🔥 Connect with other men who get it in Authentic AF:
https://realmenfeel.org/group
From TV Success to Purpose: Neil Smith on Men’s Mental Fitness, Shame, and the Mettle App (with Bear Grylls)
Host Andy Grant interviews Neil Smith, a former television executive behind shows including The Apprentice and Grand Designs, about reaching career success yet feeling empty and unfulfilled. Neil describes a midlife “second mountain” shift from status and security toward purpose, leading him to leave TV and co-found Mettle, a men’s mental fitness app, with Bear Grylls. He shares his hidden depression in his 20s, the shame and fear of vulnerability that kept him silent for years, and how a dismissive doctor visit stopped him from seeking help.
Neil explains why “telling men to talk” isn’t enough, emphasizing meeting men where they are by reducing stigma and friction with an outcome-focused, science-based app and optional community support, so men can engage before they’re ready to talk.
00:00 Career Peak Question
00:53 TV Success Story
04:12 Second Mountain Shift
06:21 Meditation And Purpose
09:56 Hidden Depression Years
12:57 Shame And Asking Help
17:17 Tribe And Community
22:22 Meeting Men Where At
26:57 Bear Grylls Partnership
27:45 Beyond Help To Hope
31:07 Service And Grandfather
33:12 Mettle And Final Takeaway
34:32 Host Closing Reflection
CONNECT WITH NEIL & METTLE:
Mettle — https://bemettle.com/
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/be.mettle
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-s-smith/
CONNECT WITH ANDY:
Coaching: https://TheAndyGrant.com/talk
Real Men Feel: https://RealMenFeel.org
Instagram: @realmenfeelshow and @theandygrant
ABOUT REAL MEN FEEL
Real Men Feel explores men's mental health, modern masculinity, relationships, purpose, authenticity and personal growth. Hosted by Andy Grant.
Join other like-minded men in the Authentic AF Community | https://www.realmenfeel.org/group
#RealMenFeel #MensMentalHealth #Success #Authenticity #ChasingStatus
Real Men Feel ep 424
Breaking the silence around depression is the first step toward reclaiming your life. Join Neil Smith and Andy Grant today.
In this conversation, Neil Smith shares his raw experience with the heavy weight of depression and the isolation that often comes with it. This discussion is for any man who has felt stuck in the dark and is looking for a way to prioritize his own men's mental health while navigating the challenges of daily life.
We talk about how breaking the silence around your pain is not a sign of weakness, but a critical part of depression recovery. Neil explains how shifting his perspective allowed him to start finding purpose again after hitting rock bottom. This session offers a roadmap for moving forward when you feel like you have lost your way.
Subscribe for weekly mindset breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what is one small action you are taking today to care for your mental well-being?
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