What’s Stealing Your Testosterone (and How to Fix It Naturally)

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• What Is An Extraordinary Man?

• How To Increase Your Testosterone Levels Naturally

• How to Motivate Yourself to Do Hard Things

What Is An Extraordinary Man?
Kyle Harrison

🔦Lights, Camera, ...
What counts as “extraordinary” has always been a moving target: from Dostoyevsky’s Raskolnikov, who separates humanity into rule-breakers destined to “bend history” and everyone else, to the mid-century builders who raised highways, moonshots, and mainframes without turning every life into a 100-hour grind. The story we tell ourselves today often skips the nuance: yes, breakthroughs sometimes come from obsessive outliers, but they’ve always been scaffolded by steady, dignified workers in the middle—and for a time that steadiness reliably bought a middle-class life and a sense of shared mission. As costs climbed, loyalty thinned, and “get rich fast” became a cultural north star, the middle hollowed out. Ambition warped into a chase for bigger numbers, while many people were left choosing between making a living at work they didn’t care about, or caring deeply about work that couldn’t make them a living. Yet greatness isn’t one script. Some measure it by family, faith, or craft; others feel an almost painful pull toward a singular quest. Both paths demand trade-offs, and neither grants anyone the right to consume other people’s lives for a slogan or KPI. The saner question isn’t “Who gets to break the rules?” but “Which rules and whose values are worth living by?” Maybe the courage today is less about owning the universe and more about making a meaningful dent in it and having the courage to pursue greatness on your own terms, even if that means the courage to be normal.

🎬Action!

1. Distinguish personal values from universal ones. List 3–5 values you personally hold most important (e.g., family, faith, craft, impact, financial security,freedom of time). Then, circle the ones that may conflict. Accept that some values are mutually exclusive, like maximizing both work-life balance and startup scale, and decide consciously which trade-off you’ll live with.

2. Redefine ambition on your own terms. Ask yourself: “What does success look like for me if no one else is watching?” Whether that’s raising children well, building a company, or becoming excellent at a skill, write down your definition and anchor it in specifics so you don’t default to society’s money-and-status definition.

3. Set a “dent in the universe” goal. Identify one meaningful project, no matter the scale, where you want to leave a mark—mentoring a student, writing a book, improving a community, or creating a product. Break it into the smallest possible next step and take it this week.

4. Be willing to “be cringe.” Take one action this week that feels authentic but maybe embarrassing to others: share your writing online, post about your hobby, or tell someone what you really want. It’s better to be free than to live under borrowed expectations.

5. Embrace the courage to be “normal.” Stop comparing yourself to billionaires or cultural “greats.” Instead, measure yourself against your own values. Remember, greatness is defined by those who seek it.

How To Increase Your Testosterone Levels Naturally
Derek Munro & Dr. Rhonda Patrick

🔦Lights, Camera, ...
Testosterone is far more than the hormone of sex drive or muscle—it acts as a central player in nearly every system of the body, shaping bone integrity, insulin sensitivity, brain health, and fertility in both men and women, albeit at very different levels. Yet testosterone is a hormone of tradeoffs—fueling strength and vitality on one hand, while possibly demanding higher metabolic resources that may shorten lifespan on the other, as historical examples of eunuchs and castrati intriguingly suggest. Modern research adds another layer of complexity: levels have been declining over recent decades, with lifestyle, obesity, and environment playing leading roles. Measurement, too, isn’t straightforward—total levels, free testosterone, SHBG dynamics, and receptor sensitivity all shape how hormones actually act in the body. Structural issues like varicoceles, lifestyle choices like alcohol or endurance extremes, and micronutrient status can all push levels up or down, while supplements, therapies, and interventions—from ashwagandha and Tongkat Ali to surgical repair and TRT—highlight the many ways people try to optimize this hormone. Still, testosterone’s story resists simple narratives: it can boost health or erode it, extend vigor or complicate longevity, and its effects are as much about balance, context, and individual biology as about numbers on a blood test.

🎬Action!

1. 🛌 Lifestyle Foundations

   1. Prioritize quality sleep: Aim for consistent, restorative sleep to support natural hormone rhythms.

   2. Manage stress: Use stress-reducing practices (e.g., mindfulness, breathing, recovery days) to keep cortisol in check, since elevated cortisol suppresses testosterone.

   3. Limit alcohol: Keep intake low (ideally ≤1 drink/day) to avoid testicular toxicity and excess conversion of testosterone to estrogen.

   4. Quit smoking and avoid underfueling endurance exercise: Both suppress testosterone production and recovery capacity.

2. 🥗 Nutrition & Body Composition

   1. Maintain a healthy body fat range: Excess fat increases aromatase activity (testosterone → estrogen), while very low body fat can also suppress hormones. For reference, a 1% increase in body fat percentage has been associated with a 12 ng/dL drop in testosterone levels.

   2. Eat balanced macros: Include healthy fats (for cholesterol-based hormone synthesis), keep up carb intake to support insulin signaling and prevent excessive SHBG binding, and ensure adequate protein for muscle maintenance and hormone balance.

   3. Correct micronutrient gaps: Vitamin D for reproductive tissue support, Zinc for LH signaling and testosterone synthesis, Magnesium to reduce oxidative stress and free up more bioavailable testosterone.

3. 🏋️ Training & Physical Activity

   1. Strength train regularly: Resistance training provides the strongest anabolic stimulus for testosterone production.

   2. Incorporate high-intensity intervals: Short bursts of intense exercise support hormone signaling.

   3. Avoid chronic underfueling: Sustained calorie deficits or overtraining suppress testosterone.

4. 🧪 Testing & Monitoring

   1. Test both total and free testosterone: Schedule morning, fasted tests for accuracy. Also, one test isn’t definitive—repeat and look for patterns.

   2. Include SHBG, LH, and FSH if needed: They reveal how well hormones are being regulated.

   3. Interpret results with symptoms: Numbers alone don’t tell the full story; energy, mood, libido, and body composition matter too. Remember, reference ranges are guidelines, not absolute targets.

5. 💊 Targeted Support (If Needed)

   1. Evidence-based supplements: Ashwagandha (stress reduction), Tongkat Ali (SHBG support), Shilajit (testicular antioxidant), Boron (increases free T). Note: More research is required for most of these though.

   2. Skip hype: Fenugreek, D-aspartic acid, and tribulus show little effect.

   3. TRT as a last resort: Consider Testosterone Replacement Therapy only if lifestyle and natural measures fail, under medical supervision, with close monitoring for fertility, cardiovascular, and prostate health.

How to Motivate Yourself to Do Hard Things
Scott H. Young

🔦Lights, Camera, ...
Motivation is one of those forces that quietly shapes the trajectory of our lives, explaining why some people push through obstacles while others stall, and why even those without remarkable talent or resources can thrive if they’re diligent and driven. While luck and ability matter, motivation remains a powerful causal factor, though often mysterious and fragile. A useful way to think about it is as a formula: Motivation = Value × Probability × Return on Effort ÷ Distance. We’re more motivated when the goal feels valuable, success seems likely, effort feels worthwhile, and the reward feels close. When any of these falter, motivation breaks down into procrastination, self-doubt, distractibility, or simply drifting without a clear goal. The good news is that by recognizing where the equation is failing—whether the issue is valuing the wrong goals, lacking belief in your ability, letting deadlines feel too distant, or scattering focus across too many pursuits—you can adjust the levers. Doing so doesn’t guarantee endless drive, but it transforms motivation from a mystery into something you can diagnose and strengthen.

🎬Action!

1. Increase the perceived value. Focus your attention on goals that truly matter to you. Visualization, affirmations, and daily reminders can raise a goal’s salience so it doesn’t get buried under competing distractions. Motivation weakens when it’s spread across too many pursuits, so deliberately elevate one goal above the rest. To do this well, make sure the goals are personally valuable—not just imposed by others. If you’re struggling to find the right ones, expose yourself to new inspirations and reflect deeply on what resonates with you.

2. Increase the likelihood of success. Boost motivation by making success feel more attainable. Plan carefully, research thoroughly, and model yourself after people who’ve succeeded before you. Just as importantly, cultivate habits that build self-efficacy—the belief that you can follow through. Discipline alone won’t carry you far if a goal feels low-value or out of reach, so pair discipline with enthusiasm and confidence in your ability to persist.

3. Increase the return on effort. Seek out goals where your effort clearly changes the outcome. Easy goals often invite complacency, while more difficult ones inspire greater commitment because each bit of effort matters more. That said, balance matters: goals that are too hard can crush self-efficacy, while goals that are too easy can breed distraction. Habits can help here as well—they bring benefits closer to the present and reduce the cost of effort, making the payoff feel greater.

4. Reduce the psychological distance. Bring your goals closer to the present so they feel actionable now. Break large projects into smaller steps—like writing one paragraph instead of finishing an essay—and set soft deadlines, daily habits, or short sprints to shrink the gap between now and your future reward. At the same time, deliberately push non-priority goals further into the future with “someday” lists, so they don’t steal attention from what matters most. You can also shorten the time frame of a single pursuit (“speak French by summer” instead of “learn languages someday”), which raises focus and urgency.

TOOL TIP

Focus Friend: A a cozy, gamified productivity timer by Hank Green that turns your focus into rewards. A cute “bean” keeps knitting only if you stay off your phone, earning you decor and prizes, and makes staying on task feel fun, motivating, and emotionally satisfying.

FUN FACT

In the NBA, taller players are not better than shorter players. There is no correlation between height and scoring success.

If you’ve found value in what I share, buying me a coffee is a great way to say “thanks” and help me keep doing what I love. Every bit of support helps me spend more time creating useful, thoughtful content for you. Thanks for being here—it means a lot! 🙏

If you enjoyed today's newsletter, please share it with your friends and family!

If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive them in future!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.