Rebuilding Men, Identity, and Faith with Ryan Miller James | Construct your life #778

·34 min·3 clips

Austin Linney questions the expertise of 22-year-old life coaches, arguing real coaching requires rawness and authenticity.

Austin Linney hosts Ryan Miller James on Construct Your Life. Ryan introduces himself and shares his current obsession with his wife and a divine vision to impact 3 million men. He explains this vision involves helping men become radically following Christ, exceptional husbands and fathers, and successful in business. Austin and Ryan discuss the reframing of community and servant leadership in modern society. Ryan critiques the trend of digitizing coaching during COVID, arguing it isolated men further and created a poor methodology for self-help. Austin shares his experience with a sober group, emphasizing how community helps men realize they are not alone in their struggles. Ryan talks about writing a book detailing nine significant wounds in his life to encourage other men to open up. Austin discusses introducing himself as a former drug addict and alcoholic to give others permission to share their stories. Ryan reflects on taking a break from drinking and the book 'This Naked Mind' by Annie Grace, which challenges the lifelong identity of addiction. They explore the dangers of men living with identities based on past mistakes or successes. Austin describes trading alcohol addiction for chaos addiction in entrepreneurship and the fear of self-sabotage when life gets good. Ryan discusses the tension between overcoming past failures and fearing a relapse, using the hymn 'Come Thou Fount' as an example. Austin shares insights from IFS therapy about accepting and loving all parts of oneself rather than trying to become a different person. Ryan connects this to biblical themes of restoration, comparing it to rebuilding a classic car to its original state. Austin recounts speaking at a federal penitentiary and encouraging inmates to change patterns to transform their lives. Ryan praises Austin's authenticity and rawness in coaching, contrasting it with detached success stories. Austin talks about leading from vulnerability and intentionally seeking discomfort for growth. The episode concludes with Ryan sharing how to find his community and resources.

As heard by us

Identity and self-sabotage anchor the conversation.

The episode keeps its focus on identity, sobriety, and the habits men reach for when they are trying to hold life together. Its best stretch comes when alcohol is set against chaos addiction, and when recovery is framed as something lived rather than merely labeled.

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Why you'd press play

When sobriety is handled, but your identity still needs work.

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