
13 Semi-Controversial Truths About Masculinity - Adam Lane Smith - #971
Modern Wisdom
07/24/25
•85m
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Adam Lane Smith is a psychotherapist and an author.
Are men the problem? In a time when blame is easily assigned, it’s worth asking whether men need to re-examine how they show up in the world, including their values, behavior, & accountability. In doing so, they might uncover surprising ways to help heal much of what’s broken.
Expect to learn why so many high performing men have avoidant attachment styles, why choosing the wrong women is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life, what the biggest issues with modern dating are, why validation might be more important than love in a relationship, how to break out of the friendzone, why we need to stop comforting men to death, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) What Choosing the Wrong Woman Looks Like
(7:25) What is Happening with Oxytocin in Modern Men?
(11:16) Why Successful Men are Failing in Relationships
(17:05) How Masculinity is Changing
(30:40) Why Validation Makes Men Feel Shame
(40:23) Masculine Role Models are a Double-Edged Sword
(46:27) Why Do Women Choose Jerks Over Nice Guys?
(52:18) Men are Trying to Protect Knowledge on Masculinity
(01:01:34) Why are Men Running From Themselves?
(01:09:25) Why Marriages Need a Purpose
(01:15:03) We Need to Be More Serious and Earnest
(01:21:44) Find Out More About Adam
Sponsors:
See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D, and more from AG1 at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
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Get In Touch:
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Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Previous Episode

Dr Mike Israetel is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Lehman College and the Co-Founder of Renaissance Periodization.
How do you boost motivation and actually follow through on the things you know you should do, but don’t feel like doing? The answer isn’t more stimulants, thankfully, it’s something far more grounded in neuroscience and behaviour. Today, Dr Mike Israetel breaks down the science of willpower in a way that works for the average person and can even help make your daily life much more productive.
Expect to learn the science behind willpower, habits & motivation, the de facto two kinds of things you should be doing with your time, how to know when its time to do things you actually feel like doing versus making yourself do things you don’t feel like doing, how to integrate habits that improve your life and get rid of the ones that don’t serve you, how to improve your willpower, how to become more antifragile and build your resilience, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Why Willpower is Such a Buzzing Topic
(5:01) Things You Feel Like Doing vs Things You Don't Feel Like Doing
(15:14) The Importance of Inspiration When Getting Things Done
(24:22) We Need To Say Yes to More Experiences
(42:09) The Key to Choosing Concrete Goals
(51:03) Intention is Critical to Success
(01:02:27) Discipline Looks Like Holding Yourself Accountable
(01:17:58) The Biggest Mistakes When Making Habits
(01:36:47) What Decisions Can Make Our Habits Stick?
(01:47:20) How Can Rest and Recovery Enhance Habits, Goals and Willpower?
(02:08:23) Building Resilience Through the Process of Becoming
Sponsors:
See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get 10% off Echo’s Hydrogen Flask at https://echowater.com/modernwisdom
Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom
Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D, and more from AG1 at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Next Episode

3.7M Q&A - Fatherhood Plans, Medical Update & New Hairstyle - #972
July 26, 2025
•92m
I hit 3.7 million Subscribers on YouTube!!
To celebrate, I asked for questions from YouTube, X, and Instagram, so here’s another 90 minutes of me trying to answer as many as possible.
Expect to learn all about my new hairstyle, how to best deal with procrastination, which people are up next on my "Mount Rushmore" of podcast guests, what the current state of my health is, the best tips to manage stress, when podcast merch will be coming to a closet near you, which future music guests I want on the pod, the real power of money, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Go See Chris Live
(1:19) What’s Up with the Curly Hair?
(3:28) How To Deal with Procrastination
(5:39) Chris’ Go-To Shorts
(6:58) Future Musical Guests
(8:09) Why Won’t She Commit?
(11:42) Who’s in the Next ‘Infinity Gauntlet’?
(13:34) Will James Sexton and Sadia Khan Be Back?
(13:56) The Impact of the Male Sedation Hypothesis on Masculinity
(18:15) Chris’ Medical Updates
(23:53) The Negative Effects of Reality Shows
(28:47) How Money Can Change Your Life
(32:49) Top Tips on Stress Management
(36:36) Where Will We Be in 10 Years?
(42:30) Is Chris a Deano?
(44:04) Cool Kids Names
(45:05) How to Get Over Ghosting
(49:17) Modern Wisdom Merch
(50:20) A Love Life Catch-22
(56:58) Dating in Your 30s
(01:00:24) How the Modern Wisdom Team was Built
(01:02:19) Are 20-Year-Olds Still Partying?
(01:04:39) The Art of Drifting
(01:05:50) How to Tackle Regret
(01:07:53) Reading List
(01:09:38) Being Loved for Being Your Authentic Self
(01:14:37) The Benefits of Having Siblings
(01:16:07) Thoughts on Travelling Alone
(01:17:06) The Rise of Hybrid Athletes
(01:18:26) Don’t Ruin Your Phone with a Phonecase
(01:19:15) Comfort Over Style
(01:21:35) Settling Down
(01:24:28) Being Roasted by Fin Taylor
(01:25:20) Seeing Sleep Token
(01:25:49) Tips on Tinnitus
(01:27:18) Would Chris Beat Lex Fridman?
(01:27:28) Outro
Sponsors:
See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom
Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM10)
Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
-
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