“There’s no shame in seeking support, understanding that you don’t have to carry the work weight of the world on your shoulders. You’re not alone… But it’s a matter of you being courageous enough to reach out.” -Coach Michael Taylor
Toxic masculinity is a term used to describe the way in which men are taught to act in society, and how that can affect their lives. In a society that tells men they’re the “breadwinners,” and that they should be able to handle everything on their own, it’s no wonder so many men are struggling.
Although this mentality has been deeply engraved in our society, we can still change it with three simple words: “I Need Help.”
And while this phrase may sometimes feel like it’s just an empty way to say you’re vulnerable and want another person to take care of things for you, there’s actually a lot more to it than that.
“I need help” means that we recognize that something has come up in our life that is bigger than we are—and it also means that we know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by something.
In this episode, I interview Coach Michael Taylor on how powerful these three words can be in transforming men’s lives. We also discuss the five illusions of manhood from Michael’s book, A New Conversation with Men, and how to shift these illusions to what’s real. Tune in and see masculinity from a new perspective!
Connect The Modern Man:
Highlights:
- 02:05 American Dream Turned American Nightmare
- 06:34 The Three Most Difficult Words to Say
- 10:04 Illusions of Manhood #1: Emotions
- 13:07 Illusions of Manhood #2: Sexual Conquest
- 17:33 Illusions of Manhood #3: Money and Material Possessions
- 22:47 Illusions of Manhood #4: Title, Position, and Power
- 26:00 Illusions of Manhood #5: Competition
- 31:28 Take Your First Step
Resources:
Book
Get your FREE copy of A New Conversation with Men by Coach Michael Taylor:
Tweets:
Our society despises men who display vulnerability, and this has caused unnecessary suffering for them. This should change! Tune in as @TheModernMan8 and @coachmichaelt share three words that have the power to transform men’s lives. #TheModernMan #podcast #men #happiness #transformation #success #connection #emotions #intimacy #materialpossesion #position #competiton
Quotes:
04:34 “We just think success is going to give us happiness. And we think we’re happy but when we look in the mirror, it’s not quite there.” -Ted Phaeton
06:11 “The hard part for so many of us, whether it’s ego or denial, is admitting that we need some work to do.” -Ted Phaeton
07:09 “When a man can get to that point where he says, ‘I need help’, then his transformational journey begins.” -Coach Michael Taylor
08:46 “We, as men, should seek happiness, not from outside of us, but within us.” -Coach Michael Taylor
09:46 “It’s important for us to be comfortable with being by ourselves. But that can also be a device that does more harm than good.” -Ted Phaeton
10:43 “As men, we have to get comfortable with all of our emotions and recognize that emotions are neither good nor bad. They just are. It’s how our body communicates with us.” -Coach Michael Taylor
12:19 “As men, we spend so much time on our intellect. There’s nothing wrong with that, but what happens is, you can’t connect with your head. You can only connect with your heart.” -Coach Michael Taylor
14:38 “We’re trying to validate ourselves as men through this act of sex. We have to understand that it’s much more important to be willing and able to make love to our mates than just to have sex with them. And in order to do that, we have to be emotional.” -Coach Michael Taylor
15:39 “You can make love to your mate and never even touch them… It’s possible for us, as men if we learn how to connect.” -Coach Michael Taylor
18:41 “We have to make a distinction between impressing someone and leaving an impression on them. That’s a big difference.” -Coach Michael Taylor
20:28 “The identity of who we are is what attracts the right person.” –Ted Phaeton
23:58 “To think that you have to have some sort of title to be a man is an illusion.” -Coach Michael Taylor
25:29 “It takes a lot of confidence in a man to be so confident in himself that he doesn’t even worry about whether or not his wife is going to look at somebody else.” -Coach Michael Taylor
26:31 “We’re always competing against each other. It’s time to change that conversation, move away from competition, and move more into collaboration,” -Coach Michael Taylor
31:39 “There’s no shame in seeking support, understanding that you don’t have to carry the work weight of the world on your shoulders. You’re not alone… But it’s a matter of you being courageous enough to reach out.” -Coach Michael Taylor
Meet Michael:
Coach Michael Taylor is an entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, and radio and TV show host who has dedicated his life to empowering women to reach their full potential by transforming their lives from the inside out. He knows firsthand how to overcome adversity and build a rewarding and fulfilling life and he is sharing his knowledge and wisdom with others to support them in creating the life of their dreams.
He is President & CEO of Creation Publishing Group, a company that specializes in creating programs and products that empower men to embrace a new paradigm of masculinity that supports them in being great husbands and fathers and supports them in creating meaningful and rewarding lives.
He was featured in the Amazon.com bestselling book Motivational Speakers America with legendary speakers Les Brown and Brian Tracy and he has won numerous awards for his dynamic speaking style. Public speaking is his passion and being on stage brings him tons of joy.