From Also-Ran To All-Star - MTP397

Co-Host Clifford Lee (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/cliffslist) My guest is the most legendary curator of men's dating advice content, and certainly the OG impresario for men's PUA conferences. I'm talking about my returning guest Clifford Lee of Cliffslist fame, of course, who was certainly instrumental in the launch of my own career as a dating coach. Perhaps amazingly, even in the year 2024--a time when anyone under age 38 probably has no idea who Neil Strauss is--Cliff remains one of the top organizers of pickup and seduction content for men. To the shock of some, Cliff has never deviated from his commitment to publish the ideas and teachings of various different 'dating gurus', often resulting in a wide-ranging or even conflicting points of view. That makes him the perfect co-host for this particularly interesting discussion on what happened to the so-called 'Seduction Community', aka the 'Underground Society of Pickup Artists'. For the past decade or so, it's as if the idea of seduction itself has fallen out of style. So, is it that none of those ideas and tactics ever worked at all, or is seduction's somewhat tarnished image worth restoring? We kick things off by talking about the sense of community between men BITD compared to the decidedly negative victimhood vibe nowadays. What should men who are genuinely interested in getting better with women to do? And to that end, where does Cliff draw the line insofar as ethics and integrity relative to what tactics work to attract women and get guys 'laid'? Clearly, the shady stuff drew shady people...which led to the bad rap. Well, the plain truth is women LOVE to be seduced, so we as good, decent men have got to do SOMETHING. Get show notes, cool free stuff and more at https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

=== SNIPPETS FROM THE SUMMIT === Last week's full episode was called 'The Bad Sex Survival Guide'. Well, by request, I'm following up this week with a solo-cast on how to have GREAT sex instead. After all, avoiding awkward, disgusting and painful moments in the bedroom is one thing. But isn't always more productive to focus on the positive? You bet it is...and in this case the best news ever is the golden secret to cataclysmic, toe-curling, mind-numbing sex with women is actually SIMPLER and EASIER than our complicated imaginations are usually willing to allow it to be. https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

Co-Host Cyndi Olin (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/cyndi) Well, since this is episode 404, I figured we'd talk about something all of us would like to delete and make disappear. And even though Woody Allen infamously believes otherwise, that's BAD sex. Indeed, not all sex is GOOD sex simply because it happened. I brought along none other than my long-time friend and colleague Cyndi Olin to throw this ugly topic on the table in all it's lack of glory. As you probably have guessed by now, Cyndi and I have a certifiably weird relationship when it comes to talking about this stuff, so it starts off fun and hilarious and stays that way. For starters, we cover the obvious factors that lead to bad sex, punctuated by some humor. But then Cyndi talks about how women time their sexual encounters with a man, whether we realize it or not. And what, other than the obvious, might be going on when two people never call each other again after sex? How does misplaced disappointment and self-blame ruin otherwise perfectly good sex? I mean, how is it we blame ourselves for each others lack of sexual skill and/or performance? It's weird. And what about our sexual priorities? How do selfish people end up having bad sex? And how does our level of understanding regarding the opposite sex's view of sex enter into all of this? Do women ever use men for sex? What should you do if she gets naked and you're disappointed? Does porn make real sex worse? Does holding off on having sex for the first time really make it better when it finally happens? Is 'tender lovemaking' synonymous with good sex (or is that a rhetorical question?) And of course...how can you (and your partner) recover if you've indeed endured bad sex? Get in on all the new goodies at https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

=== SNIPPETS FROM THE SUMMIT === It's easy to look around and see some other guy dating six or eight women, and another dude who has a great girlfriend who is exactly your type. And we all know comparison is odious. But how do you know when you've really ARRIVED at a place where you're genuinely good with women? As it turns out, there is a specific place and time you can know for sure...and the secret comes to us courtesy of a financial expert, of all people. And no, it actually has nothing to do with money. https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!  

Co-Host Brian Marckesano (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/newcity) When my guest Brian Marckesano relocated to a new city for a job, he thought it would be a slam dunk to find a social circle, make new friends and date a bunch of new women. But the stone cold reality was it wasn't nearly as easy as he thought it would be. What was up with that? After all, he's a decent guy with plenty going for him. He became passionate about building the social circle he wanted, including doing extensive research into social dynamics. The result? Not only did Brian reach his social goals beyond his expectations, he now specializes in helping other men do the same. So then, why is social circle development the single most important skill a man can have? And why do we as men in particular struggle so much with developing it? How is even a modicum of abundance mentality extra-powerful when it comes to all of this? What are the unexpected, less-than-obvious ways building relationships with men is very different than building relationships with women? And how did Brian start receiving amazing 'perks' due to the relationships he was building with people? What were Brian's breakthrough moments when he moved to a new city? What did he do right, and what were the social lessons he learned along the way? What is the 'lost art' that makes meeting new people so much easier? And how can getting better at talking with women actually ruin your chances at making friends with other men? (Hint: It's not really because they're jealous.) Get in on all the insider info at https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

=== SNIPPETS FROM THE SUMMIT === Deep down all of us as men fully realize that women and men are designed to be attracted to each other, and sex is a natural result of that. So how do so many of us get wadded up over showing interest in a woman? Is the 'male gaze' truly despised by women? Do they really see sex as some sort of concession they make to men? Does that, in turn, make all sex 'rapey'? If these all seem like rhetorical questions, fair enough...but what, then, is it about men who seem to attract women at will without ever getting in trouble? https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

Co-Host Brian Ahearn (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/story) My returning guest, Brian Ahearn, has recently published His Story, My Story, Our Story; which is a memoir about his life growing up with his Marine Corps father. But this isn't yet another biography from someone who was told he 'should write a book' because his life is so interesting. Rather, like Matthew McConoghey's Greenlights, it's more FOR you than ABOUT him. In discussing the book, Brian and I turn our discussion on fathers and sons toward what makes a man truly the head of the household rather than just another co-resident of it. Why do we have so many 'absentee parents' nowadays? What is the best way to instill trust in your wife and promote good behavior with your kids? What is a man to so when his young sons hit their 'knucklehead stage' around 9-12 years old? And what about when your teenage daughters hit their teen years? How do we as men lead so as to set the right vibe for our entire household...and indeed our entire life? What shocking ways can our wife and kids' lives outside the home be affected by that tone we set? What if the general 'conventional wisdom' on how to raise kids doesn't quite work for you as a dad? What do you do then? And finally, of course, knowing none of us are perfect dads and husbands, what do we do to make things right when the inevitable mistakes happen? Overall, a unique and valuable episode on a topic that's not discussed nearly often enough. Get show notes, free downloads and more at the newly updated https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

==== SNIPPETS FROM THE SUMMIT === How many sex partners has a woman had? This is a HUGE question for many men, especially as they consider a woman for a long-term relationship. But what thoughts and emotions on our part drive that concern? And what is a reasonable number? Do the circumstances make any difference? And what about YOUR sexual experience...what is a woman to make of that? Most of all, what are the steps to making peace with the truth here? https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

Co-Host Emily McKay (https://mountaintoppodcast.com) Lots of dating and relationship advice talks about how to know when you've finally met the right woman to build a long-term relationship with. And yes, by now we know the basics about attraction, 'chemistry', sexual compatibility, shared values, shared life goals, avoiding 'red flags' and every other success factor we've heard a thousand times. Nevertheless, the divorce rate remains through the roof...even as more and more people in the Western world are giving up on relationships in general. But as you know, around here we believe statistics are most often weaponized by victimhood. Couples who last couldn't care less why others fail because they're built differently. You see, most long-term relationships--especially marriages--should never happen to begin with. The ones that last tend to go above and beyond the mere basics of attraction and compatibility. Couples who are built to last have discovered certain "hidden", or at least underestimated truths about what makes them right for each other. We're talking about a man and a woman here who don't feel like they have to 'work' to stay together; rather they GET to share life together taking on life's inevitable challenges as a team. In this episode Emily and I lift the veil on these very specific keys to knowing you've found 'The One' that almost nobody ever talks about. Some may sound optimistic, others downright cynical. And there are few you might not even believe ever really appear in real life. But after eighteen years of genuinely adoring each other, the one thing that's undeniable is at the very least you're hearing first-hand from a couple who still adore after all this time for far more reasons other than the mere basics. Have you been listening to the show for ages, and have always been meaning to get on out calendar and talk to us? Finally make it happen--for free, of course--at https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!

=== SNIPPETS FROM THE SUMMIT === If you have 'haters', it probably only means you're standing up for a real cause and doing something right out there. Under most circumstances, you've probably been called worse names by better people than who's insulting you! But there's ONE word that has a way of cutting even strong, masculine men to their core...especially when uttered by a woman. Here's how to step up, make sure the insult is a lie and even empower yourself in the process. https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === The content in this show is NEVER generated by AI. I discovered it can't handle a joke a long time ago. Meanwhile, I'll keep the practical, actionable ideas coming as well as the entertaining part...all for free. If you love what you hear, please rate the show on the service you subscribed to it on (takes one second) and leave a review. As we say here in Texas, I appreciate you!