Hi Everyone and welcome back to the Hockey Journey Podcast, episode number 77, Becoming A Hockey Master Craftsman," presented to you by Online Hockey Training dot com. I'm your host Coach Lance Pitlick. If you're new here, please make sure you subscribe, so you won't miss out on any future episodes.
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When I say master craftsman, what comes to mind? For me, it's someone who is really good at what they do, doesn't matter what the sector or industry. But have you ever thought about where the term originated from and what it really means? We'll, let me tell you, with a little help from Wikipedia.
Here's what I found when I typed in master craftsman, Wikipedia.
Historically, a master craftsman or master tradesman (sometimes called only master or grandmaster) was a member of a guild. The title survives as the highest professional qualification in craft industries.
In the European guild system, only masters and journeymen were allowed to be members of the guild. An aspiring master would have to pass through the career chain from apprentice to journeyman before he could be elected to become a master craftsman. He would then have to produce a sum of money and a masterpiece before he could actually join the guild. If the masterpiece was not accepted by the masters, he was not allowed to join the guild, possibly remaining a journeyman for the rest of his life. (Thank You Wikipedia)
So if I understand this correctly, there's someone who wants to get into some trade as their vocation for the foreseeable future, maybe the rest of their life. In most cases, there is some formal education required before you can even get into the game. Then, someone that is already established in that sector, takes you under their wing and shows you the ropes. In this phase, often called the apprentice phase, the individual is introduced to the in's and out's of the trade and starts to get daily repetitions.
The apprenticeship phase can last for years before the person progresses to the journeyman level. There's no fast track to speed up this process, it's like brewing a cup of coffee, it's done one drip at a time.
The journeyman position continues the natural cycle of skill acquisition by increased responsibility on projects and taking the lead more on day to day agenda items. After years and years of being mentored by a higher up in the industry, you finally get to the point where you say, I'm ready to go out on my own, to be recognized as a master craftsman and are ready to begin the next chapter, but now, on your own.
The final phase is to get the stamp of approval from the guild or masters, and with that brings the recognition of acceptance that you have earned the right to call yourself a master craftsman. But though you think you are ready to take the next, and final step, you first must present your body of work or knowledge to the elder statesman. Then and only then, will you be awarded the title of master craftsman. If acceptance is not recognized, the individual may spend the rest of their life as a journeyman. That would suck!!
To me, what we just heard, is very similar to a hockey career. You spend the early years as an apprentice learning the craft, graduate to journeyman, as you start making the top teams at your level. But once you reach a certain age, male or female, you'll have to apply for your master craftsman or craftswoman certificate. You'll know if you've reached that peak of that mountain when you receive a scholarship or jr. roster spot. If that doesn't happen around the age of 18-21, you'll then know that your end will be as a journeyman.
If you don't want that to be your fate, then let's work on ways to make sure that doesn't happen. There are many people that have made the topic of mastery their life's work and I'd like to share with you some of their most important and impactful findings, with the hope that the wisdom you're about to hear will help you get closer to whatever it is you're trying to master!
For the following books I'm going to reference, know that I'm only scratching the surface of all the learning nuggets in each of the titles. If something resonates with you from a certain book, by the end of this episode, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of your own and read it in its entirety. I'll put the links to each of the titles in the description. With that being said, let's begin.
Book Number One
The Message of a Master
By John McDonald
Quote #1
“The following pages are the result of a series of notes collected and set down in the form of a story and a system of practice. The order as originally received has been carefully adhered to so that its value to the reader isn’t diminished. It sets forth no creed or dogma, but teaches in a clear, understandable, simple way, step by step, a practical, workable procedure, based on Universal Law, for the mastery of our conditions of life.” (End Quote)
Quote #2
CLEANING UP OUR MENTAL HOUSE
“Your mind can be likened to a house that has been cluttered over the years with thousands of unnecessary pieces of furniture, pictures, ornaments, and other things, all strewn around and piled everywhere. The result is that, although the outside of the house may present a good appearance, the inside is a mess of confusion and disorder. It is impossible to accomplish anything under such conditions, for you cannot go after one thing without stumbling over another. There is no order. No purpose. No progress. The first necessary thing to do, then, is to rid that house of all but the furnishings that are essential to your success.” (End Quote)
Quote #3
WHAT’S YOUR ONE THING?
“People who have no set objectives are tuning in to everything and getting nothing. They are unfortunate indeed, for they are at the mercy of millions of conflicting thoughts, and their lives are full of confusion and distress. People who have definite objectives, on the other hand, deliberately tune in to one thing: If it is money, they get it. If it is a position, they get it. Nothing that such people tune in to can be withheld...So you can see that if you direct that force at several objectives, it becomes divided, and each objective receives a fairly weak stimulus, which results in a slow reaction, or no reaction at all. Do you have a great, ultimate goal to reach that acquires attaining lesser objectives along the way? Well then, let the many lie inactive and direct your force at the nearest or first; once you accomplish that, take up the next, and so on.” (End Quote)
Quote #4
PROGRESS = SUSTAINED INTENSITY IN A GIVEN DIRECTION
“You might question the value of such a detailed explanation, but I have a purpose, and that purpose is to force you to think, to think deeply, with intensity. Don’t confuse the word ’intensity’ with ‘tenseness.’ Tenseness implies mental strain, and arises out of fear and anxiety. It is destructive to both mind and body. My use of intensity here suggests mental force or power, and its results are constructive. Your progress depends upon your degree of sustained intensity in a given direction.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #5
INSIST ON YOURSELF. NEVER IMITATE!
“Each individual that is given the fundamental principles of the Law will work it out somewhat differently, according to his or her own particular inherent nature. I have purposely avoided referring to my method, so that you might have your own freedom of interpretation, andfreedom to make your own decisions. But I want to give you a hint of how I work, though I have to advise you not to let this influence or change you in your particular method. You cannot attain mastery by patterning yourself after another, or by following custom or tradition. Sheep and plodders do that. Masters and leaders never do.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #6
KEEPING THE LIFE FORCE NOURISHED
“After a day’s activity, when your ordinary duties and affairs have depleted your life force a bit, it is a good idea to set aside half an hour—or an hour, if possible—each evening when you can be alone and undisturbed, in the quiet and stillness of your own being. Select words from the list that seem appropriate to your needs at the moment, or simply begin with the first word and move down the list at your own pace. Firmly impress your being with each word, at the same time interpreting its meaning and noticing its effect upon you, not necessarily in the terms of its generally accepted meaning, but strictly as it appeals to you.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #7
QUIT DIGGING UP THE SEEDS
“Now, are you going to constantly be glancing out of the corner of your eye to see how things are proceeding? Are you going to be wondering how the thing works, or if it really is working? Not at all. You set the objective. You planted the seed. You wouldn’t dig up a seed in your garden to see if it were sprouting. You planted and watered it, and you’re satisfied that, according to the law of its being, it will come forth. In exactly the same way, nothing on earth can prevent your objective from becoming.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #8
GOT MOMENTUM? MAINTAIN IT!
“When the first objective is reached, what then? Set another one beyond that, immediately. Why? Because the peculiar nature of the Outer Mind is to drop back into inertia after achieving an objective. You can imagine the Outer Mind saying something like this, ‘Well, I have beenmercilessly driven, and forced to attain that goal, and now that I’ve reached it I’m going to rest.’ And your answer will be, ‘No rest for you, for I’ve already started you on another.’ Once you have attained that valuable momentum, maintain it. Cling to it. And as the momentum increases, the steps in your progress become more rapid, until eventually it’s possible to reach an objective almost immediately.” (End Quote)
Book Number Two
Take the Stairs
7 Steps to Achieving True Success
By Rory Vaden
Quote #1
“The last time you came up to a set of stairs and an escalator, did you Take the Stairs? If you’re like 95% of the world, then you probably didn’t. Most people don’t; most of the time we look for shortcuts. We all want to be successful and we all want to have a happy life, but we constantly look for the easy way. We look for the ‘escalator’ in hopes that life will be easier. Unfortunately, in our search for making things easier, we are actually making them worse... Take the Stairs is about self-discipline—the ability to take action regardless of your emotional state, financial state, or physical state. This book isn’t about doing things the hardest way possible, but it is about doing the hardest things as soon as possible so that you can get whatever you want in life—as soon as possible. Imagine what you could accomplish if you could get yourself to follow through on your best intentions no matter what. ” (End Quote)
Quote #2
THE 7 STRATEGIES FOR SELF-DISCIPLINE
“In the chapters that follow, I will introduce you to the seven strategies you’ll need in order to Take the Stairs to the life you’ve always wanted. They are seven principles that you can count on that are reflected in the minds and lives of the people I’ve met, seen, read, or talked to who are living their dreams...
The seven principles for simplifying self-discipline to liberate your potential are:
1. Sacrifice: The Paradox Principle
2. Commitment: The Buy-In Principle
3. Focus: The Magnification Principle
4. Integrity: The Creation Principle
5. Schedule: The Harvest Principle
6. Faith: The Perspective Principle
7. Action: The Pendulum Principle”
(End Quote)
Quote #3
THE PAIN PARADOX
“So, counterintuitively an easy life in the long term comes from the sacrifice of completing more difficult tasks here and now. But the paradigm-shifting insight and breakthrough that successful people have made that many others have not is that often these more difficult activities are only necessary for a short amount of time. Which brings us to the Pain Paradox of decision making that states the short-term easy leads to the long-term difficult, while the short-term difficult leads to the long-term easy. The great paradox is that what we thought was the easy, what looks like the easy, what seems like the easy way very often leads us to creating a life that couldn’t be more opposite of easy. And inversely the things that we thought were most difficult, the challenges that appear to be the toughest, and the requirements that seem most rigorous are the very activities that lead us to the life of easy that we all want.”
(End Quote)
Quote #4
ARE YOU A SHOULD-HEAD?
“Another illustration of the difference our simple choices can make comes in a powerful book by Mac Anderson and Sam Parker called 212: The Extra Degree. In the book, and a corresponding short video, the authors demonstrate the fact that at 211 degrees water is hot—but at 212 degrees it boils. ‘With boiling water comes steam; and steam can power a locomotive. It’s that 1 degree that makes all the difference,’ the authors say. They go on to illustrate the impact of 1 degree through several life examples. I believe it is that 1 degree that is the miniscule, almost unnoticeable, nearly invisible, yet tantamount difference between choosing an attitude that says, ‘I’m not sure yet,’ and one that says, ‘I’m in for good.’ That is, one that asks, ‘Should I?’ versus one that asks, ‘How will I?’ This 1-degree difference of commitment distinguishes which people you can count on and which ones will flake out on you.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #5
FOCUS IS POWER
“If you were to lay a piece of paper down on the asphalt on a hot summer day, nothing would happen to it, but if you held a magnifying glass between the piece of paper and the sun, the paper would catch on fire. Why? Because focus is literally power. Sunlight focused enough creates enough energy to set a piece of paper on fire. Water focused enough, or streamlined enough, can cut through steel. The Magnification Principle of Focus simply states one of life’s most important truths, that Focus Is Power.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #6
SILENCING MR. M
“If you’re going to Take the Stairs and you’re going to be successful, you have to learn to discipline yourself to use positive affirmations. Train your mind so that every time you here Mr. Mediocrity going off about something, your personal alarm will sound and you will immediately exterminate his fire by spraying it with a blast of positive self-talk. This will feel stupid at first. Actually, it might always feel a little silly. I will tell you right now that most people do not want to use positive affirmations. But remember: Successful people do what others don’t feel like doing—and that is why they get extraordinary results.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #7
VISIONEERING
“Focusing our thoughts is the entry point for all creation in our entire life. Before we create anything in our physical world, it first must be conceived in our mental world. Some people call it purpose, some call it vision, and some call it possibility. The term I prefer is ‘visioneering.’ I got the term from author Andy Stanley and I love it because it appropriately accounts for the two most critical aspects of creating a new idea—a ‘vision’ and ‘engineering.’
Regardless of whether you call it a goal, a purpose, or a vision, the bottom line is that you need to have one. Developing a vision isn’t an academic exercise, it’s not an element of a business plan, and it’s not a metaphysical meeting with the universe. A vision is an inspiring mental picture that propels you to take action. Your vision is important because the amount of your endurance, and the intensity of your focus, is directly proportionate to the clarity of your vision... A great vision is like a powerful magnet pulling you into a future of becoming a better you.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #8
THE RENT AXIOM + THE LAW OF DIMINISHING INTENT
“They [people who set New Year’s resolutions but don’t follow through] are simply, through their own unawareness, victims of the law of diminishing intent. They are people who do not realize how fickle—and fleeting—our own intentions can be. Understanding this phenomenon explains why New Year’s Resolutions rarely work. We can’t make a resolution once a year and expect it to leverage us to action for that entire period of time. Instead, as Albert Gray wrote in 1940, ‘Any resolution that is made today must again be made tomorrow.’ And the next day, and the next day, and the next day (remember the Rent Axiom?).” “the mind-set success is never owned—it isonly rented—and the rent is due every day.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #9
YOU MUST DEVELOP A LIFESTYLE OF ACTION
“You must develop a lifestyle of action. You must commit to action. You must embrace action. If you act, if you do, if you move, then you can have anything you want. If you do not act, then you understand but do not believe. If you do not act, you are merely an informed derelict. If you do not act, you are an unfortunate harbor of unused potential. If you do not act, if you do not do, if you do not move, then you shall not have. You will act. You will win.” (End Quote)
Book Number Three
The Passion Paradox
A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life
By Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
Quote #1
“This book began as an intimate exploration to better understand how we, Brad and Steve, could live with passion in a constructive, healthy, and sustainable way. We scoured the literature, reading texts from biology, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy; interviewed cutting-edge researchers from across disciplines all over the world; met with and studied not only individuals whose passion built them up, but also those whose passion broke them down; and looked deep inside ourselves, discovering the good, the bad, and the ugly about our own respective relationships with passion. Perhaps you have an idea of where you fall on the passion spectrum. Maybe you have an inkling of a career path or business idea you want to pursue, but you have doubts or fears. Or perhaps you’re contemplating going all-in on an idea, whether that means starting a company or training to become an elite athlete. Maybe you’re already following your passion but you’re feeling the beginning of burnout, or you’re neglecting other aspects of your life, such as your friends, family, or just experiencing joy outside your chosen pursuit. Or maybe you’re feeling all out of a passion that once fueled you. No matter where you are in the passion process, thisbook will help get you on track. You’ll learn how to manage your relationship with passion and cultivate the kind of passion that lights you up rather than burns you out or sets your life on fire.” (End Quote)
Quote #2
PASSION: HANDLE WITH CARE
“By now, a more comprehensive picture of passion is beginning to emerge. At first, the word passion—at the time passio—implied suffering. Only more recently did it take on positive connotations. Yet depending on the circumstances, both definitions are still apt. The feeling of passion comes from both our evolutionary ancestors (nature) and our lived experiences (nurture). When we throw ourselves into an obsession, we attack deep-seated insecurities, fill voids from our past, and escape from things we may not want to face in our present. Our biology, and in particular a neurochemical called dopamine, fuels the pursuit. It keeps us coming back for more and prevents us from becoming content. Some of us may be born with a biological profile that makes us more likely to fall under passion’s spell, but with enough repetition of an activity we view as meaningful, anyone can get hooked.” (End Quote)
Quote #3
THE “FIT MIND-SET” (VS. THE MASTERY MIND-SET)
“In the small but growing world of passion research, this is called a ‘fit mind-set’ of passion, and it very much parallels the destiny belief system of love. According to the latest research, 78 percent of individuals hold a fit mind-set, meaning they believe happiness comes from finding an activity or job about which they are immediately passionate, something that feels intuitively right from the get-go. While this mind-set may be the most prevalent one, it’s not necessarily best. Individuals who adopt a fit mind-set of passion tend to overemphasize their initial feelings. They are more likely to choose pursuits (and especially professions) based on preliminary assessments, not potentialfor growth—even though the latter is generally more important than the former for lasting fulfillment and satisfaction. People with fit mind-sets for passion are also more likely to give up on new pursuits at the first sign of disappointment, shrugging their shoulders and thinking, Iguess this isn’t for me. Furthermore, studies show that individuals with fit mind-sets actually expect their passions to dwindle over time, setting themselves up for midlife crises once their initial enthusiasm for an activity has diminished. Put all this together, and a compelling story emerges: A fit mind-set for passion is constraining; it inherently limits one to activities that feel good immediately and makes one fragile to challenge or change.” (End Quote)
Quote #4
OBSESSIVE PASSION VS. HARMONIOUS PASSION
“Enter harmonious passion: a feeling that emerges when you are wrapped up in something primarily for the joy of the activity, when your engagement is not merely a means to an end but rather an end in itself. Harmonious passion manifests mainly from activities that are freelychosen without contingencies; when you do something because you enjoy it, not because it offers potential rewards, and not to avoid negative repercussions. Not every moment of harmonious passion is necessarily pleasing, but overall, it is deeply fulfilling. It aligns closely with the ancient Greek notion of eudaimonia, or a kind of happiness that results not from overwhelming pleasure but from striving to meet one’s full potential by engaging in activities that one considers meaningful. In the 1970s, the late psychologist and humanist philosopher Erich Fromm wrote of something similar, which he called productive activity, where happiness isn’t related to the attainment of possession or rewards but rather to ‘the process of ever growing aliveness . . . for living as fully as one can is so satisfactory that concern for what one might or might not attain has little chance to develop.’ The great paradox, however, is that although external achievement is never a primary goal of harmonious passion, when you become completely immersed in what you’re doing for the joy of the activity itself, it is often a by-product. Those who focus most on success are least likely to achieve it. Those who focus least on success, and focus on the process of engaging in their craft instead, are most likely to achieve it.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #5
PASSION’S SECRET SAUCE #1: THE MASTERY MIND-SET
“Mastery is a mind-set and also a path. It leads to continual improvement and development. It values acute (in the moment) and chronic (over a lifetime) engagement and devalues most of the transient stuff in between (point-in-time successes or failures). Mastery is not a new-age self-help concept. It is rooted in principles that are central to psychology and biology, and it is an ever-present theme in the lives of people who embody harmonious passion. Individuals who are on the path of mastery not only accomplish great things, but do so in a healthy and sustainable manner. They exude a Zen-like aura, are resistant to burnout, and produce work that is of a special kind of quality—a quality that is born of love. And yet perhaps their greatest accomplishment is an even more cherished one: continual growth anddevelopment, a fulfilling life. Just about every great performer who embodies and sustains the best kind of passion also adheres to what we call the mastery mind-set. The good news is that this mind-set and all its benefits are available to anyone who is willing to put in the worknecessary to adopt it. The following subsections describe the six individual components of the mastery mind-set and offer insights on how you can bring each to life.” (End Quote)
Bonus Quote #6
SECRET SAUCE #2: SELF-AWARENESS AND THE POWER TO CHOOSE
“This chapter began by making the point that the art of living with the best kind of passion over a lifetime relies heavily on self-awareness. When you are in the throes of a passion, your ability to see beyond it often deteriorates. As a result, you lose the power to choose how you want to spend your time and energy. Your passion controls you, rather than you controlling it. The key to protecting yourself from the intense inertia of passion lies in cultivating self-awareness. Ironically, the best way to do that is to step back from yourself. Regularly self-distancing (thinking about a situation as if a friend is experiencing it, rather than yourself, or thinking/ journaling in third person) and deliberately gaining perspective (by exposing yourself to awe, meditating, or reflecting on mortality) are two of the most effective ways to remain self-aware and maintain your ability to choose, even in the midst of pursuing a passion.” (End Quote)
I absolutely love making these solo podcasts, as I'm so fired up after plowing through all that goodness. Anything really illuminate or catch your attention? For me, it was quote #5 from book number two by Rory Vaden.
(Quote)
FOCUS IS POWER
“If you were to lay a piece of paper down on the asphalt on a hot summer day, nothing would happen to it, but if you held a magnifying glass between the piece of paper and the sun, the paper would catch on fire. Why? Because focus is literally power. Sunlight focused enough creates enough energy to set a piece of paper on fire. Water focused enough, or streamlined enough, can cut through steel. The Magnification Principle of Focus simply states one of life’s most important truths, that Focus Is Power.” (End Quote)
Well that concludes another episode of the hockey journey podcast. I can’t thank you enough for stopping by and listening. I hope you enjoyed this segment on Becoming A Hockey Master Craftsman or Craftswoman. If you think there’s someone in your circle of family and friends that might like this episode as well, please share it with just one person, it will really help me in growing this hockey community.
Again, I appreciate you being here, don’t forget to subscribe, rate or submit a review, I hope to see you back here soon, and do me a favor, make someone close to you smile today. All the best my friends!!
