Stephen Mansfield is a best-selling author, speaker, a podcaster, and a leadership expert and coach. He’s the author of Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men, Building Your Brand of Brothers, Men on Fire and more.
These words are the lifeblood of Stephen Mansfield’s work and the reason why this New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and popular speaker is often to be found serving vital social causes.
For example, in recent years Stephen has been captured by the cause of the Kurds. It has led him to write a book about the Iraqi Kurds, give a TEDx talk about “The Most Famous Unknown People in the World,” and to issue an international call for the creation of a Kurdish homeland.
Stephen is also deeply concerned about the current state of manhood. To help reverse the downward trend of modern masculinity, he has written leading books on the subject, has appeared in major media, has spoken at conferences around the world, and has launched the GreatMan movement to train men in the art of noble manhood.
“You have a destiny, but your destiny is fulfilled by investing in the destinies of others.”
-Stephen Mansfield
While managing his busy writing and speaking life, he founded a company that helps prominent figures and top organizations produce high-quality books. He began training leaders, often appearing at conferences around the world. He also began coaching leaders to speak well, something he has done with politicians, leading artists, bestselling authors, and at major universities. In May 2021, Stephen was named a Senior Fellow of Public Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University where he teaches and coaches current and future leaders.
Stephen and his beloved wife, Beverly, split their time between Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.
We’ve talked before about the powerful masculinity of Santa Claus. We wanted to call back to some of those stories for our Testicular Fortitude Series.
We know Santa Claus as a chubby white-haired man that wears red clothing and gives gifts to children, but much of that modern image was created by 19th century poets and the Coca Cola Company. The truth is he was a man with balls.
Testicular Fortitude is Brought to You by: Haines Knives
This Episode is Brought To you by HAINES KNIVES Find your new favorite knife at http://HainesKnives.com/mancast or follow on social media @birdforge Testicular Fortitude means having deep seated masculine courage and strength. Balls. Guts. Manlihood. Testicular Fortitude on the Manlihood ManCast is where we take a look at men who have beat the odds, men whose courage has left a lasting legacy. Testicular Fortitude Do you have testicular fortitude? Do you want to embrace your life of courage? Join our elite group of powerhouse men who are changing the world. http://Manlihood.com/brotherhood
St Nicholas: Patron Saint of Everything
Many different groups have adopted St. Nicholas as the patron saint of their causes… children, sailors, the falsely accused, merchants, archers, brewers, Russia, broadcasters, and students.
And the reasons behind that is usually because of a story from his life.
He was born in 270 AD in Turkey among the greeks that lived there. His parents were wealthy, and they died in a plague when he was young. He was raised as a Christian by his uncle Nicholas, and became a priest.
At that time, Christians would often make a dangerous pilgrimage to Jerusalem to visit the Holy City where Jesus lived and died. In 312 AD, he started his journey. During that time, he briefly settled in a cave with a group of monks. As bandits and thieves started attacking the surrounding settlement of mostly pilgrims, Nicholas took the women and children into his cave to protect them against the raiders.
When he returned to Turkey, he was named as the Bishop in the town of Myra. Christianity was widespread, but it was still under assault from the Roman empire. You remember the tales of the Christians in the arenas being eaten by lions – much of that happened under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The emperor’s disdain for Christians is what got Nicholas tossed in prison.
He was kept in solitary and suffered many beatings for refusing to recant his belief in Jesus.
In 2005, Saint Nicholas’s body was exhumed and forensically analyzed. There was ample evidence of broken bones, and a broken nose. This lends scientific credence to that story.
When Constantine converted to Christianity and established it as the official religion of the Roman Empire in 320 AD, they let Nicholas out of jail, and he attended the Council of Nicea in 325. Essentially, the church confirmed the doctrines of the early church at that time, and Nicholas would have had a lot of input on the matter.
It was then that Arius presented his heretical view of Jesus, not as God, but as only a mortal man. Arius was leading people astray from the truths that the church accepted, and condeming the teachings that Christians worldwide had been giving their lives for.
Nick was having none of it – and in front of everyone, walked up and slapped him across the face like he was Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The other bishops were pissed. They took his bishop robes, took his book of scriptures and threw Nick in jail.
But in the morning, when the jailer came to check on him, his shackles had been loosened, and he was fully dressed in his bishop robes and had his book. No one could explain how, and so it has been credited as a miracle.
There were many other miraculous and almost unbelievable stories that have been recorded about Saint Nicholas.
One legend show Nicholas not only catching a serial killer, but bringing the victims back to life! Three children were captured by a butcher, who chopped up their bodies and put them in a pickling brine, where they stayed for years. When Nicholas came to town, he was prompted with knowledge from God to demand that the butcher open up the barrel, exposing his crime.
Then Nicholas commanded that the dead children come back to life.
Another time, while sailing, the ship came under assault by violent storms. The crew and passengers were despairing and preparing to die. Nicholas said, “All you have to do is call out to God to save you.” and then as they prayed, he commanded the storm to cease, and it did.
Whether these miraculous stories are true, I can’t say, for sure, but I’m a believer in such miracles. But even if they are only legends, there’s something about the story of a man willing to speak with the kind of authority that could raise dead children and silence a stormy sea.
Our contemporary Santa is known for giving gifts in stockings to children, but this story comes from a very powerful story about St. Nick.
There was a poor man with three daughters. He could not afford a dowry in order to pay for them to be married. In those days, no husband would take a wife without a dowry. If a young girl didn’t have such a cushion, she may be sold into slavery, or forced to enter the sex trade. St. Nicholas had compassion on the girls, and tossed some gold coins into the window, which landed in a pair of stockings hung by the fire to dry.
His courage, his commitment, his authority, and his kindness, are why Saint Nicholas is featured today for his Testicular Fortitude.
I’m putting together a group of men who want to make a radical change in their lives. We’ll set goals, break them down into actionable steps, and then hold each other accountable each week with a check in and each month with a call.
Imagine waking up in 2024 and being a completely different person.
Basically – in 2023, we’re going to set some big hairy goals, we’re going to break them down and we’re going to do them.
1. This is going to cost you some money. 2. This is going to be hard as hell. 3. This is going to be worth every penny and every ounce of pain you put into this.
EMAIL Me if you want to do this. mail@joshhatcher.com
I’m putting together a group of men who want to make a radical change in their lives. We’ll set goals, break them down into actionable steps, and then hold each other accountable each week with a check in and each month with a call.
Imagine waking up in 2024 and being a completely different person.
Basically – in 2023, we’re going to set some big hairy goals, we’re going to break them down and we’re going to do them.
1. This is going to cost you some money. 2. This is going to be hard as hell. 3. This is going to be worth every penny and every ounce of pain you put into this.
EMAIL Me if you want to do this. mail@joshhatcher.com
WANTED: Men Thirsty For Adventure and Ready to CHANGE.
A few years ago I wrote a book and workbook called “Change Your Life in a Year”
I wrote it after doing it. I wrote and published several books. I lost 100 pounds.
I changed my mindset and my attitude. Life was going the way I wanted.
I find myself in a spot where I need to go through that process again. I need to go to the next level.
I want to take some guys with me.
Basically – in 2023, we’re going to set some big hairy goals, we’re going to break them down and we’re going to do them.
1. This is going to cost you some money. 2. This is going to be hard as hell. 3. This is going to be worth every penny and every ounce of pain you put into this.
EMAIL Me if you want to do this. mail@joshhatcher.com
DON’T EMAIL ME if you are going to complain or make excuses. You either want to be a different person in 2024 or you want to stay the same. DON’T EMAIL ME if you expect everything for free. DON’T EMAIL ME if you are not teachable and coachable. DON’T EMAIL ME if you think you’re better than me, or that I’m better than you. We’re in this together.
Today’s guest is a commercial fisherman in the cold waters of Alaska, and he has raised his kids on the fishing boat. Richard Wheeler shares with us his experiences and perspectives on this edition of the Manlihood ManCast
We invited Richard Wheeler to be a guest on the Manlihood ManCast because his career is a very manly one. Fishing on the open sea, responsibly harvesting salmon and cod from the cold Alaskan waters is a manly endeavor. And Richard’s old school perspective on family, on the world, will definitely resonate with our audience.
Rich Wheeler has been an Alaska fisherman for over 20 years. He longlines in the spring and fall and runs a small gillnet boat out of Cordova, AK in the summer. Rich brings his family out on the boat as often as possible and strives to pass on the tradition of sustainable and respectful fishing.
Rich does much of the fishing for Sena Sea, and we also source from fellow fishermen who share our high-quality standards, and commitment to sustainability.
The Wheelers are a 3rd generation fishing family in Alaska. Richard and his wife Sena own the fishing company Sena Sea
Rich has fished for more than 25 years,and his experiences on the Alaskan waters as a fisherman and conservationist make for an interesting discussion.
Raising Kids on the Boat
Richard Wheeler talks about taking his young kids on the fishing boat, and what it means to truly have a family business.
This episode talking about Christmas vs Thanksgiving, Keeping Christmas Simple, and How to Ace a Job Interview The guys get deep and personal with some other things as well – it’s a great episode. Give it a listen! For More From Josh Hatcher at Manlihood.com http://manlihood.comhttp://joshhatcher.com
Today’s guest has a message for dads. Ben Killoy helps dads live up to be the kind of father’s they are meant to be.
Marine Corps Vet and Dad Coach
Ben Killoy served in the Marine Corps, and he and his wife have three kids.
Ben’s journey to become a better father and find his purpose has uncovered a new passion – helping other men find their purpose and become better fathers.
Leading Men Through Their Darkness
Ben Killoy says, “We all know what goes up must come down but we forget that gravity pulls. Working together we will create a vision of a future with gravity to pull you towards it. That remaining who you are every day is the craziest thought you have ever had.”
