I recently had two conversations with friends — and both revealed a painful pattern I know many Nice Guys carry: the fear of hurting others. It feels noble, right? To protect someone from pain, to hold yourself back until you’re “healed enough.” But if you are really honest with yourself, most of the time, it’s not about protecting *them*. It’s about protecting *you*. From discomfort. From rejection. From being seen as the bad guy. And in doing so, you not only deny them the chance to choose for themselves — you also deny yourself the life and love you want. In this episode, we break down: - Why avoiding pain is not noble, but fear in disguise - How “protecting her” is really about avoiding your own emotions - Why trust means letting others handle their own pain - How courage in love means risking heartbreak