164. Why Do I Struggle to Become the Man I Want to Be? | Lawrence Price on Strength, Discipline & Identity164. Why Do I Struggle to Become the Man I Want to Be? | Lawrence Price on Strength, Discipline & Identity
The Self Development Podcast
Johnny Lawrence and Lawrence Price talk about what truly makes a man strong, weaving together fatherhood, sobriety, anxiety and emotional honesty. The conversation touches on identity, fear, and how small acts of courage and curiosity can shift the way men show up for themselves and their families.
1:32:05•2 Sept 2026
Becoming the Man You Want to Be: Lawrence Price on Fatherhood, Fear and Real Strength
Episode Overview
- Real strength is defined as the courage to face fears, vulnerabilities and uncomfortable truths, not just physical fitness or success.
- Fathers play a crucial role in shaping their daughters’ sense of men, so engaging openly with periods, menopause and emotions matters.
- Using alcohol as a social crutch can mask anxiety; sober, structured spaces can create deeper, more authentic connection.
- Breathwork and body awareness can help release long-held anxiety and grief that talking alone may not reach.
- Visualising a clear ‘future best self’ offers a practical compass for daily decisions and self-respect, especially when change feels tough.
“It's so unfair. We're not going to be here forever. I imagine my children having their lifetime and I just remember feeling it's so unfair that we can't be with each other forever.”
What drives someone to seek a life that actually matches the man they want to be? This conversation between coach and entrepreneur Lawrence Price and host Johnny Lawrence gets right into that tension between the man you are and the man you wish you were. You’ll hear Lawrence talk openly about anxiety, fear and the slow process of building genuine strength.
He doesn’t tie strength to gym achievements or business success, but to emotional honesty and showing up for the people you love. As he puts it, he wants to be “strong enough to just stride into those areas” he’s been avoiding, even when it’s uncomfortable. Fatherhood is a huge thread running through the chat.
Lawrence reflects on the idea that “being a father is being a young girl’s first idea of what a man is,” and why learning about periods, menopause and neurodivergence matters if dads want to truly support their daughters, sons and partners. The pair share stories of autistic children, ADHD, postnatal depression and the quiet panic of trying to be a good dad when you’re triggered by your own past. There’s plenty here for anyone sober or sober-curious too.
Johnny talks about giving up alcohol five years ago, admitting he “needed a drink to go out” and used it as a crutch for social anxiety. Both men describe alcohol-free men’s spaces, intense eye-contact exercises and breathwork sessions where decades of tension finally released in tears. Underneath the humour and banter is a serious message: your wounds aren’t your fault, but your healing is your responsibility.
From emotional literacy (not asking someone to “speak Japanese” by demanding feelings they can’t name) to creating a clear vision of a “future best self”, this episode sits right where self-development, masculinity and recovery meet. If you’re wondering why change feels so hard, yet know deep down you’re capable of more, this honest conversation might be exactly the nudge you’ve been looking for.
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