The Art of Manliness

Courage is one of our most prized and celebrated virtues. But once you really start exploring it, the nature of courage is surprisingly hard to pin down.
Here to help us explore the fascinating complications of courage is William Ian Miller, a historian, professor of law, and the author of The Mystery of Courage. Today on the show, Bill explains how centuries of philosophers, soldiers, and storytellers have approached courage and the hard-to-answer questions its manifestations raise. We discuss why courage has long been ranked among the highest virtues, the relationship between fear and courage, the fuzzy line between courage and cowardice, the association of courage and manhood, whether or not courage is domain specific, the difference between offensive and defensive courage, whether martyrs are courageous, whether deeds with evil ends are courageous, how fear, shame, and honor shape brave action, and more.

Resources Related to the Podcast
The Road to Richmond: The Civil War Memoirs of Maj. Abner R. Small
If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home by Tim O'Brien
Good-Bye to All That by Robert Graves
The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
AoM Article: Developing Manly Courage
AoM Article: 9 Ways to Become More Courageous
AoM Article: Courage Vs. Boldness — How to Live With Spartan Bravery
AoM Podcast #380: How to Increase Your Courage and Bravery
AoM Article: The 54 Best Quotes on Courage
AoM Article: The Cardinal Virtues — Courage
AoM Podcast #763: The Perils and Powers of Cowardice
AoM series on honor
Connect With William Ian Miller
Bill's faculty page

Thanks to This Week’s Podcast Sponsor
Incogni. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MANLINESS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/manliness
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We tend to think of genius as something you’re born with — a rare trait possessed by the Einsteins and Teslas of the world. But what if many of the abilities we associate with genius — a great memory, quick problem-solving, mental math, creative insight — are actually trainable skills?
My guest today says that’s exactly the case. His name is Nelson Dellis, and he's a six-time USA Memory Champion and the author of the book Everyday Genius.
In our conversation, Nelson explains why memory is the foundation of thinking well and why having information stored in your head still matters in the age of ChatGPT. He shares a practical technique for improving your memory, how to read with greater focus and retention, and how to study to actually make information stick. We then talk about the importance of developing “number sense” and how to convert imperial measurements to metric in your head, strategies for solving problems more effectively, and even how to gain an edge in the games of Monopoly and Connect Four. At the end of the conversation, we get into more esoteric territory, including intuition, dreams, and the idea of remote viewing.

Resources Related to the Podcast
Nelson's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #546 — How to Get a Memory Like a Steel Trap
AoM Article: 10 Ways to Improve Your Memory
AoM Article: How to Speed Read Like Theodore Roosevelt
AoM Podcast #385: Learning How to Learn
AoM Article: Study Tactics of the Successful Gentleman Scholar
The CIA's remote viewing program

Connect With Nelson Dellis
Nelson's website
Nelson on YouTube

Thanks to This Week’s Podcast Sponsor
Incogni. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MANLINESS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/manliness
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cold exposure has gotten a lot of attention the past few years, with people dunking themselves in ice baths for the sake of their health and well-being. But, good news here, exposing yourself to heat by sitting in the sauna or even a hot tub, might actually be even better for you, not to mention more pleasant.
In his new book, Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, Bill Gifford unpacks the dichotomy of heat: how it can be both a danger and a healer. In the first part of our conversation, we dive into that former side, discussing what happens when your core temperature gets too high, why some people handle the stress of hot temperatures better than others, and how heat tolerance can actually be trained. We then talk about the advantages of heat exposure over cold exposure, and the benefits of heat for both body and mind, including how it can boost athletic performance and heart health, and may even be an effective treatment for depression. We also talk about how to get the most out of your sauna sessions and how Bill and I like to sauna.

Resources Related to the Podcast
AoM Article: How to Sauna — All the FAQs
AoM Article: How Saunas Can Help Save Your Body, Mind, and Spirit
AoM Podcast #585: Inflammation, Saunas, and the New Science of Depression
AoM Podcast #724: The Strange Science of Sweat
Study reviewing the health benefits of "sauna bathing"
Hotter'n Hell Hundred bike race
Connect with Bill Gifford
Bill on IG
Bill on X

Thanks to This Week’s Podcast Sponsor
Incogni. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MANLINESS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/manliness
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When we fail to make desired progress in life, most of us put the blame on physical and environmental limits. But my guest says that what's really holding people back is what's in their heads.
Nir Eyal is the author of Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results. Today on the show, he argues that much of how we think about ourselves, our abilities, and what’s possible becomes our reality, and that getting what we want in life often comes down to changing how we perceive it. Drawing on research in neuroscience and psychology, Nir shares the three powers of belief, and how they direct your attention, alter your expectations, shape your sense of agency, and determine whether you stick with hard things long enough to see results. Along the way, he shares ways to identify and challenge the limiting beliefs that can sabotage your goals and relationships.

Resources Related to the Podcast
Nir's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #553 — How to Become Indistractable
AoM Article: How Reframing Builds Resilience
AoM podcast episode on William James and pragmatism
Connect with Nir Eyal
Nir's website

Thanks to This Week’s Podcast Sponsor
Incogni. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MANLINESS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/manliness
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it comes to building a happy and meaningful life, most of us rely on a grab bag of strategies — habits and goals around work, relationships, and health. But my guest today would argue that in the quest for true flourishing, there’s a deeper element that not only ties together those efforts, but organizes and energizes them: purpose.
Vic Strecher is a professor of public health, a behavioral scientist, and the author of Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything. We begin our conversation with Vic's powerful story of how losing his 19-year-old daughter led him to discover how purpose can fundamentally reshape your life. Vic then unpacks the dramatic impact purpose has on your physical and mental health. He shares some guideposts on finding your own purpose, what kinds of aims foster the most fulfillment, why finding purpose isn't a one-and-done process, and why becoming purposeful can make life feel less like a tug-of-war and more like stepping into a strong current that carries you forward.

Resources Related to the Podcast
The Purposeful app
AoM Article:The Power of Purpose
The 5 Best AoM Podcast Episodes on Finding Meaning and Purpose
AoM Podcast #1,051: Man’s Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl’s Grandson
Connect with Vic Strecher
Vic's faculty page
Vic on LinkedIn

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.