Episode Details
February 1, 2025
37 minutes
- Defining Vulnerability – Doug sees vulnerability as being open to constructive criticism, while Jeremy believes vulnerability strengthens relationships.
- Honesty & Boundaries – The hosts discuss the role of honesty in building relationships and when full transparency may not be appropriate, especially in professional settings.
- Struggles with Asking for Help – Doug admits to having difficulty delegating and is working on letting go of the need to handle everything alone.
- Vulnerability in Leadership – Doug shares a past leadership experience where vulnerability didn’t work as expected, shaping how he now approaches confrontation.
- Upbringing & Emotional Openness – Doug credits his parents' emotional openness for his ability to be expressive with his own children, while Jeremy reflects on overcoming a judgmental upbringing.
- Spousal Influence – Both hosts share how their wives have helped them improve communication, compassion, and empathy.
Featured Quotes
"There is strength in vulnerability. The more open we are, the deeper our relationships become."
Jeremy Axel
"Asking for help doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m learning that I don’t have to handle everything alone."
Doug Cox
Episode Transcript And Overview
What does it mean to be vulnerable? When is vulnerability appropriate, and when is it not the right time? Here’s a hint: most men lean too far on the side of keeping things to themselves. In this episode of Never in Reverse, Jeremy and Doug discuss vulnerability, honesty, and open communication.
Doug and Jeremy begin the episode by discussing what vulnerability means to them and how they practice it in their everyday lives. They compare their upbringing – Doug grew up with emotionally open parents, whereas Jeremy grew up in a judgmental household. Both are learning how to become more vulnerable in their relationships, particularly with the help of their wives.
Timeline Notes
What is vulnerability? For Doug, being vulnerable is about being open to constructive criticism. Jeremy believes that there is strength in vulnerability and that vulnerable people form better relationships.
Honesty is also an important component of vulnerability and relationship building. He recognizes that there is a line for honesty, particularly in professional settings.
Transparency is freeing. Jeremy notes that he likes to work through things himself before sharing them with people, but he is comfortable going back to parts of his past that he has worked through.
Doug struggles to ask for help. He is working to be better at delegating when he needs to and not trying to handle everything on his own.
Doug recounts an experience where he handled a situation in a vulnerable way in a leadership role, and it did not work well. That experience left an impression on him in how he handles confrontation
Doug's parents were very open and emotional with him and his brother. He believes that this has helped him be more open and emotional with his children.
Jeremy grew up in a judgmental home, and he has had to learn how to become less judgmental. Letting go of his judgment has allowed him to grow and strengthen his relationships in his family.
Doug's wife has pushed him to be a better communicator and to have more compassion for himself and others. Jeremy says that his wife inspires him to be more empathetic as well.
