May 15, 2026
Men Forge Forward: Overcoming Pressure and Finding Purpose
Men, Masks, and Meaning: Sean Hegarty on Being “Fine,” Identity, and Men Forge Forward
Host Andy Grant talks with Sean Hegarty, founder of Men Forge Forward, about how many men hide stress behind the mask of being “fine,” shaped by pressure, responsibility, and fear of appearing weak. Drawing on years as a paramedic and healthcare manager, Sean describes seeing men buckle under hidden load—especially during COVID when support networks vanished—and shares his own “dark time” after being diagnosed with complex PTSD and Functional Neurological Disorder, which ended his paramedic career and triggered depression and suicidal thoughts. Through therapy, networking, and coaching, he learned to separate identity from job, focus inward on values, and build an accessible Skool-based community that became a supportive brotherhood.
He explains signs of being stuck, the power of vulnerability and peer support, his critique of commercial coaching frameworks, and emphasizes that “it’s okay not to be okay.”
00:00 I'm Fine Lie
00:23 Meet Sean Hegarty
01:11 Emergency Care Stress
04:10 Masks And Weakness
06:51 Losing Paramedic Identity
08:38 Coaching Turning Point
11:20 Building Men Forge
13:36 Brotherhood Community
16:23 Not Finished Just Stuck
21:34 Signs He's Not Fine
23:39 Leading With Micro Wins
25:54 Connect And Closing
Connect with Sean
Men Forge Forward — http://menforgeforward.com/
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanhegarty01/
Connect with Andy:
Join other like-minded men in the Authentic AF Community | https://www.realmenfeel.org/group
Instagram | @realmenfeelshow & @theandygrant
Andy Grant | https://theandygrant.com for coaching, healing, and book info!
Real Men Feel | https://realmenfeel.org
YouTube | https://youtube.com/realmenfeel
#RealMenFeel ep 404
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Yeah, I find that might be the
most often spoken lie from men.
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I'm fine I guess it it's so
rarely is true.
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Absolutely.
Even that like why do we settle
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for fine, like why is that the
go to answer for so many things?
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Like, you know, why isn't it?
I'm exceptional, like
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everything's great, but just I'm
fine.
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It's kind of a blase, you know,
life's OK, I guess.
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Hello and welcome to Real Men
Feel.
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I'm your host, Andy Grant.
Today I'm talking with Sean
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Haggerty, founder of Men Forge
Forward.
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Sean spent years as a paramedic
and healthcare manager, serving
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others under pressure.
But like many men, his identity
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became wrapped up around his
role.
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When that started to shift, Sean
found himself asking deeper
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questions.
Who am I without the job?
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What do I actually want to
build?
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And how can I help other men who
feel stuck, burned out, and
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disconnected?
That journey led him to create
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Men Forge Forward, an online
community and coaching movement
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helping men regain clarity,
confidence, direction and
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brotherhood.
Let's do it.
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Hello Sean, and welcome to Real
Men.
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Feel and candy it's good to be
here and really looking forward
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to the conversation today a
good.
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Deal.
So I know for decades you worked
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in urgent and emergency care and
healthcare overall.
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What did that teach you about
pressure, responsibility and the
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way that men carry stress?
It was an interesting journey
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and I started getting involved
with emergency care and and
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helping people at a very young
age.
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Even as a child I was that
person going in and and helping
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the neighbors, making sure that
the milk was in off the
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doorstep, that the heating was
on and things like that for the
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elderly neighbors.
My own mum was disabled in a
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wheelchair, so I was a young
carer for her.
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So there was a lot of
responsibility on me from a
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young age.
And what I found naturally
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evolved from that was this kind
of servant leadership style.
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And we hear quite a bit about
servant leadership and that
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carried through into my my
career.
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And as you mentioned there, I
have done various things
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including being a paramedic,
hence the emergency care side of
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things and being a healthcare
manager.
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So I've been in very stressful
situations and witnessed some
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incredibly stressful situations
over the the years.
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What I've really seen through
that is that as a man, and I was
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guilty of this myself, Andy, the
very easy to put on this mask
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and almost to be quite stoic
and, you know, carry everything
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on, on your shoulders and, and
take it as it comes and say,
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yes, I, I can handle this
because I'm a man.
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And this perception of being
strong and carrying it for, for
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everybody else.
But what I was witnessing was
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that actually a lot of the men
that I was seeing in stressful
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situations, they were breaking
under that strain.
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They realised that the body's
very good at coping until it
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can't cope anymore and and it
buckles under the pressure.
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And I was seeing that time and
time again.
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But even seeing it, I still
wasn't able to correlate that
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into my own life and see that I
was doing exactly that for
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myself.
And it was only when I went
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through what I call my dark
time.
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And I know I've spoken to you
about that in the past, that
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that really came to, to hit home
and for me to recognise the
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importance of men, especially
opening up and talking about
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their struggles and how they
they carry this hidden load,
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this invisible load with them.
Were you aware when you first
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put on the mask that you were
carrying everything?
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Or did it take seeing other men
kind of drop that mask, even
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against their will, for you to
realise that you were doing the
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same thing?
Yeah, like, like I say, I got
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very good at seeing and spotting
it in in other people.
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And then at the same time, I was
reluctant to admit to myself
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that I was doing it.
And I think as time went on,
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part, part of it was, you know,
having a role such as a
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paramedic where you know,
you're, you're almost seen as
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this, this expert.
And there is a, an added layer
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of, if I admit that I'm
struggling and I'm not coping,
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then I'm going to appear weak
and somehow less knowledgeable
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or less competent in, in doing
that.
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That was an added pressure that
that kept the mask on for
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longer.
But then during COVID times, I
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witnessed quite a few men
really, really struggling
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because all of a sudden they've
lost any form of support network
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that they they had, whether it
be the pub or a Sports Club or
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wherever they went as their
outlet.
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And all of a sudden they were
locked in at at home and, and
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within a very small circle of
people.
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And that was quite a turning
point for me in, in realising,
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hang on, I'm, I'm struggling
here too.
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How?
How can and how can I look after
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myself and how can I help other
people with it too?
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You talked about the the, the
fear of being seen as weak.
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Did you ever, like, run through
that process?
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Like what?
What was beyond that?
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What did you fear would happen
if any community you were in
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decided that you were weak?
Again, I think from a young age
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I'd been almost programmed to
because I was caring, because I
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was a helpful person there.
There was this ingrained part of
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me that anything showing my own
struggle and my own weakness
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almost took away that that
identity.
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And I talked quite a bit about
my my core identity being that
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care, caring, helpful person.
It was what I had before I was a
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paramedic.
It was what took me into that
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profession and through my
healthcare career and into what
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I do now as a men's life coach.
Yeah, I, I think it, it was
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almost a part of my DNA.
It it was so, so deeply
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ingrained, like I say, from a
young age.
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So talking to you previously,
you talked about there were
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times when your identity and
your job were just completely
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intertwined.
In your own experience and an
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experience of guys you work
with, what does an identity
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crisis look like inside when on
the outside someone is still
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achieving and successful and
still that the mask is very
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present going outward?
Absolutely.
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And that is a, a key part of
this that you know, you can, you
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can look at people and they,
they look absolutely fine and
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you wouldn't dream that they are
going through this internal and
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struggle.
So that came to a head for me.
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As you mentioned there, when my
own health took a nosedive, I
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got diagnosed with complex PTSD
and another condition called
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functional neurological
disorder.
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And ultimately it meant that I
had to give up my license to
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practice my registration as a
paramedic.
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That was a huge shift for me
because if you'd have cut me in
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half at that time, and I know
I've said this before, I would
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have bled out green.
I was a paramedic through and
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through.
That was what I identified as.
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I was Sean the paramedic, and
for a long time I was in what I
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call my dark place.
I was depressed, I was unhappy,
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I was having those suicidal
thoughts.
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Where everything felt like it
got too much and I felt like I
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was a failure to myself and a
failure to everybody else.
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It was a really, really tough
time.
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But fortunately for me, I found
a, a networking group because I
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realised that I wasn't going to
be able to work for anybody else
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anymore.
And if I carried on the way I
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was going, it wasn't going to
end well basically.
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So I started a business to help
other businesses with their
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policies and procedures and
found this networking group.
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And it was there that I
discovered the power of
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coaching.
I've been a coach in the the
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work sense before, coaching and
mentoring new paramedics and
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staff in my team and things like
that.
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But in this context it was was
different and that helped me to
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stop attributing external things
on to who I am.
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So, you know, speaking to one of
the people in that networking
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group really helped me to say
let go of the paramedic because
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there was a Sean before there
was a paramedic show.
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And that's what got me to
reflect on that childhood
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experience of being, helping,
caring, and then realised that
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that was going to be part of
what I do next.
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So that that was a pivotal
moment because I realised I was
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on the wrong path.
I realised that, you know,
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setting up this business in, in
the way that I had was purely
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trying to make some money
because I was pretty good at
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writing policies and procedures
and helping with that.
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But my heart wasn't now.
I had no passion for it.
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So that was a really important
moment in in letting go of, of
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that part of what's the word I'm
looking for, you know, a gremlin
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on my shoulder.
There is a a good book by
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someone called Carson, I think
it's Phil Carson taming your
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gremlins.
And it's all about those
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limiting beliefs and, and these
little gremlins on your, on your
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shoulder, whispering in your ear
a long way, long winded way of
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me saying that we put, we put
too much external emphasis on
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who we are.
So it's really important to have
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that pulls and, and to look more
inwards at who are we are core.
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What is our values?
What do we believe in?
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What, what do we want from life?
Not what other people are
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telling us we should have want
from life, but what do we want?
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And they're not always going to
be the same thing.
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And that's OK.
It certainly is OK.
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Was there a point that you
realised I don't want to just
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create a business, I want to
create a men's movement?
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Yeah, So that that comes back to
this, this networking group, I
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hope you don't mind me plugging
it.
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It's Circle Networks started off
in the UK and now they have
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events all over the world online
and in person.
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It was such an experience being
surrounded by entrepreneurs and
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business owners in a variety of
businesses.
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And I got to brush shoulders
with, you know, people that were
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in some very good, good money,
some of the millionaires.
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And the one thing that we all
had in common was a mission, a
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passion that was driving what we
were doing.
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And for me, I was able to, as a
combination of speaking to
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people there and going through
therapy myself at the time, I
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realised that all the experience
that I'd had up until that point
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had built up almost a knowledge
Bank of lived experience as well
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as general knowledge.
I suppose that could help other
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people that were also struggling
or going through a
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transformation in their life or
just didn't have a, a sense of
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direction at all and wondered,
you know what, what's the point
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of my existence?
What's what's next?
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And that was when I realised
that I wanted to move into the
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coaching world myself and as I
say, gone on to evolve as a
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men's life coach because I've
got that experience.
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I'm a man, I've gone through a
lot without, you know, listing
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rooms of of the things I've been
through, but I've been through a
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lot and and I think that gives
me a lot to offer others that
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are also going through a lot in
their own life.
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So you created men forge
forward.
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So is it really for that guy
that is feeling the weight or is
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asking the kind of those
existential questions?
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You know what?
What's what's the point?
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Absolutely say I didn't want it
to be locked behind a paywall
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and I wanted it to be accessible
for any man that needs it.
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So set the community up on the
school platform with a KSKOOL
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and so any, any man can join.
And, and the idea of that is
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that you've got this network of
peer support, which ultimately
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is what helped me when I was in
that networking environment to
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drive me forward and, and help
me with, with the issues I was
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going through within the
community.
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There's a lot of support from
the other men.
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And again, it's a, a really
diverse network.
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You've got people all over the
world in that.
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You've got some people that are
running their own businesses,
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some people that are running
their own school communities,
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some people aren't working at
all.
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And we've all got different
challenges.
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Some are facing challenges of
their relationships, some more
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to do with their work and their
performance side of things.
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And some people like I was
struggling with their their
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sense of identity and, and
what's going to come next.
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When I started it, I thought it
was going to be a lead magnet
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using, using business
terminology.
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I thought it was going to be a
bit of a lead magnet that would
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bring these people in that I
could learn put through a
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funnel, the sales funnel to to
coach.
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But I was blown away by what
happened over the course of six
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months thereabouts.
I found a lot of men that
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gravitated towards the
community, really embraced that
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connection, that positivity,
that peer support that I've,
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I've mentioned before.
And it's become a real
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brotherhood.
And I've got a lot of people in
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there that I consider to be my
friend.
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And you know, there's a few
times that that we've helped
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each other out as much as as you
can.
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We've even had a a wedding in in
the community where where
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somebody's got married and it
was nice to virtually be a part
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of that experience with him.
So it's truly special.
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Cool.
I did not know that.
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That's neat.
So there are a couple of phrases
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I've seen you share that I want
to ask you to expand on.
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The 1st is something from
Menforge Ford.
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You're not finished, you're just
stuck.
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What does that mean to you?
Absolutely.
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From my own experience, it's
when you you reach these these
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moments in your life, and I've
had a few of them where it's
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very easy to feel like you're
finished.
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You've reached the the end of
the road.
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You know, it's so, so dark that
you can't see your foot in front
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of you to, to take that next
step and to feel like there's
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nothing else for you.
But there is.
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There's light at the end of the
tunnel for all of us.
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And sometimes we just need to
take those extra couple of steps
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through, through the fog,
through the darkness, to, to see
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that light and to, to help us
to, to move forward.
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So I think it's really, really
important that as men,
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especially we, we have that
moment of pause to to think, OK,
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times are tough.
This is really challenging.
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Whatever the challenge is for us
that we have all got that
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future, we can all keep forging
forward and and move on past
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that.
What?
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Changes when a man gives up on
isolation, trying to be the lone
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wolf, and is willing to be
witnessed by other men.
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In the early days it is quite a
difficult transformation for a
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00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,400
lot of us.
I think we we've got so good at
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wearing that mask and so good at
carrying that hidden load.
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I've talked about that.
To let go of that, to show our
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00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:33,720
vulnerability can be really
challenging in itself.
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But when you do, you come to
realise that you're not alone.
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You come to realise that there
is a lot of shared struggles,
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00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:51,520
but there's also a lot of shared
celebration as well in what we
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achieve and what we can achieve.
And with the Men Forge Forward
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community, what I've really
enjoyed seeing is how we all
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lift each other up and encourage
each other.
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00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:14,600
And if somebody's struggling and
they don't really know how to
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00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,800
tackle a problem, they're able
to reach out in a space that
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00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,880
feels safe to them.
And I know that's a bit of
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00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,600
cliche of saying, you know, this
is a safe space.
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But what I found is that this
genuinely is.
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00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:37,160
And people have commented how
that has helped them to be able
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00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,360
to push past something that they
were previously struggling with
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but just didn't know how to to
voice that to anybody else.
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00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,080
I know when you're one-on-one
work, you've shared with me that
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00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,800
you have kind of created your
own coaching methodology.
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00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:58,120
What were you seeing was missing
from other approaches that made
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00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:04,640
you create your own thing?
A couple of things that the big
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00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:10,720
one that that stood out was the
commercial aspects of a lot of
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00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:15,320
the coaching frameworks out
there like NLP and and some of
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00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:21,520
the other models that you see.
And there's no regulation around
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00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,280
the coaching industry.
So there's a lot of people that
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00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:29,880
are paying some very high-priced
programs to qualify and be
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00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,760
approved or certified in a
methodology.
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00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,400
And there's no actual evidence
to suggest what why 1 is better
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than the other.
So for me, that was was part of
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00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,720
it.
And the other part of it was
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00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:51,040
going back to using my lived
experience when I reflected on
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that and saw the different
aspects that I thought was
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00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:56,960
really important.
And I've mentioned one big one,
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00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:03,520
which is to Paul's, we're so
good at rushing and going ahead
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00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,760
first in into things without
actually taking that step back
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00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,160
to see the whole picture and the
bigger impact of things.
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And also obviously coming from
the paramedic world as well,
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there's aspects of that.
So it was a bit of an inward
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00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:31,000
journey of my own that I've been
used as this catalyst to make a
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00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,400
model that works for helping
others.
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So what are some common signs
that a man is stuck, even if
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00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:41,480
he's insisting he's fine to the
world?
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There's one there in sometimes
if someone's been overly adamant
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that they are OK.
It's often a sign, from my
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00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:01,720
experience, that that is the
mask, that they're saying
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00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,520
they're fine, they're saying
they're fine, they're saying
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00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,080
they're fine.
But underneath that there is
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00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,600
something niggling away,
chipping away at them.
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00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:17,520
And I think that that's a good
one to be aware of because how
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00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:21,440
often do we hear, especially
when it comes to the subject of
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00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:27,440
suicide, the people say
afterwards, if only we'd seen
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00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:32,080
the signs, if only we'd have
have known that they they didn't
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00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,880
show any, any sign.
So just having a a broader
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00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:43,080
awareness that somebody saying
they're fine on the surface is
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00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,760
OK, but it doesn't mean that
they are fine.
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00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:51,280
Yeah, I find that might be the
the most often spoken lie from
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00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,000
men.
I'm fine, I guess it it's so
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00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:58,760
rarely is true, you know, even
that, like why do we settle for
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00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:02,000
fine?
Like why is that the go to
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00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:04,560
answer for so many things?
Like, you know, why isn't it?
328
00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:07,000
I'm exceptional, like
everything's great, but just I'm
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00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,840
fine.
It's kind of a blase, you know,
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Life's OK, I guess.
It is, it is.
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It's I I've learned over the
years that when I hear that now,
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it's a bit of a red flag.
So I like to go through the
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00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,600
wise, OK, what is that?
Then why, why are you fine?
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What, what's happening?
What's happening in your life
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00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,520
looks so good.
And then you you find that it
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00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,720
unravels itself and you get to
the get to the truth.
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00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,480
What has it been like for you
going from sort of researching
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00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:49,480
men's well-being and coaching
styles to being in a place of of
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00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,680
true leadership and support of
men?
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00:23:54,560 --> 00:24:02,200
It's been phenomenal.
Really, really changed my life.
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00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:07,440
I think if I hadn't have
discovered this, this path when
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I did hands up, I dread to think
where I would be now because I
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00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,600
was struggling.
And I think coming out the other
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00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:23,560
side, it's a, you know, I've
already talked about weight, but
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00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,480
it is a massive weight off the
shoulders.
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You know, I feel so much
lighter, brighter, happier.
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00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,160
I say to people, you know, I've
reignited my fire.
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I've got my passion back.
And when can help somebody and
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00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,520
it doesn't have to be a big
transformation.
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00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,320
Sometimes it's just helping
somebody.
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00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:51,440
Maybe they change their, their
job or they're able to change
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00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,680
something in their, their life
and the way they're talking to
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00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,400
their, their partner that their
relationship suddenly improves
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00:24:59,960 --> 00:25:02,600
or their health gets a little
bit better.
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00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,280
It's these micro wins that
compound.
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00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,880
So not only have I got my own
wins going on, but I'm also
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00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,680
benefiting from the the wins of
those I'm supporting.
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So win, win.
And that that's the same in the
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00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:23,040
community, like when, when, when
guys share overcoming something,
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00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,480
giving appreciation to the rest
of their their brothers online
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00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,800
or in person like that ripples
through too, like the the
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00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,280
community gets the win.
Absolutely, yeah.
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00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:39,080
In Men Forge Forward, there's a
a few of the Ogs, if you like
364
00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:45,400
the original gang that resonate
with that and and they've so I
365
00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:51,880
don't want to to tell anybody's
story on on here, but there's a
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00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,680
fair few that they could tell.
And what's the best way for
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00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,080
people to connect with you and
learn more about men?
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00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,680
Forge forward.
So if it's the, the community
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00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,680
itself, they're, they're
interested in,
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00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:10,400
menforgeforward.com takes you to
the, the community itself.
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00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,880
So men can sign up there.
And if anybody wants to reach
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out to me more personally and
find out a bit more about me and
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00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:21,000
the other things I do, then I'm
on LinkedIn as well.
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00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,200
Finally, Sean, what's one thing
that you wish more men knew?
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00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:33,760
I think the the thing that I
keep coming back to is that it's
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OK not to be OK.
We, we all have our challenges.
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00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,280
We all have our our problems.
We all have good days and we all
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00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,520
have bad days.
I think that sometimes we we
379
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,480
force ourselves to wear that
mask and we don't have to.
380
00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:53,360
It's OK not to be OK.
Sean, I want to thank you for
381
00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:57,760
joining us today and and I want
to thank you for getting through
382
00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,320
your dark times and then using
that as fuel to want to help
383
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,320
other men through their dark
times as well.
384
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:09,040
And for not always believing
people when they say I'm fine.
385
00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,480
Perfect.
Thank you, Andy.
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00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,920
Many thanks to Sean for joining
me today and for the work he's
387
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,040
doing with Men Forge Ford.
This conversation is such a
388
00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,160
powerful reminder that being
stuck doesn't mean you're
389
00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,000
broken.
Sometimes it just means the old
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00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,280
version of you no longer fits.
If Sean's story resonated with
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00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,080
you, check out Men Forge Ford
through the links in the show
392
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,480
notes.
And I also welcome you to join
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00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,200
my community.
Authentic AF at Real Men feel
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00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,560
their org slash group.
I am an active member in Sean's
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00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,000
group and Sean is also within
Authentic AF.
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00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,040
We are both men's groups on
school and you can't have
397
00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:48,960
enough.
It's not just one person to
398
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:50,280
follow.
It's not just one group, not
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00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,240
just one podcast.
The world is full of support for
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00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,120
you.
Until next time, be good to
401
00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:56,520
yourself.
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,960
Yeah, I find that might be the
most often spoken lie from men.
2
00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,280
I'm fine I guess it it's so
rarely is true.
3
00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,200
Absolutely.
Even that like why do we settle
4
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,840
for fine, like why is that the
go to answer for so many things?
5
00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,120
Like, you know, why isn't it?
I'm exceptional, like
6
00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:19,000
everything's great, but just I'm
fine.
7
00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,680
It's kind of a blase, you know,
life's OK, I guess.
8
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,160
Hello and welcome to Real Men
Feel.
9
00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,080
I'm your host, Andy Grant.
Today I'm talking with Sean
10
00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,920
Haggerty, founder of Men Forge
Forward.
11
00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,760
Sean spent years as a paramedic
and healthcare manager, serving
12
00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,960
others under pressure.
But like many men, his identity
13
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,720
became wrapped up around his
role.
14
00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,680
When that started to shift, Sean
found himself asking deeper
15
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,080
questions.
Who am I without the job?
16
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,120
What do I actually want to
build?
17
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,080
And how can I help other men who
feel stuck, burned out, and
18
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,800
disconnected?
That journey led him to create
19
00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,320
Men Forge Forward, an online
community and coaching movement
20
00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,560
helping men regain clarity,
confidence, direction and
21
00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,240
brotherhood.
Let's do it.
22
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,280
Hello Sean, and welcome to Real
Men.
23
00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,720
Feel and candy it's good to be
here and really looking forward
24
00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:10,880
to the conversation today a
good.
25
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,160
Deal.
So I know for decades you worked
26
00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:18,640
in urgent and emergency care and
healthcare overall.
27
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,760
What did that teach you about
pressure, responsibility and the
28
00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,160
way that men carry stress?
It was an interesting journey
29
00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:35,000
and I started getting involved
with emergency care and and
30
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:36,840
helping people at a very young
age.
31
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,480
Even as a child I was that
person going in and and helping
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00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,600
the neighbors, making sure that
the milk was in off the
33
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,080
doorstep, that the heating was
on and things like that for the
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00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,120
elderly neighbors.
My own mum was disabled in a
35
00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,240
wheelchair, so I was a young
carer for her.
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00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,400
So there was a lot of
responsibility on me from a
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00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:01,280
young age.
And what I found naturally
38
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evolved from that was this kind
of servant leadership style.
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And we hear quite a bit about
servant leadership and that
40
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carried through into my my
career.
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00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,360
And as you mentioned there, I
have done various things
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00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,000
including being a paramedic,
hence the emergency care side of
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things and being a healthcare
manager.
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00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,520
So I've been in very stressful
situations and witnessed some
45
00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,040
incredibly stressful situations
over the the years.
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00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:40,840
What I've really seen through
that is that as a man, and I was
47
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:47,200
guilty of this myself, Andy, the
very easy to put on this mask
48
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:54,280
and almost to be quite stoic
and, you know, carry everything
49
00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,040
on, on your shoulders and, and
take it as it comes and say,
50
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yes, I, I can handle this
because I'm a man.
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00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:07,840
And this perception of being
strong and carrying it for, for
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everybody else.
But what I was witnessing was
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that actually a lot of the men
that I was seeing in stressful
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situations, they were breaking
under that strain.
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They realised that the body's
very good at coping until it
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can't cope anymore and and it
buckles under the pressure.
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And I was seeing that time and
time again.
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But even seeing it, I still
wasn't able to correlate that
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into my own life and see that I
was doing exactly that for
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myself.
And it was only when I went
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through what I call my dark
time.
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And I know I've spoken to you
about that in the past, that
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that really came to, to hit home
and for me to recognise the
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importance of men, especially
opening up and talking about
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their struggles and how they
they carry this hidden load,
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this invisible load with them.
Were you aware when you first
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00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,320
put on the mask that you were
carrying everything?
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Or did it take seeing other men
kind of drop that mask, even
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00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,800
against their will, for you to
realise that you were doing the
70
00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,360
same thing?
Yeah, like, like I say, I got
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very good at seeing and spotting
it in in other people.
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And then at the same time, I was
reluctant to admit to myself
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that I was doing it.
And I think as time went on,
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part, part of it was, you know,
having a role such as a
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paramedic where you know,
you're, you're almost seen as
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00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:54,720
this, this expert.
And there is a, an added layer
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00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,040
of, if I admit that I'm
struggling and I'm not coping,
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00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:03,080
then I'm going to appear weak
and somehow less knowledgeable
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or less competent in, in doing
that.
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00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,320
That was an added pressure that
that kept the mask on for
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00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:14,640
longer.
But then during COVID times, I
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witnessed quite a few men
really, really struggling
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00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:24,960
because all of a sudden they've
lost any form of support network
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00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,840
that they they had, whether it
be the pub or a Sports Club or
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00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:30,440
wherever they went as their
outlet.
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00:05:30,840 --> 00:05:34,560
And all of a sudden they were
locked in at at home and, and
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00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:36,560
within a very small circle of
people.
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00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:42,200
And that was quite a turning
point for me in, in realising,
89
00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,480
hang on, I'm, I'm struggling
here too.
90
00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,880
How?
How can and how can I look after
91
00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,320
myself and how can I help other
people with it too?
92
00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,440
You talked about the the, the
fear of being seen as weak.
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00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,440
Did you ever, like, run through
that process?
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00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,080
Like what?
What was beyond that?
95
00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,040
What did you fear would happen
if any community you were in
96
00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,120
decided that you were weak?
Again, I think from a young age
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00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:14,040
I'd been almost programmed to
because I was caring, because I
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00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:18,480
was a helpful person there.
There was this ingrained part of
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00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,840
me that anything showing my own
struggle and my own weakness
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00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,280
almost took away that that
identity.
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00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,840
And I talked quite a bit about
my my core identity being that
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00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:35,240
care, caring, helpful person.
It was what I had before I was a
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00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,360
paramedic.
It was what took me into that
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00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,560
profession and through my
healthcare career and into what
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00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:45,320
I do now as a men's life coach.
Yeah, I, I think it, it was
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00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,480
almost a part of my DNA.
It it was so, so deeply
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00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,720
ingrained, like I say, from a
young age.
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00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,480
So talking to you previously,
you talked about there were
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times when your identity and
your job were just completely
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00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,920
intertwined.
In your own experience and an
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00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,760
experience of guys you work
with, what does an identity
112
00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,280
crisis look like inside when on
the outside someone is still
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00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,720
achieving and successful and
still that the mask is very
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00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,880
present going outward?
Absolutely.
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00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:25,160
And that is a, a key part of
this that you know, you can, you
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00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,240
can look at people and they,
they look absolutely fine and
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00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:35,040
you wouldn't dream that they are
going through this internal and
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00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:39,280
struggle.
So that came to a head for me.
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00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:43,520
As you mentioned there, when my
own health took a nosedive, I
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00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:48,200
got diagnosed with complex PTSD
and another condition called
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00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:49,800
functional neurological
disorder.
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00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,640
And ultimately it meant that I
had to give up my license to
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00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,040
practice my registration as a
paramedic.
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00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,560
That was a huge shift for me
because if you'd have cut me in
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00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,600
half at that time, and I know
I've said this before, I would
126
00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,400
have bled out green.
I was a paramedic through and
127
00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,160
through.
That was what I identified as.
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00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,800
I was Sean the paramedic, and
for a long time I was in what I
129
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,560
call my dark place.
I was depressed, I was unhappy,
130
00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,200
I was having those suicidal
thoughts.
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00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,200
Where everything felt like it
got too much and I felt like I
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was a failure to myself and a
failure to everybody else.
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00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:36,720
It was a really, really tough
time.
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00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:45,320
But fortunately for me, I found
a, a networking group because I
135
00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,600
realised that I wasn't going to
be able to work for anybody else
136
00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,760
anymore.
And if I carried on the way I
137
00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,600
was going, it wasn't going to
end well basically.
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00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:00,240
So I started a business to help
other businesses with their
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00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:05,040
policies and procedures and
found this networking group.
140
00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,360
And it was there that I
discovered the power of
141
00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,200
coaching.
I've been a coach in the the
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00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:16,160
work sense before, coaching and
mentoring new paramedics and
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00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,000
staff in my team and things like
that.
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00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:25,280
But in this context it was was
different and that helped me to
145
00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:32,440
stop attributing external things
on to who I am.
146
00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:39,200
So, you know, speaking to one of
the people in that networking
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group really helped me to say
let go of the paramedic because
148
00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,360
there was a Sean before there
was a paramedic show.
149
00:09:48,560 --> 00:09:50,880
And that's what got me to
reflect on that childhood
150
00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:56,160
experience of being, helping,
caring, and then realised that
151
00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,120
that was going to be part of
what I do next.
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00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,360
So that that was a pivotal
moment because I realised I was
153
00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,040
on the wrong path.
I realised that, you know,
154
00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:12,080
setting up this business in, in
the way that I had was purely
155
00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,080
trying to make some money
because I was pretty good at
156
00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,320
writing policies and procedures
and helping with that.
157
00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,600
But my heart wasn't now.
I had no passion for it.
158
00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:29,000
So that was a really important
moment in in letting go of, of
159
00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:35,240
that part of what's the word I'm
looking for, you know, a gremlin
160
00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,240
on my shoulder.
There is a a good book by
161
00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,000
someone called Carson, I think
it's Phil Carson taming your
162
00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,600
gremlins.
And it's all about those
163
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,200
limiting beliefs and, and these
little gremlins on your, on your
164
00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,280
shoulder, whispering in your ear
a long way, long winded way of
165
00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:58,160
me saying that we put, we put
too much external emphasis on
166
00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,080
who we are.
So it's really important to have
167
00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,680
that pulls and, and to look more
inwards at who are we are core.
168
00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:07,880
What is our values?
What do we believe in?
169
00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,760
What, what do we want from life?
Not what other people are
170
00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,920
telling us we should have want
from life, but what do we want?
171
00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,360
And they're not always going to
be the same thing.
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00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:19,880
And that's OK.
It certainly is OK.
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Was there a point that you
realised I don't want to just
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create a business, I want to
create a men's movement?
175
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Yeah, So that that comes back to
this, this networking group, I
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hope you don't mind me plugging
it.
177
00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:39,680
It's Circle Networks started off
in the UK and now they have
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events all over the world online
and in person.
179
00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:49,200
It was such an experience being
surrounded by entrepreneurs and
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00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:54,280
business owners in a variety of
businesses.
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00:11:55,280 --> 00:12:00,160
And I got to brush shoulders
with, you know, people that were
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00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,040
in some very good, good money,
some of the millionaires.
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00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:13,680
And the one thing that we all
had in common was a mission, a
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passion that was driving what we
were doing.
185
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And for me, I was able to, as a
combination of speaking to
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people there and going through
therapy myself at the time, I
187
00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,440
realised that all the experience
that I'd had up until that point
188
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had built up almost a knowledge
Bank of lived experience as well
189
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as general knowledge.
I suppose that could help other
190
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people that were also struggling
or going through a
191
00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:57,800
transformation in their life or
just didn't have a, a sense of
192
00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,280
direction at all and wondered,
you know what, what's the point
193
00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,520
of my existence?
What's what's next?
194
00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:10,360
And that was when I realised
that I wanted to move into the
195
00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:15,080
coaching world myself and as I
say, gone on to evolve as a
196
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men's life coach because I've
got that experience.
197
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I'm a man, I've gone through a
lot without, you know, listing
198
00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,800
rooms of of the things I've been
through, but I've been through a
199
00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,400
lot and and I think that gives
me a lot to offer others that
200
00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,680
are also going through a lot in
their own life.
201
00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:38,680
So you created men forge
forward.
202
00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:44,640
So is it really for that guy
that is feeling the weight or is
203
00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,760
asking the kind of those
existential questions?
204
00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,240
You know what?
What's what's the point?
205
00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:54,320
Absolutely say I didn't want it
to be locked behind a paywall
206
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,800
and I wanted it to be accessible
for any man that needs it.
207
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So set the community up on the
school platform with a KSKOOL
208
00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:09,880
and so any, any man can join.
And, and the idea of that is
209
00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,160
that you've got this network of
peer support, which ultimately
210
00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:19,240
is what helped me when I was in
that networking environment to
211
00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,880
drive me forward and, and help
me with, with the issues I was
212
00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,320
going through within the
community.
213
00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,520
There's a lot of support from
the other men.
214
00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,480
And again, it's a, a really
diverse network.
215
00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:35,560
You've got people all over the
world in that.
216
00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,840
You've got some people that are
running their own businesses,
217
00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,080
some people that are running
their own school communities,
218
00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:44,560
some people aren't working at
all.
219
00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,720
And we've all got different
challenges.
220
00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:53,680
Some are facing challenges of
their relationships, some more
221
00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,200
to do with their work and their
performance side of things.
222
00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:02,240
And some people like I was
struggling with their their
223
00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,320
sense of identity and, and
what's going to come next.
224
00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:11,760
When I started it, I thought it
was going to be a lead magnet
225
00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:13,880
using, using business
terminology.
226
00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:15,680
I thought it was going to be a
bit of a lead magnet that would
227
00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,320
bring these people in that I
could learn put through a
228
00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,760
funnel, the sales funnel to to
coach.
229
00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:29,880
But I was blown away by what
happened over the course of six
230
00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:34,400
months thereabouts.
I found a lot of men that
231
00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:40,760
gravitated towards the
community, really embraced that
232
00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:45,400
connection, that positivity,
that peer support that I've,
233
00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,560
I've mentioned before.
And it's become a real
234
00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,480
brotherhood.
And I've got a lot of people in
235
00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:55,440
there that I consider to be my
friend.
236
00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:01,320
And you know, there's a few
times that that we've helped
237
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,440
each other out as much as as you
can.
238
00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:09,880
We've even had a a wedding in in
the community where where
239
00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:15,000
somebody's got married and it
was nice to virtually be a part
240
00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,880
of that experience with him.
So it's truly special.
241
00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:20,320
Cool.
I did not know that.
242
00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:24,880
That's neat.
So there are a couple of phrases
243
00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,960
I've seen you share that I want
to ask you to expand on.
244
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:31,880
The 1st is something from
Menforge Ford.
245
00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,160
You're not finished, you're just
stuck.
246
00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,080
What does that mean to you?
Absolutely.
247
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,800
From my own experience, it's
when you you reach these these
248
00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,680
moments in your life, and I've
had a few of them where it's
249
00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:51,200
very easy to feel like you're
finished.
250
00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,680
You've reached the the end of
the road.
251
00:16:54,240 --> 00:17:03,080
You know, it's so, so dark that
you can't see your foot in front
252
00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:09,800
of you to, to take that next
step and to feel like there's
253
00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,040
nothing else for you.
But there is.
254
00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,319
There's light at the end of the
tunnel for all of us.
255
00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:23,280
And sometimes we just need to
take those extra couple of steps
256
00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:27,200
through, through the fog,
through the darkness, to, to see
257
00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,200
that light and to, to help us
to, to move forward.
258
00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,920
So I think it's really, really
important that as men,
259
00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:42,360
especially we, we have that
moment of pause to to think, OK,
260
00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:45,080
times are tough.
This is really challenging.
261
00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:49,880
Whatever the challenge is for us
that we have all got that
262
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:53,720
future, we can all keep forging
forward and and move on past
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that.
What?
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Changes when a man gives up on
isolation, trying to be the lone
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wolf, and is willing to be
witnessed by other men.
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In the early days it is quite a
difficult transformation for a
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lot of us.
I think we we've got so good at
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wearing that mask and so good at
carrying that hidden load.
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I've talked about that.
To let go of that, to show our
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vulnerability can be really
challenging in itself.
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But when you do, you come to
realise that you're not alone.
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You come to realise that there
is a lot of shared struggles,
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but there's also a lot of shared
celebration as well in what we
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achieve and what we can achieve.
And with the Men Forge Forward
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community, what I've really
enjoyed seeing is how we all
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lift each other up and encourage
each other.
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And if somebody's struggling and
they don't really know how to
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tackle a problem, they're able
to reach out in a space that
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feels safe to them.
And I know that's a bit of
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cliche of saying, you know, this
is a safe space.
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But what I found is that this
genuinely is.
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And people have commented how
that has helped them to be able
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to push past something that they
were previously struggling with
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but just didn't know how to to
voice that to anybody else.
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I know when you're one-on-one
work, you've shared with me that
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you have kind of created your
own coaching methodology.
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What were you seeing was missing
from other approaches that made
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you create your own thing?
A couple of things that the big
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one that that stood out was the
commercial aspects of a lot of
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the coaching frameworks out
there like NLP and and some of
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the other models that you see.
And there's no regulation around
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the coaching industry.
So there's a lot of people that
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are paying some very high-priced
programs to qualify and be
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approved or certified in a
methodology.
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And there's no actual evidence
to suggest what why 1 is better
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than the other.
So for me, that was was part of
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it.
And the other part of it was
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going back to using my lived
experience when I reflected on
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that and saw the different
aspects that I thought was
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really important.
And I've mentioned one big one,
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which is to Paul's, we're so
good at rushing and going ahead
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first in into things without
actually taking that step back
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to see the whole picture and the
bigger impact of things.
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And also obviously coming from
the paramedic world as well,
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there's aspects of that.
So it was a bit of an inward
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journey of my own that I've been
used as this catalyst to make a
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model that works for helping
others.
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So what are some common signs
that a man is stuck, even if
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he's insisting he's fine to the
world?
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There's one there in sometimes
if someone's been overly adamant
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that they are OK.
It's often a sign, from my
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experience, that that is the
mask, that they're saying
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they're fine, they're saying
they're fine, they're saying
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they're fine.
But underneath that there is
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something niggling away,
chipping away at them.
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And I think that that's a good
one to be aware of because how
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often do we hear, especially
when it comes to the subject of
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suicide, the people say
afterwards, if only we'd seen
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the signs, if only we'd have
have known that they they didn't
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show any, any sign.
So just having a a broader
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awareness that somebody saying
they're fine on the surface is
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OK, but it doesn't mean that
they are fine.
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Yeah, I find that might be the
the most often spoken lie from
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men.
I'm fine, I guess it it's so
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rarely is true, you know, even
that, like why do we settle for
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fine?
Like why is that the go to
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answer for so many things?
Like, you know, why isn't it?
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I'm exceptional, like
everything's great, but just I'm
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fine.
It's kind of a blase, you know,
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Life's OK, I guess.
It is, it is.
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It's I I've learned over the
years that when I hear that now,
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it's a bit of a red flag.
So I like to go through the
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wise, OK, what is that?
Then why, why are you fine?
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What, what's happening?
What's happening in your life
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looks so good.
And then you you find that it
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unravels itself and you get to
the get to the truth.
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What has it been like for you
going from sort of researching
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men's well-being and coaching
styles to being in a place of of
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true leadership and support of
men?
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It's been phenomenal.
Really, really changed my life.
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I think if I hadn't have
discovered this, this path when
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I did hands up, I dread to think
where I would be now because I
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was struggling.
And I think coming out the other
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side, it's a, you know, I've
already talked about weight, but
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it is a massive weight off the
shoulders.
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You know, I feel so much
lighter, brighter, happier.
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I say to people, you know, I've
reignited my fire.
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I've got my passion back.
And when can help somebody and
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it doesn't have to be a big
transformation.
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Sometimes it's just helping
somebody.
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Maybe they change their, their
job or they're able to change
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something in their, their life
and the way they're talking to
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their, their partner that their
relationship suddenly improves
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or their health gets a little
bit better.
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It's these micro wins that
compound.
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So not only have I got my own
wins going on, but I'm also
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benefiting from the the wins of
those I'm supporting.
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So win, win.
And that that's the same in the
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community, like when, when, when
guys share overcoming something,
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giving appreciation to the rest
of their their brothers online
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or in person like that ripples
through too, like the the
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community gets the win.
Absolutely, yeah.
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In Men Forge Forward, there's a
a few of the Ogs, if you like
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00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:45,400
the original gang that resonate
with that and and they've so I
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00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:51,880
don't want to to tell anybody's
story on on here, but there's a
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00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,680
fair few that they could tell.
And what's the best way for
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people to connect with you and
learn more about men?
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Forge forward.
So if it's the, the community
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00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,680
itself, they're, they're
interested in,
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00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:10,400
menforgeforward.com takes you to
the, the community itself.
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00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,880
So men can sign up there.
And if anybody wants to reach
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out to me more personally and
find out a bit more about me and
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the other things I do, then I'm
on LinkedIn as well.
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Finally, Sean, what's one thing
that you wish more men knew?
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I think the the thing that I
keep coming back to is that it's
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OK not to be OK.
We, we all have our challenges.
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We all have our our problems.
We all have good days and we all
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have bad days.
I think that sometimes we we
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00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,480
force ourselves to wear that
mask and we don't have to.
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It's OK not to be OK.
Sean, I want to thank you for
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00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:57,760
joining us today and and I want
to thank you for getting through
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00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,320
your dark times and then using
that as fuel to want to help
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other men through their dark
times as well.
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And for not always believing
people when they say I'm fine.
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Perfect.
Thank you, Andy.
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00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,920
Many thanks to Sean for joining
me today and for the work he's
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doing with Men Forge Ford.
This conversation is such a
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00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,160
powerful reminder that being
stuck doesn't mean you're
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broken.
Sometimes it just means the old
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version of you no longer fits.
If Sean's story resonated with
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00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,080
you, check out Men Forge Ford
through the links in the show
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00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,480
notes.
And I also welcome you to join
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00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,200
my community.
Authentic AF at Real Men feel
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00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,560
their org slash group.
I am an active member in Sean's
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00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,000
group and Sean is also within
Authentic AF.
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00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,040
We are both men's groups on
school and you can't have
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00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:48,960
enough.
It's not just one person to
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00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:50,280
follow.
It's not just one group, not
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00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,240
just one podcast.
The world is full of support for
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you.
Until next time, be good to
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yourself.
Men's Life Coach
A former paramedic and healthcare manager turned Men's Life Coach with a focus on wellbeing, mindset, and performance.
With lived experience including living with CPTSD and other chronic conditions, I help men to stop drifting and start winning in their work and their lives.
Also author of 'The Sean Method'.
