A Mason's Work

Brian Mattocks
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In this show we discuss the practical applications of masonic symbolism and how the working tools can be used to better yourself, your family, your lodge, and your community. We help good freemasons become better men through honest self development. We talk quite a bit about mental health and men's issues related to emotional and intellectual growth as well.

  1. -16 H

    Do or Don't Do (The Yoda Mindset)

    The Big Idea: "Trying" is often a cognitive hedge against full commitment; true progress requires 100% engagement in the present moment. Key Highlights: Revisiting Yoda’s iconic line: It’s not about the outcome, it’s about the mindset of commitment.The "Cognitive Shim": How projecting goals into the future prevents us from acting in the now.Lessons from Buddhist traditions: The desire for a result can actually be the barrier to achieving it.Mindfulness Minute: Listen to your language today. Every time you say "I'll try," replace it with "I will" or "I won't," and notice the shift in your internal energy. Memorable Quote: "By having that mental hedge... you are essentially allowing for a sub-optimal effort."  Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    8 min.

  2. -1 ZI

    The Art of the Start

    The Big Idea: Success comes from detaching from specific outcomes and mastering the "art of the start" through small, repeatable daily actions. Key Highlights: How focusing on numbers (bank accounts, scales) distracts us from the most important part: the process of living.The "Rough Ashlar" approach: starting with the easiest, smallest practical step rather than looking for a magic solution.Why you should ignore the "noise" of nuanced online debates and cook a process that works specifically for you.Mindfulness Minute: Identify one goal (like health or better communication) and find the "baby step" you can commit to doing every single day without fail. Memorable Quote: "If you can master the art of the start... you have already beaten the game."  Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    7 min.

  3. -2 ZILE

    The Trap of Secret Knowledge

    The Big Idea: True wisdom isn't a "magic pill" hidden behind esoteric doors; it’s only valuable if it can be applied to solve real problems in your life right now. Key Highlights: The danger of becoming a "consumer" of mystical secrets rather than a collaborator in your own growth.Why interpretive domains like Freemasonry often attract "extreme positions" and "crazy things".If a piece of wisdom doesn't make sense yet, stop forcing it—go back to your life, find the friction, and try again later.Mindfulness Minute: Evaluate one piece of "advice" or "knowledge" you’ve been holding onto. If you can't find a way to use it today, set it aside and focus on your immediate environment. Memorable Quote: "If you can't use it now, it's not useful."  Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    11 min.

  4. -5 ZILE

    Crafting a Life Series: Process over Outcomes

    We wrap up the series with a "fundamental truth": when growing, the work must be focused on the process rather than the destination. High-Value Quotables [00:20] "The fundamental truth is that when we are growing and developing, the work we do should be focused on the process and not the outcomes." [02:29] "It is through exploration and growth and development that you actually discover meaning; it's in the process itself that meaning emerges." [03:44] "Alan Watts describes it as if the outcome was the goal, the best songs in the world would just be the ending... be the songs that end the quickest and loudest and bestest." [05:45] "Don't focus on the outcomes. Focus on the process, and the outcomes will take care of themselves." The Core Concept: Savoring the Moment In a transactional society, we are pressured to focus solely on the final product, but this diminishes the joy and value of the actual experience. Meaning is not something you find before you start a project; it is something that emerges from the exploration and discovery of the process itself. Key Takeaways: Outcome Fatigue: If you only focus on the goal and the result is "garbage," you'll feel like the entire experience was a waste.The Outlier Trap: Don't shut down a process because of one bad outcome; you might be turning off a whole range of growth-stifling experiences.The Joy of Rearing: We don't raise children just to reach the outcome of them being 21; we do it for the joy of watching them grow.Coincidental Results: In the most important parts of life—like love or music—the outcome is coincidental; the value lies in the savoring of the journey.Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    7 min.

  5. -6 ZILE

    Crafting a Life Series: The Mirror of Feedback

    In this episode, we navigate the "place of great danger" that is soliciting feedback, teaching you how to distinguish between seeking approval and seeking actionable insight. High-Value Quotables [01:21] "Are you looking for feedback or approval? Those things are different." [02:44] "What you're really looking for is nuanced feedback... by asking questions that are a little bit more engaging." [04:01] "Every person that's giving you feedback... is acting to as a mirror on that process." [05:42] "Be prepared that they will not be able to separate their opinion from their observation... be careful with other people's feedback, because if you take that and use it as a way to drive your own behavior, you may find that you are operating sort of at the whim of a thousand different perspectives." The Core Concept: Nuanced Questioning Soliciting feedback is a risky step in development because we are often sensitive and prone to seeking simple approval. To get truly actionable insight, you must change the nature of your questions from binary ("Did you like it?") to specific and process-related ("What flavors did you taste?"). Key Takeaways: Approval vs. Feedback: Approval is a binary like/dislike; feedback is a nuanced understanding of choices made in context.The "Mirror" Effect: Respondents are mirrors reflecting your process back to you, but their reflection is always flavored by their own subjective preferences.Specific Inquiries: Ask what someone would have done differently or what was most attractive about an experience to get actionable data.The Feedback Nightmare: If you use subjective feedback as your sole behavioral driver, you risk going adrift by following a "thousand different perspectives".Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    8 min.

  6. 18 FEB.

    Crafting a Life Series: The Alchemy of Making

    This episode discusses how creating physical objects in the world—from woodworking to 3D printing—builds a problem-solving capacity that translates across all domains of life. High-Value Quotables [00:12] "One of the most profound ways to really grow and develop as a person... is to make something... literally physical objects in the world." [01:51] "Because you are put in this situation to create little problems that you then have to figure out how to solve... and they are in a very narrow context window." [03:46] "The problem-solving process is its own form of discovery." [05:34] "This problem-solving capacity, when you start making stuff on a regular basis, increases, becomes cross-functional and enhances your ability to solve problems that you didn't create." The Core Concept: Solving Problems in Context Making something—whether it’s a recipe or a 3D-printed object—creates a series of "micro-problems" that must be solved within specific design constraints. This process is a form of active discovery that builds "agility" and "capacity," teaching you how to iterate through solutions until you find the right answer. Key Takeaways: Low Risk, High Reward: The risk of making something is low (bad taste, ugly look), but the upside is the potential for a life-changing peak experience.Peak Experiences: Using a tool like a 3D printer to watch an object you designed materialize can be a "profound" moment of discovery.Solution Maturation: Through making, you learn to start with the "right answer" next time, rather than repeating the same trial-and-error process.Cross-Functional Skills: The logic you use to fix a "too spicy" dish can unexpectedly translate to a "fishing solution" or a problem that life tosses at you.Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    8 min.

  7. 17 FEB.

    Crafting a Life Series: Designing Your Own Practice

    In this episode, we explore the architecture of self-development, specifically focusing on how to build a mindfulness or contemplative practice that actually fits your life. High-Value Quotables [01:18] "I would like to encourage you as the architect of your own development to consider developing or building your own practice, at least to start." [01:47] "Developing or designing your own practice means understanding your own structures and limitations and what you are capable of doing." [04:05] "The more ceremony... the more of that you set up, the less likely you are to continue doing it long-term." [05:24] "You can do anything that's right for you cognitively, emotionally... but you should cultivate as much as you can some level of reflective process." The Core Concept: The Architect of Development Many people abandon self-development practices like journaling or meditation because they try to follow rigid, "one-size-fits-all" traditions that don't match their reality. The key to a sustainable practice is to design a protocol that is easily integrated into your existing habits, allowing for consistent reflection and self-evaluation. Key Takeaways: Stop Fighting Friction: If a specific practice feels impossible, don't write off the behavior entirely; change the method to fit your limitations.Anchor Behaviors: Tie new mindfulness practices to existing habits—like slow-walking to the fridge or reflecting while brushing your teeth.Avoid Over-Ceremony: Keep the barrier to entry low. Lighting candles and closing drapes can actually make a habit harder to maintain long-term.The Reflective Goal: The ultimate purpose is simply to cultivate a process where you can evaluate your internal world and identify areas for growth.Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    7 min.

  8. 16 FEB.

    Crafting a Life Series: The Risk of Leaving the House

    This episode addresses the inherent difficulty of starting new things and the profound growth that only occurs when we consciously choose to step out of our comfort zones. High-Value Quotables [00:49] "From a place of comfort, no one has ever really meaningfully grown." [01:03] "The plan is to pursue these opportunities where you are uncomfortable and in pursuit of these staged areas of discomfort... those inconveniences you will very easily be able to surmount." [02:29] "The risk of hating it and the reality of hating it does not diminish the value of trying something different and having something that is your new favorite thing." [05:12] "On the other side of it is a better version of yourself that has to pass through that discomfort." The Core Concept: Stepping Beyond the Comfort Zone Starting new things is risky and challenging, which often leads us to build lives of stagnant comfort. However, meaningful growth requires us to consciously pursue "staged areas of discomfort"—whether it's traveling, visiting loved ones, or trying a new cuisine—because the potential payoff for exploration is immeasurable. Key Takeaways: Meaningful Growth: True development occurs only when we leave the safety of what we know.The "Lottery" of Exploration: Taking a risk on an unknown experience can lead to life-changing payoffs, even if you occasionally encounter things you don't like.Finding Your Mission: You cannot find your "favorite thing" or your way of being in the world if you never explore what the world has to offer.The Transcendent Experience: Pushing through short-term discomfort is the only way to reach the relationships and experiences that permanently change your life for the better.Creators & Guests Brian Mattocks - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Click here to view the episode transcript. Thanks to our monthly supporters Tim Dedman Jorge

    8 min.
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Detalii

In this show we discuss the practical applications of masonic symbolism and how the working tools can be used to better yourself, your family, your lodge, and your community. We help good freemasons become better men through honest self development. We talk quite a bit about mental health and men's issues related to emotional and intellectual growth as well.

Informații

  • Creator
    Brian Mattocks
  • Perioadă activă
    2023 - 2026
  • Episoade
    228
  • Evaluare
    Adecvat
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Brian Mattocks
  • Site web emisiune
    A Mason's Work

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