Man Alive

Join the Man Alive Challenge! Marriage and romantic relationships are one of the most challenging yet gratifying experiences in life. There is nothing like real connection, both giving to create a meaningful life together. It is also one of the most fragile experiences. It needs constant attention and investment. It requires awareness, openness, humility, and care. There are so many insidious beliefs that will obviously destroy a marriage or long-term relationship. But there are also some very subtle, common, and sneaky beliefs that can whittle away at connection and eventually destroy a marriage. In this video, I explore nine of those subtle beliefs that could destroy your marriage. I have observed these in my own life and the life of my clients. Being aware of the destructive marriage beliefs can allow you to pay closer attention, have open conversations and practice new beliefs that will build intimacy and connection in your marriage.

Take The Man Alive Challenge: https://www.committocourage.com/ Click here to download the tough conversations quick guide and worksheet: https://www.committocourage.com/tough-conversation-guide "A person's success in life can be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have." - Tim Ferriss Tough conversations are everywhere in our lives. The only way that we create new results, and evolve our relationships, businesses, friendships, politics, and personal mindset is if we are willing to dive into tough conversations in a powerful and effective way. No one ever said that tough conversations were easy. In fact, they can be downright difficult and uncomfortable. However, if you want to build better relationships and a successful company, you need to learn how to have tough conversations in a meaningful and effective way. The biggest challenge with tough conversations is our emotions. They can cloud our judgment and at the moment it's easy to forget about what the goal is. Most of us have tough conversations in order to connect or stay connected to the person we are having them with. But when emotions are hot and fear kicks in, tough conversations can sideways fast! It helps to have a system for having these tough conversations so that we can keep a clear head and stay focused on what is we actually want to say and accomplish in the conversation. In this episode, I give 5 SUPER simple steps to having ANY conversation. If you will learn these steps and practice them, I promise you will be able to keep the fear at bay, and progress in your relationships in a newfound way! Step 1: Name the breakdown: Specifically name the challenge, problem, or breakdown with specific examples of it happening. And always use "my experience" language. Step 2: Name the prices you are paying for the breakdown: What is the cost the both of you, or all of you are paying in life and the relationship because of this challenge and tough conversation? Step 3: Name YOUR contribution to the breakdown: this is typically the toughest part of these conversations. In any breakdown, everyone has some contribution. Are you willing to claim yours? Step 4: Look to the future: Explore specifically what the future could look like if you were able to have a successful tough conversation and resolve the conflict. Step 5: Commit to new action: State specific commitments for a new way of being with each other that will not allow the challenge to arise again! I hope these steps will help you as much as they have helped me. They are not easy, but you can have tough conversations like a pro with practice! And remember, the goal is to keep the lines of communication open so that you can continue to build strong relationships. It's about practice, not perfection.

Join my Man Alive challenge: 27 days of courageous actions to feel ALIVE again!! https://www.committocourage.com/   How many times have you been asked how you are doing and have replied with something like... "oh man I have been so busy lately." How often have you asked others how they are doing and get a similar reply? We have a social contagion of "busy" in our western culture. We use busy to signify how important or successful we are or to disconnect from others when we feel vulnerable or insecure. In this episode, I talk about why we set up our lives to be busy and what you can do be less busy.

There really is nothing like making difficult decisions in our lives. Especially when there is no clear right or wrong choice. Yet we still must decide. Even not deciding is a choice. So I can't tell you how to make the decision exactly, and I can't tell you what decisions to make. That would be advice, and advice is overrated. But I can help you understand some truths about decision-making and what to consider in the most difficult decisions. In this video, I explore those ideas in the context of 3 categories. Past, Present, and Future. My hope is that this conversation is a meaningful one as you consider how to make difficult decisions in your life. You can watch these podcasts in video form on my Youtube channel.  

Join my honorable man texts! Daily messages of challenge and encouragement. Text the word "HONOR" to (844) 479-0134   We have all heard the tired conversation about getting out of your comfort zone. It's so tired that it largely gets dismissed, or not paid any attention. But what if I were to tell you that your comfort zone is actually killing you? Would that grab your attention? I believe that staying in our comfort zone is literal death… Physically, relationally, emotionally, and spiritually. When we don't push ourselves to the edge of discomfort, we slowly deteriorate. Most of us believe that comfort is what we want. Everything we do is working towards the goal of making our lives more comfortable. The bigger houses, newer cars, helpful tech, finding our people, earning money, choosing a career. We think if we make our lives more comfortable, we live fulfilled. This is the exact opposite of a meaningful life. So what is the antidote to seeking to live in comfort? Get committed to something. Not like, “oh it would be nice if” but actually really committed to something! Committed like: “I will have it NO MATTER WHAT… or I will die trying.” This type of commitment will inevitably get you out of your comfort zone.  Because to go after something like that is going to require you to have uncomfortable conversations, and take risky and courageous actions. It will push you to your edge, and sometimes beyond. You might be shocked at how alive you feel when you are going after something meaningful, with that kind of fervor. When I coach men in their business, this is the very first thing that we get clear on. “What am I committed to that is worth my life?” So. let me ask you, what are you committed to? What are you willing to look like a fool for? Are you ready to feel alive again?

Preston is a fascinating and thoughtful dood! I am so grateful for the opportunity to sit down with him and chat about so many different things. From bus life to loving our wives to doing difficult things, we cover a lot of ground in this conversation and I loved every moment of it. Topics we discuss: How to keep our marriage interesting and alive How to encourage and challenge each other to be a better person Breaking the monotony of life Having the courage to do things a different way Finding the value of community when you don't have it Paying more attention to hardship and suffering Being a victim is an event, not a way of being Resources: https://www.therangerprogram.com/ The Ranger Program IG: https://www.instagram.com/therangerprogram/ Preston's IG: https://www.instagram.com/goprestongo/ Chad's IG: https://www.instagram.com/chad.l.brown/  

Joe Malizia is a transformational coach to couples and business owners. He is a thoughtful dude dedicated to his wife, kids, and work. We discuss: Is a meaningful career possible for everyone? How to create meaning in things we don't enjoy What if you were free to choose? Why advice doesn't work The fear of being known Resources: Joe's email Joe@joemalizia.com Joe's Facebook Page Joe's Website

Jesse Ellis is a licensed clinical social worker. I look up to him for how he shows up as a dad and a partner. Jesse's humor and authenticity are magnetic.   In this conversation we touch on: The joy of cooking Finding your partner again and again through the seasons of life Is social media the downfall of society? Men and shame in mental health Self-medicating with substances Guilt vs shame The 4 nutrients that stabilize the mind Jesse's 80/20 self-criticism rule Learning to identify and master our emotions Resources: Jesse's Facebook page Connect with me on Instagram @chad.l.brown

Summary: Freedom of choice relates to financial freedom Money doesn't matter Real wealth is found in time and peace of mind We must define what enough is for each of us Traditional education and financial education How generations relate to money differently   Conversation Notes: Ryan D. Lee is not your typical financial planner. In fact, he guarantees that he can help people be financially free in 10 years or less. What??? That's crazy. But I didn't bring Ryan onto the podcast to talk about that necessarily. I connected with him on Facebook and was struck by his intentionality and vigor for life. I perceived that he is a guy living his life to its fullest. I think this conversation proves my assumptions correct. I love how he shows up as a father, husband, and business founder. I am thankful for Ryan and his influence on my life, and can't wait to introduce you to him. Enjoy! Resources: Ryan's IG Ryan's Facebook Cashflow Tactics Website  

Summary: Being an introvert and building community Community starts with asking yourself, “what do I wish I had?” How you balance giving and taking in a community Holding too tightly to a single virtue The beauty of nuance in life ---------------------------------- Conversation notes: Jon is an incredibly thoughtful guy, that is committed to building communities that are meaningful and constructive. Jon Ogden has a BA and an MA from Brigham Young University, where he studied methods of civil discourse. He lives in Utah with his wife and two sons. ----------------------------------- Resources: Jon's book When Mormons Doubt Upliftkids.org JonOgden.com

Summary: Why we feel like we don't have purpose Generational evolution in men The mental shift of “I” to “we” The life lessons in freediving and spearfishing How our brains are built for success How your limbic system scares you out of taking risk ---------------------------------------- Conversation notes: John is an incredibly interesting guy, a riveting storyteller, and a vast well of wisdom. In this conversation, we talk about the parallels between his journey in freediving and spearfishing and life. John is a certified freediving instructor with Freedivers Instructors International. He has written for and had photography featured in many of the leading publications for diving and spearfishing. One of note is SkinDiver Magazine. John's photography of the sport and lifestyle is stunning. John holds three spearfishing records, two of which still stand. --------------------------------------- Resources: John's Instagram: @ibreathwater Chad' Instagram: @chad.l.brown

https://epicmantrips.com/ Seth Pearson is a former Sergeant for the Marine Corps, a fitness trainer, and most importantly a really thoughtful guy. We dive into topics like: Is there such thing as real community online? Awareness is a must if we want to change. What is fulfillment and how do we gauge it? Do we want to escape or stay is the true test of presence. Tension is telling us something. Resources:  Seth's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/becomeimpact

Anthony is a career coach. He tells of his journey leaving a steady career that paid good money with great benefits... but he hated it. In this conversation, we dive into SO many rich ideas. And Chad reveals his secret career wish. No surprises here... Some of the topics we touch on: Job & career satisfaction How to fulfill the void of emptiness Personal care card What makes you truly happy Resources: Anthony's website: http://www.untamedcareer.com/ Anthony's Mini-Course: https://www.irresistibleresume.com/ Anthony's Facebook: facebook.com/anthony.c.kuo

Chad explores the Utility of Death. Why most people are uncomfortable with the fact of death. And how we can use death to live a more purposeful life.

Nathan owns and runs 5 different companies/brands and still makes the time to connect with his kids and girlfriend in meaningful ways. He talks about the role that consistency plays in making it all work. There is so much to learn from Nathan in this conversation. He showed up real, generous, and focused. Some of the highlights of our conversation: What meditation really is The parallels of life and sky diving Self-discovery through day-trading His motto of "beat yesterday" Letting your guard down in relationships and learning to have fun Resources: Nathan's Website: nathanholritz.com Nathan's IG @nathanholritz Scary Close (The book that drew mentions)

In this episode, I (Chad) expound on an idea that I have mentioned a lot on the podcast. The idea that community is the highest level of enjoyment in the human experience. I chat about a simple focus shift that we can make to find more joy in life and surround ourselves with intentional people and meaningful community. If you like these conversations, you should join us on the Epic Man trip. Go to epicmantrip.com and fill out the application.    

You can join us on our next trip in Southern Utah in March by going to epicmantrips.com We get the chance to sit down with David Swenson and chat for a little while. David is so inspiring and always such a good hang!

https://epicmantrips.com/ Jimmy and Louis are recovery experts... from personal experience. In this conversation, we talk about how Jimmy and Louis met and how Jimmy became a mentor of his. Both of them tell their stories of getting sober and recovery. They talk about how to see people as a whole person, not just their addictions or habits. And they talk about how starting their podcast together has been a dream come true! You can listen to the Recovery Media Podcast Here! https://open.spotify.com/show/5TDRsQWLddaayx79Ujr0qK?si=Xiywk7ewTO2k0BClUTvzAw  

This is a different kind of conversation series that we are calling "Alone In The Wild". It's chad, solo, talking on different topics that help us show up as the men that we really want to be. In this episode, Chad talks about what it means for us to be a man of our word, or to honor our word, and how it affects the impact we are able to make. He talks about his mistakes in breaking his word, how this is practiced on EPIC MAN TRIPS (www.epicmantrips.com), What the highest level or purpose of the human experience is. lyrics from the song Weight Of Lies by the Avett Brothers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ1ogv41A3E

Pride, Perfectionism, and Being The Best! Matt breaks down his journey over the last couple of years dancing with these ideas. How it affected his first marriage, his fatherhood, and his business. We also talk about

Octavio is so many things... a pastor, a chaplain, a father, a husband, an impeccable dresser, and an author of the book It Was A Beautiful Day When My Father Died. A memoir of his life growing up with an abusive father, becoming a violent person himself, and ultimately his road to forgiving his dad. In this conversation, we talk about the importance of dressing well

This conversation blew me away. Sasha is one of the most resilient and giving people I know. He loves other humans on a whole new level. We talk about his journey from Moldova to the US

This week we sit down with Andrew McFarlane @papaperspective. He is a dad... funny, interesting, and transparent. We discuss

Zach and Michelle just wanted to make sure they didn't miss the concert they had bought tickets to for their date night. They knew nothing of the journey that they were about to embark on. Zach essentially became a single provider of 3 boys in a matter of moments as Michelle was diagnosed and hospitalized from a devastating cancer diagnosis. In this podcast, we talk about the importance of community. Making a difference in the lives of others, even when we are in crisis ourselves, and so much more. Zach is an incredible example of a hero and legend. He is a man that we look up to, and are grateful for an opportunity to share his story.

Most of us give WAY too much credence to knowing. We "know" how certain people are in our lives... We "know" we are right when working to prove our point... We "know" our particular philosophy, religion, or perspective is THE right one... The problem with knowing is that it shuts off ALL curiosity. When curiosity is gone so is risk, surprise, exploration, discovery, and change. The question that helps me keep my curiosity alive is... I wonder what I am missing? In times of mindfulness, I start with the assumption that certainly I am missing something, probably a lot of things... Given my experience, perspective, and limited exposure, I know there are blind spots that I cannot see. This question allows me to be open to those blind spots and the idea that I can be surprised! Then I can make new discoveries and that makes life exciting! ✌

Living With Relationship Anxiety With Jack Steward | Man Talk Do you live with relationship anxiety? Do you have your own team of dudes to lean on? In this conversation, we sit down with Jack Steward from the Emmy nominated show Rock The Park. We talk about: - his excitement to do what he loves both exploration, and venture, risk, and media creation on the hit show Rock The Park. - Living with relationship anxiety and how that looks when you deep meaningful relationships - How he found so much of himself in the National Parks, specifically Death Valley National Park. Jack Steward is: - the co-host of the Emmy nominated hit show Rock The Park - he is a vlogger and Youtube creator on his channel The Pursuit is Happiness https://www.youtube.com/JackStewardHappiness You can follow his adventures at: Instagram @rockthepark @jackfsteward https://www.youtube.com/JackStewardHappiness ThoseParkGuys.com

I don't know about you, but my To-Do list is my daily Bible. I use the app Todoist to track my actions. It updates on my phone, laptop, and tablet. I have it set up to give me reminders, prioritize my actions, and tell me if I am winning the day I set out to have! It is my minute to minute lifeline. I think most productive men can relate to keeping a list of actions to take in order to keep track of WHAT we want to DO. But what about WHO we want to BE? I started a practice a while back, and I call it my To-Be list. Each day, along with my to-do list I maintain a To-Be list... This is where I keep track of who I want to be each day, how I want to show up for others and myself. I have reminders set up to remind me throughout the day and before high-stakes conversations or time with a loved one. This week's epic action... Make a To-Be list. Here are a few pointers... Don't have more than five items at one time (The "To-Be's" ebb and flow, I want to be different on different days. If I have a negotiation meeting or a day of enrollment calls, I want to show up differently in a few aspects than if it's a day with friends and family at the cabin.) Set up a reminder system Track it on a weekly basis. Score yourself daily 1-10 of how well you stuck to who you wanted to BE. Then average those scores over a week's time. I have a ton of fun with this practice, and I notice how it informs my moment to moment decisions. Especially in times of stress and frustration.

In this episode, we get to chat with Chris Wheaton. Chris has been on a personal journey with porn addiction for over a decade. He now helps other men through the journey. We get to talk to Chris in-depth about the struggle and damage of the addiction and how he fought his way out of it. You can connect with Chris through any of these avenues: Instagram: @Chriswheaton11 @chrisandtoniwheaton

Are you lonely? We have social media, the internet, podcasts, and Youtube, what some people are calling the most connected era of history at our fingertips... YET loneliness, depression, and suicide are at an all-time high. We are becoming more and more disconnecting in a hyper-connected world. Now look down your street. Who might be lonely? Who is struggling?   Most importantly, who do you not know? It's amazing to me that I can live in a suburban neighborhood for 2.5 years, and there are more neighbors that I have not met than have. Someone within your immediate reach is needing to be noticed to experience human connection. Your simple epic action, should you choose to accept it... Pick one neighbor you don't know. Knock on their door, and introduce yourself, ask if they need anything, tell them you're thankful to get to know them. Worst case scenario, it's awkward and uncomfortable for 5 WHOLE MINUTES, the best-case scenario you make a new friend or even save a life. Enjoy the discomfort, my friends... that's just your capacity for connection Expanding.

How To Help Kids Win With Real Rap Reynolds | Man Talk What is the secret to the success of our kids in education? We hang out with CJ Reynolds, an unconventional educator in inner-city Philly, and creator of the Youtube channel Real Rap With Reynolds. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA... We talk about so many great topics covering: - The status of public education today - How to connect with kids - How to support your community school and the kids it serves - How to listen to kids - Kids and cursing You can connect with CJ at the links below: Instagram: @realrapwithreynolds Facebook: Real Rap with Reynolds Facebook Group: Real Rap with Reynolds Teacher Talk Twitter: @realrapreynolds

Have you ever heard someone say, or maybe you have even said it yourself… “I just feel dead inside.” I have certainly been there before and I hear all the time in my coaching work. How does life get to that? You see early life is a rapid series of risks. And it reminds us that we are ALIVE! Going to school Academic challenge and tests Learning, practicing, and competing in sports Navigating lust, intimacy, and romantic commitment Picking a college Choosing a major Committing to a career Finding a life partner Deciding if and when to have kids These risks are why most people describe this as one of the best times of their lives. Then at some point, we settle in. The risk gets fewer and farther in between... We can do our work with our eyes closed. We have a secure job with a stable company. We are "used to" our partner. We feel like we are Bill Murray in Groundhog's Day. Same thing on repeat, day after day. We have some financial security. The kids begin to need us less and less. We abandon sports and hobbies in the name of "exhaustion" and "busy". We dream of living different lives, but it remains a dream, safely tucked away in the corners of our minds. Safety becomes the goal... We wake up one day and feel stuck, unsure, unfulfilled, and worst of all... dead. This is where most of us make self-destructive choices in an attempt to feel the vitality of risk again… Drug use Overworking Cheating/affairs Excessive Debt Gambling Acting out of anger, frustration, or shame Drinking more than wanted Over-consuming sports, social media, and entertainment And the most costly… Alienating those that we love the most The thing we don't understand is that risk is a choice. A way of being. We can wake up that part of life again in a healthy and fulfilling way if we CHOOSE to. We can risk with our partners, kids, and work, in a way that creates a deeper connection and clearer purpose. We can risk in our conversations and actions in a way that increases intimacy and satisfaction. We can risk building a legacy that we are proud of. The Simple Epic Action is to do something that scares you every single day. Tell a friend you love them Climb a mountain Go after a promotion Volunteer for a local charity Go knock on the neighbor's door just to say “hi” They don't have to be big risks. Just risks.