are my stories, you can apply these lessons to your own life, Or perhaps they will remind you of your own similar story and the lessons you learned from it. Either way, you should be entertained. As you listen, I really want you to consider your own stories. When did you learn these lessons? Can you remember? Sometimes digging up your own past can have great benefit, especially if you are made to remember that one singular moment in time when you learned something vital. It’s almost like learning it all over again. That…is the purpose of these stories. In fact, I think there is nothing quite so human as the hearing and telling of stories. It’s how our ancestors conveyed critical information from one generation to the next. The stories told around campfires the world over are what eventually shaped our species into what it is today. Today’s story, called The Noises Upstairs, was pretty brutal on me, as you'll see. All of our experiences become part of who we are and there is somet

O So what I am talking about today is labels…I hate labels.  Labels do nothing but put people in groups.  Groups always define people inaccurately, and that leads to division;  it drives a wedge between human beings who might otherwise get along fine. The label example I am using today is the label of “Millennial”. … The post 178 – No Such Thing As An Accurate Label appeared first on Being A Better Man.

We have all heard jokes about women. Jokes that highlight some of our differences in a way that paints women as inferior. The same is true of many racial jokes, or jokes about gay people or disabled people. These kinds of jokes are one of the things that perpetuate the underlying idea that some people are of less value than others. These jokes are not always told with intentional malice. You may be just trying to make someone laugh, but the underlying message of the joke is harmful, and destructive. I think everyone, every person, should have the same opportunity as any other person, that people should be judged solely on their merit as a human, and not their gender, orientation, religion, or race. The post 177 – Men Have A Critical Role…in making a change appeared first on Being A Better Man.

As you listen, I really want you to consider your own stories. When did you learn these lessons? Can you remember? Sometimes digging up your own past can have great benefit, especially if you are made to remember that one singular moment in time when you learned something vital. It’s almost like learning it all over again. That…is the purpose of these stories. In fact, I think there is nothing quite so human as the hearing and telling of stories. It’s how our ancestors conveyed critical information from one generation to the next. The stories told around campfires the world over are what eventually shaped our species into what it is today. Today’s story, called The Unworthy Risk, Taught me the formula to know wether or not a risk is acceptable...or stupid. Turns out...there is a thin line between the two, but we don't have to cross it if we are paying attention. The post 176 – The Unworthy Risk appeared first on Being A Better Man.