Most men believe confidence comes after certainty - once they make more money, gain more experience, or eliminate risk. In this Friday Field Notes, Ryan Michler challenges that belief and explains why clarity, not certainty, is the real source of confidence.
Ryan breaks down how ambiguity quietly drains a man’s energy, why indecision exhausts the nervous system, and how avoiding clarity eventually leads to resentment, broken relationships, and missed opportunities. He also explains why most men don’t lack clarity - they lack the courage to act on what they already know.
This episode is a call to action: stop negotiating with clarity, make decisions, and move forward calmly, deliberately, and decisively.
00:00 - Confidence vs Certainty
00:38 - Why Ambiguity Drains Men
02:32 - How Indecision Exhausts Your Energy
04:34 - Clarity Calms the Nervous System
05:45 - Confidence Is Calm, Not Loud
06:30 - Why Men Avoid Clarity
08:08 - Clarity Requires Courage
10:16 - “Patience” as Avoidance
12:19 - What You Avoid Will Confront You
14:00 - Clarity Is Respect, Not Aggression
15:52 - The One Question You Must Ask Yourself
17:02 - One Decision Can Change Everything
19:07 - Confidence Comes After Decision
21:22 - Final Challenge to Get Clear
Choose one area of your life you’ve been avoiding clarity - your marriage, health, finances, or career - and make one decision or have one conversation this week. Confidence follows decision, not comfort.
Join the Iron Council: https://orderofman.com/ironcouncil
Men’s Forge Event (April 23-26, St. Louis): https://themensforge.com
Free tools, tactics and techniques to help you be the man you were meant to be.
