Why It's Hard For Men To Heal - MTP279

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!

Co-Host Zan Perrion (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/zan) For this milestone 400th episode of The Mountain Top Podcast, I'm joined by my long-time friend, returning guest and Alabaster Girl author Zan Perrion from Ars Amorata. The inspiration for the topic of this show was a post in Zan's own Facebook group about so-called 'alpha widows'. An 'alpha widow' is a woman who becomes completely addicted to a certain man, and when that guy is out of her life she is unable to find another who measures up in her estimation. It's a fascinating enough concept that it has been on my radar screen for well over a year now. About a dozen other dating experts wouldn't touch it, so it came down to Zan himself to help break it down. So kick things off, what in the world is it that a man does to 'alpha widow' a woman? What, if anything can we do if we encounter one and would love to make her forget Whatshisname? And wait...why can't WE become the one who is creating such 'alpha widows' ourselves from now on instead of dealing with the ones other dudes have created? Is that even something we'd WANT to do? Is it even ethical? And how do we even know when we've created one? Should we start 'charm throttling' on first dates if this becomes a pattern? What if a woman has become sexually 'addicted' to another man? And finally what if a woman 'alpha widowers' US? If it happens, how did she do that? And once she disappears, does she have to remain 'the one who got away' forever, or can we get over her? Thank you to ALL of you gentlemen for supporting this show for 400 episodes over the course of the last 17 years. I appreciate each and every one of you greatly. 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 === We as men know that being providers of safety and security for a woman is a crucial component of the masculine/feminine dance. It actually creates sexual attraction at the primal level. But what if you're not the kind of guy who can thump potential assailants? And do we have to take bullets for her like a Secret Service agent, or something? Hint...it's mostly about you, not some thug out there. 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 Thomas Edwards (https://mountaintoppodcast.com/wingman) A few episodes ago, my guest talked about a certain dating coach local to him in Boston who he had hired. I enjoyed the stories he told so much, that I asked him to make the introduction. And guess what? This week my guest is none other than that dating coach himself, Thomas Edwards. Not surprisingly, he and I think a lot alike on matters of dating, attraction and seduction. In fact, both of us are happily married and yet still take men out in-field to get better at meeting women. That's first on the docket for discussion. Then we turn our attention toward whether or not it is warranted to be optimistic about men and women in relationship together, despite all the negativity out there. So, what does Thomas mean when he talks about 'gamifying your masculininty'. Well, the first hint is it is NOT about tricks, tactics or anything else that comes to mind when you think of the old-skool pickup artist movement. We're talking about re-imagining the entire concept here. Why is it that we as men love gaming electronically, but we hesitate to be playful in real life? How can we keep score of this new 'game' we play in the quest to be more masculine and attractive? And how do we actually win? Finally, what does what Thomas calls 'authentic polarity' have to do with all this? Free downloads and more...always 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 === You're sitting in front of a woman for the first time who you met online. She's interesting and interested. But, realistically speaking...would you have picked her out of a crowd and chosen her as the kind of woman you're attracted to you? Or is your brain playing tricks on you again? Here's how to tell for sure from now on. 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!