The Art of Manliness

You've heard the advice that to build wealth, you need to earn more, spend less, and invest consistently. But what if there was a clearer way to understand exactly where you stand financially — and what steps you should take to reach the next level? My guest, Nick Maggiulli, offers just such a framework. Nick is the creator of the Of Dollars And Data blog, the Chief Operating Officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management, and the author of The Wealth Ladder [https://amzn.to/3GRjCVw]. Today on the show, he unpacks the Wealth Ladder concept, taking the complex, often overwhelming concept of personal finance and distilling it into six easy-to-understand wealth levels, each tied to specific net-worth milestones and financial freedoms. Nick walks us through each rung of the Wealth Ladder, from getting out of financial instability to achieving restaurant and travel freedom, and eventually reaching upper levels of significant financial independence. We discuss the distinct strategies you should utilize on each rung to make the most of that level and move on to the next. And we get into why your spending decisions should be based on your net worth rather than your income, how wealth allocation changes dramatically as you climb the ladder, and why increasing your earning potential becomes more important than penny-pinching as you progress. Whether you're just getting started or well on your financial journey, this episode provides actionable insights and practical wisdom for climbing the Wealth Ladder and securing a life of greater freedom and fulfillment. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Nick's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #836 — Data-Backed Answers to Personal Finance Controversies [https://www.artofmanliness.com/career-wealth/wealth/podcast-836-data-backed-answers-to-personal-finance-controversies/] * Nick's previous book: Just Keep Buying: Proven Ways to Save Money and Build Your Wealth [https://www.amazon.com/Just-Keep-Buying-Proven-wealth-ebook/dp/B09FYHZXBN?keywords=just+keep+buying&qid=1663764284&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=stucosuccess-20&linkId=5b5704c6e013e43df72477c3dddd3051&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] * Nick's article: What is Coast FIRE? The Ultimate Guide to Semi-Retirement [https://ofdollarsanddata.com/coast-fire/] * The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions [https://amzn.to/4lY7P6K] CONNECT WITH NICK MAGGIULLI * Of Dollars and Data blog [https://ofdollarsanddata.com/] * Nick on X [https://x.com/dollarsanddata?lang=en] * Nick on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmaggiulli] * Nick on IG [https://www.instagram.com/nickmaggiulli/?hl=en] Book cover for [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/07/818fA7mAwVL._SL1500_.jpg]

When you think of the microbiome, you probably think of your gut. But bacteria live all over your body. And they’re incredibly numerous; you play host to about as many microbes — a hundred trillion of them — as you do human cells. As my guest will explain, these microbial ecosystems are not only ubiquitous but hugely influential for your health — impacting everything from your weight and mood to your risk of developing many diseases. Dr. Brett Finlay is a microbiologist and the co-author of The Microbiome Master Key. [https://amzn.to/4689T7C] Today on the show, Brett explains what the microbiome is, how modern life — including our overemphasis on hygiene — has damaged it, and how the quality of your microbiome is connected to nine of the top ten leading causes of death, as well as everything from depression to Parkinson’s. Brett also shares how we can boost the health of our microbiome, including whether probiotic supplements are effective, how something as simple as flossing your teeth can cut your risk of Alzheimer’s by 50%, and why you might want to let your dog lick you in the face. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Let Them Eat Dirt documentary [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7647RDzI5Y] * AoM Article: How and Why to Eat More Fiber [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/you-need-to-eat-more-fiber/] * AoM Article Don’t Be a Stick in the Mud — Why You Should Let Your Kids Get Dirty [https://www.artofmanliness.com/people/family/dont-be-a-stick-in-the-mud-why-you-should-let-your-kids-get-dirty/] * Probiotic gum [https://amzn.to/44jcDfK] CONNECT WITH BRETT FINLAY * Brett’s faculty page [https://www.msl.ubc.ca/people/dr-brett-finlay/] Book cover of [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/07/71qQpOKaJdL._SL1500_.jpg]

All the neurochemicals in the brain have to do with life in the present. Except for one: dopamine. Dopamine is the one neurochemical that looks to the future. It anticipates what may be to come and drives you towards it. That can be a good thing — dopamine is one powerful motivator — but it also has its downsides. Here to help us understand how the most important chemical in the brain works and how to deal with its pitfalls is Michael Long. Michael is a trained physicist turned writer whose latest book is Taming the Molecule of More [https://amzn.to/44tqkdz]. Mike and I discuss how dopamine, for better and worse, makes you want what you don't have. He shares what causes low dopamine activity, how to know if you're experiencing it, and what increases dopamine. We then talk about how to deal with the consequences of dopamine in some of the scenarios in which it plays a role — like losing the spark in a relationship and getting stuck in a smartphone scroll habit — and why so much of taming dopamine comes down to living in the here and now. We end our conversation with why The Great Gatsby is really a novel about dopamine and the fundamental answer to not letting the dopamine chase lead you around. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Mike's previous appearance on the AoM podcast [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/podcast-429-taking-control-of-the-brain-chemical-that-drives-excitement-motivation-and-more/] * AoM Article: How to Do a Dopamine Reset [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/habits/how-to-do-a-dopamine-reset/] * AoM Podcast #745: Do You Need to Take a Dopamine Fast? [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/do-you-need-to-take-a-dopamine-fast/] * AoM Article: Your Life Explained Through Dopamine [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/your-life-explained-through-dopamine/] CONNECT WITH MICHAEL LONG *   *   * Taming the Molecule website [https://www.tamingthemolecule.com/] Book cover of [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/07/81OsOoUURL._SL1500_.jpg]

Note: This is a rebroadcast. A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there’s a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn’t offer a strong, overarching reason to practice them. That’s why the self-improvement advice of the Founding Fathers is particularly compelling. Though they were imperfect men, they had a clear why for trying to become better than they were. For the Founders, life was about the pursuit of happiness, and they equated happiness with excellence and virtue — a state that wasn’t about feeling good, but being good. The Founders pursued happiness not only for the personal benefit in satisfaction and tranquility it conferred, but for the way the attainment of virtue would benefit society as a whole; they believed that political self-government required personal self-government. Today on the show, Jeffrey Rosen, a professor of law, the president of the National Constitution Center, and the author of The Pursuit of Happiness [https://amzn.to/45KN2MY], shares the book the Founders read that particularly influenced their idea of happiness as virtue and self-mastery. We talk about the schedules and routines the Founders kept, the self-examination practices they did to improve their character, and how they worked on their flaws, believing that, while moral perfection was ultimately an impossible goal to obtain, it was still something worth striving for. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * AoM’s series on Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/the-virtuous-life-wrap-up/] * Ben Franklin Virtues Journal available in the AoM Store [https://store.artofmanliness.com/collections/accessories/products/new-franklin-virtue-journal-refill] * AoM Article: Young Benjamin Franklin’s Plan of Conduct [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/manly-lessons/manvotional-young-benjamin-franklins-plan-of-conduct/] * AoM Article: Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules for Life [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/thomas-jeffersons-10-rules-for-life/] * AoM Article: The Libraries of Famous Men — Thomas Jefferson’s Recommended Reading [https://www.artofmanliness.com/living/reading/the-libraries-of-famous-men-thomas-jeffersons-recommended-reading/] * AoM Article: The Best John Adams Quotes [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/the-best-john-adams-quotes/] * AoM Article: George Washington’s Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/etiquette/manvotional-george-washingtons-rules-of-civility-and-decent-behavior-in-company-and-converation/] * AoM Podcast #366: Teach Yourself Like George Washington [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/self-education-george-washington/] * AoM Article: The Spiritual Disciplines — Study and Self-Examination [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/spiritual-disciplines-study-self-examination/] * Tusculan Disputations by Marcus Tullius Cicero [https://www.amazon.com/Tusculan-Disputations-Marcus-Tullius-Cicero/dp/B09CHW2JJ2#:~:text=https%3A//amzn.to/4eFq3ab] * The Golden Verses of Pythagoras  [https://sacred-texts.com/cla/gvp/gvp03.htm] CONNECT WITH JEFFREY ROSEN * The National Constitution Center website  [https://constitutioncenter.org/] * We the People podcast [https://constitutioncenter.org/news-debate/podcasts/-mlks-constitutional-legacy] * Jeffrey’s faculty page [https://www.law.gwu.edu/jeffrey-rosen] * Jeffrey on X [https://x.com/rosenjeffrey?lang=en] [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2024/06/71ZQqxirEZL._SL1500_.jpg]

When you’re feeling stressed, burnt out, and anxious — when you’re striving and achieving but still finding yourself persistently dissatisfied with life — you might start looking for answers beyond what’s offered by contemporary self-help. One ancient philosophy that can cast light on the sources of and solutions to our seemingly modern dilemmas is Buddhism. If you’ve ever been intrigued by Buddhism but admittedly only have a vague sense of what it’s all about, Brendan Barca — co-author of The Daily Buddhist: 366 Days of Mindful Living [https://amzn.to/3T34hUs] — will walk you through its foundational principles. We begin our conversation with how Buddhism is similar to and different from other ancient philosophies like Stoicism, and Brendan offers an accessible introduction to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. In the second half of our conversation, we explore how Buddhist principles and practices can be applied to our everyday modern lives and help you deal with the anxiety created by living in an impermanent world, shift your perspective on daily challenges, and cultivate greater compassion and patience. We discuss different meditation methods, the real purpose of meditation, and how to get started with it as a beginner. We end our conversation with the Buddha’s final words and what it means to “strive with vigilance.” RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Shamatha Meditation [https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-shamatha-meditation/] * Vipassana (Insight) Meditation [https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/] * Tonglen Meditation [https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-tonglen-meditation/] * AoM Article: A Primer on Meditation [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/a-primer-on-meditation/] CONNECT WITH BRENDAN BARCA * The Daily Buddhist website [https://thedailybuddhist.net/] * The Daily Buddhist on IG [https://www.instagram.com/daily.buddhist/?hl=en] Book cover titled [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/06/61sRp5XGWhL._SL1500_.jpg]