Videos

Books

Through the Dark Wood – Finding meaning in the second half of life, by James Hollis, PH.D.

This is an excellent exploration of midlife from a more psychological perspective. James provides a succinct summary of how people operate with a nice list of what issues we might be dealing with (Chapter 1), relationships and their dynamics, with an especially helpful chapter of the specifics for men and WTF (Chapter 4).

Life Reimagined – The science, art, and opportunity of midlife, by Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Barbara takes a deep dive into midlife, but not necessarily from a man’s perspective. She’s done her homework though and covers her topics in detail, from the history of the “midlife crisis,” brain function, marriage, life purpose, and work. It’s dense but many gems on midlife can be found within.

Midlife and the Great Unknown – Finding courage and clarity through poetry, by David Whyte

Okay, this is probably my favorite book on the subject, mostly because it’s NOT a how-to book. That said, Whyte taps into something special as it relates to dealing with the luscious place of uncertainty. So it’s a how-to book in the way that all tales about seeing life as a journey (like the Odessey) are how-to books …

Transitions – Making sense of life’s changes, by William Bridges

An exploration of the underlying patter of transitions … not to be confused with changes. Bridges clarifies that changes are things that happen to us, while transitions are how we internalize and ultimately make sense of them. His approach to transitions as having three stages: endings, a neutral zone, and a beginning, while seeming pretty basic is quite powerful in helping to provide a framework for dealing with the changes in life … lot’s for men in midlife to ponder in here.

Positive Intelligence, by Shirzad Chamine.

If your kids made you watch Inside Out (or if you just watched it on your own … it’s okay, no judgement here) you’ll get the sense of what Chamine is trying to cover in this great book on how to get out of your own way by managing the internal saboteurs that no longer are useful for you. Yes, you are hearing voices in your head telling you to do things (which you’re doing, often unconsciously) and no, you’re not schizophrenic. Chamine reveals why only 20% of us are achieving our true potential. Powerful book.

Fire in the Belly – On being a man, by Sam Keen

Keen’s work is eath-shattering and courageous in its message and call to arms on how to unlock a man’s greatest gift … himself. It’s hard to believe it’s already been 35-years since it was first published; the tools and information are still prescient and timely. Covering our relationship with women, our relationship with ourselves, and how we as men are either evolving or dying from the 20th-Century cultural concepts of manliness. Section IV – A Primer For Now And Future Heroes is a roadmap for men in midlife, if you dare to travel the path of a real man.

Websites

Mankind Project and the New Warriors Training

ManTalks

GoodMenProject

The Art of Manliness

David Deida

KnowledgeforMen

Miscellaneous