Stop Giving a F*ck: The Science Behind Approval Seeking Men and How to Escape It | MTM
March 19, 2026
1,407
25
4
2.06%
Search the Record
IndexedEvery word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
Valor Media Network Episodes Around March 19, 2026
See what was published immediately before and after this episode.
1:14:55Now PlayingStop Giving a F*ck: The Science Behind Approval Seeking Men and How to Escape It | MTM
Segments
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelWhy do you care so much about what other people think? In this episode of Men Talking Mindfulness, hosts Jon Macaskill and Will Schneider sit down with Army veteran, mental performance coach, and Skull Sessions podcast host Andy Riise to dismantle the most quietly destructive pattern in men's lives — the approval trap. There's a name for what's running in the background of your decisions, and it isn't a character flaw. It's biology. It's called Fear of Negative Evaluation, and it's one of the most studied psychological patterns in clinical research.
The guys break down why your brain literally cannot tell the difference between social rejection and physical pain, why the audience judging you is half the size you think, and how approval seeking shows up in ways most men never connect to the root cause — over-committing at work, constant reassurance seeking in relationships, buying your kids' affection, and still chasing approval from people who haven't been in your life for decades. Understanding it is the first step to breaking free.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What Fear of Negative Evaluation is and why every man is dealing with it whether he knows it or not
The spotlight effect and the Cornell research that proves you're performing for half the audience you think
How approval seeking silently destroys your career, your relationships, and your sense of self
What "ghosts" are — and how to identify whose voice is still running in your head
Why it's not about not caring — it's about choosing deliberately what deserves your care
Practical tools you can use this week to start breaking free from the approval trap
Follow Andy:
If you've ever held back in a meeting, softened your opinion to keep the peace, or made a decision based on what someone else might think — this conversation will change the way you see yourself and the way you move through the world.
Focus Now Training - helping leaders and teams build focus, resilience, and emotional control. Visit focusnowtraining.com
Subscribe to Your Thursday Three Things — practical focus tools connected to each week’s episode.
Free and deep-dive versions available:
Or text MTM to 33777 and we’ll send the link straight to you.
2026 Spartan Race Team
More episodes & resources
If this episode resonates, follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with one man who's trying to hold it all together.
This episode was co-produced by Robert Lopez of www.cratesaudio.com
Guests & Subjects Covered
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.