In this episode of GuyShrink, host Bill Roman sits down with fitness coach Ricky May of Perrysburg, Ohio, for a wide-ranging conversation on building real strength—physical and mental. Ricky shares how he went from an average high school athlete to a full-time coach, and why showing up and following a plan beats wandering the gym aimlessly. They dig into beating gym comparison ("comparison is the thief of joy"), reframing motivation (you don't wait to feel like it—you just go, like brushing your teeth), and the "Rule of Five" that takes the pressure off having a perfect workout every time. Ricky also unpacks his "tactical retreat" philosophy—knowing when to step back and recover, whether after a life crisis or just a tough training block. The two also explore nutrition as a relationship rather than a fad diet (small, sustainable changes over restriction), what it really means to "listen to your body," and how action can be an antidote to anxiety and despair. Ricky closes with simple, doable advice: start with steps, keep a food diary, and focus on being just 1% better every day. Whether you're a seasoned lifter or someone intimidated to start, this episode is full of practical, encouraging guidance. Find Ricky on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @RickieLeeMay.

Connect with the Guy Shrink Podcast across all platforms here: https://linktr.ee/guyshrink

In this episode of GuyShrink, host Bill Roman sits down with friend and automotive industry professional Dennis Landis to explore what's so critical about critical thinking — and why most of us aren't actually doing it. Dennis shares how 20 years of solving complex manufacturing problems taught him that we waste enormous time and money attacking the wrong problems, driven by emotion, bias, and a rush to check the box. Drawing on the work of behavioral intelligence expert Chase Hughes, they unpack three powerful ideas: that humans are rationalizing creatures (not rational ones), that whoever controls attention controls meaning, and that self-mastery is a prerequisite for clear thinking. Dennis walks through real-world examples from the shop floor — including a tooling cost problem that took three years to solve because the problem statement itself was wrong — and shares practical techniques like replacing "why" with "how," deliberately proving yourself wrong, and inverting problems by asking "if I wanted this to happen on purpose, how would I do it?" Bill and Dennis also discuss the importance of face-to-face interaction, reading nonverbal cues, surrendering ego, embracing discomfort, and surrounding yourself with people who think differently than you do. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a relationship, or just trying to make better decisions, this conversation offers a grounded, no-nonsense look at what it takes to truly think well.

Connect with the Guy Shrink Podcast across all platforms here: https://linktr.ee/guyshrink

What does a wrestling mat have to teach us about how to live? More than you might think.

In this episode, Bill sits down with Nick B., a high school wrestling coach and teacher from Monroe, Michigan, who's spent seven years building not just a competitive program — but a culture of character. With 28 athletes on his roster and a coaching philosophy built around core values and pillars like honor, accountability, gratitude, and "iron sharpens iron," Nick is in the business of making better people, not just better wrestlers.

Nick and Bill dig into what it really means to compete — and why wrestling, as a combat sport where no one is coming to save you, is one of the purest metaphors for life. They talk about the discipline of habits, the identity shift behind James Clear's Atomic Habits, the danger of multitasking (and why deep focus wins), and why changing "I have to" to "I get to" can flip your entire experience of hard things.

Nick also gets honest about failure — his own jujitsu losses, running a surprise half-marathon with a wrestler at midnight, and what it's like to put yourself back in the arena as a coach so you never forget what your athletes feel.

Plus: dating without expectations, the power of morning anchors, and a banner on the wall that says everything — Nobody Cares. Work Harder.

Check out Nick's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@coacheby

Connect with the Guy Shrink Podcast across all platforms here: https://linktr.ee/guyshrink