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Notes on Being a Man
Bestselling author, NYU professor, and cohost of the Pivot podcast Scott Galloway offers a path forward for men and parents of boys.
Boys and men are in crisis. Rarely has a cohort fallen further and faster than young men living in Western democracies. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school or college than girls. One in seven men reports having no friends, and men account for three of every four deaths of despair in America. Even worse, the lack of attention to these problems has created a vacuum filled by voices espousing misogyny, the demonization of others, and a toxic vision of masculinity. But this is not just a male Women and children can’t flourish if men aren’t doing well. And as we know from spates of violence, there is nothing more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man.
Scott Galloway has been sounding the alarm on this issue for years. In Notes on Being a Man, Galloway explores what it means to be a man in modern America. He promotes the importance of healthy masculinity and mental strength. He shares his own story from boyhood to manhood, exploring his parents’ difficult divorce, his issues with anger and depression, his attempts to earn money, and his life raising two boys. He shares the sometimes funny, often painful lessons he learned along the way, some of which
• Get out of the house. Action absorbs anxiety.
• Take risks and be willing to feel like an imposter. Don’t let rejection stop you.
• Be kind. That’s the secret to success in relationships.
• Find what you’re good at; follow your talent.
• Acknowledge your blessings—and create opportunities for others. Be of surplus value.
• Being a good dad means being good to the mother of your children.
• Life isn’t about what happens to you—it’s about how you respond to it.
With unflinching honesty, Scott Galloway maps out an enriching, inspiring operator’s manual for being a man today.
Boys and men are in crisis. Rarely has a cohort fallen further and faster than young men living in Western democracies. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school or college than girls. One in seven men reports having no friends, and men account for three of every four deaths of despair in America. Even worse, the lack of attention to these problems has created a vacuum filled by voices espousing misogyny, the demonization of others, and a toxic vision of masculinity. But this is not just a male Women and children can’t flourish if men aren’t doing well. And as we know from spates of violence, there is nothing more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man.
Scott Galloway has been sounding the alarm on this issue for years. In Notes on Being a Man, Galloway explores what it means to be a man in modern America. He promotes the importance of healthy masculinity and mental strength. He shares his own story from boyhood to manhood, exploring his parents’ difficult divorce, his issues with anger and depression, his attempts to earn money, and his life raising two boys. He shares the sometimes funny, often painful lessons he learned along the way, some of which
• Get out of the house. Action absorbs anxiety.
• Take risks and be willing to feel like an imposter. Don’t let rejection stop you.
• Be kind. That’s the secret to success in relationships.
• Find what you’re good at; follow your talent.
• Acknowledge your blessings—and create opportunities for others. Be of surplus value.
• Being a good dad means being good to the mother of your children.
• Life isn’t about what happens to you—it’s about how you respond to it.
With unflinching honesty, Scott Galloway maps out an enriching, inspiring operator’s manual for being a man today.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2025
1 person is currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Scott Galloway
24 books1,786 followersScott Galloway is a clinical professor of marketing at the New York University Stern School of Business, and a public speaker, author, and entrepreneur. He was named one of the world's 50 best business school professors by Poets and Quants.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 5, 2025
While the title of this book is a bit deceiving, it really should just be his memoir in my opinion. This may be my favorite of his books so far. It feels like a first or last edition in the trilogy combined with his Algebra of blank books, and distinctly different from The Four, Post Corona, and America Adrift, which are far more business than personal narratives. This book details Galloways life story, with frequent asides listing his actions as either something to be replicated or avoided in being a man. Much of the book is fairly basic information, yet, it is refreshing coming from someone in his position with the level of honesty and humility that he has, which almost leaves a taste of “this guy wants to run for office” as was with Andrew Yang and Barack Obama’s similar books. A fantastic read!
November 5, 2025
Notes on Being a Man Book Review: Brutal Truths, Practical Hope, and a No-Nonsense Path for Men — Scott Galloway’s latest reads like a tough-love letter to his sons and, by extension, to every guy (and the people who care about them) trying to find footing in 2025.
It’s part memoir, part field manual: crisp chapters on work, money, friendship, dating, marriage, and fatherhood, stitched together by one simple ethic—be of use.
The big ideas land because they’re actionable: swap quick dopamine for daily reps, choose competence over “follow your passion,” make women feel safe, and treat kindness as a strength, not a concession.
I liked that Galloway separates masculinity from bad behavior and offers scripts instead of slogans; at times the data sourcing is uneven, but the playbook is still practical and humane.
If you’re a parent of boys, a mentor, or a young man who’s felt adrift, this is a bracing, hopeful guide you can put to work this week.
More details are available at https://www.probinism.com/notes-on-be...
It’s part memoir, part field manual: crisp chapters on work, money, friendship, dating, marriage, and fatherhood, stitched together by one simple ethic—be of use.
The big ideas land because they’re actionable: swap quick dopamine for daily reps, choose competence over “follow your passion,” make women feel safe, and treat kindness as a strength, not a concession.
I liked that Galloway separates masculinity from bad behavior and offers scripts instead of slogans; at times the data sourcing is uneven, but the playbook is still practical and humane.
If you’re a parent of boys, a mentor, or a young man who’s felt adrift, this is a bracing, hopeful guide you can put to work this week.
More details are available at https://www.probinism.com/notes-on-be...
November 4, 2025
DNF 23%
November 7, 2025
He sticks the landing. No notes.
November 7, 2025
4 / 5 Stars
// Great
// Great
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews