Are You A Craftsman Or A Hack?
The Return of the Craftsman
My friend Seth Godin posted a blog today on The New Craftsman.
In it he speaks of the, a “craftsperson is someone who takes real care and produces work for the ages. Everyone else might be a hack, or a factory guy or a suit or a drone, but a craftsperson was someone we could respect.”
A craftsperson is, “Someone to look up to.”
I agree with Seth, this is the age of for The New Craftsmanship. We’re on the tail edge of the age of mass produced crap with one foot into an era where good stuff is make by good people.
I like Seth’s twist, that “The New Craftsman need not make craft.”
A craftsman may be a strength coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a chiropractor or simply a person, like you or I, who cares for their body, mind and spirit with the passion and intention.
That’s not to suggest by any means that all who eat well and train are craftsmen. Hacks do it to.
Hacks exercise. Craftsmen train. There’s a purpose, a goal, and intention and intensity to the art of science of their training.
Hacks exercise by the clock, checking off the sets and reps out of obligation. The craftsman trains in a flow state, lost in time, present to and enjoying every moment.
The craftsman’s work is never done—for while they have goals it’s not the goal that keeps them going, it’s living the journey.
The hack tries too hard, burns themselves out in mere weeks trying to be too perfect, or uses a diet to punish themselves. They are in a constant struggle—a tug-of-war with the scale, their body and life.
The craftsman need not and most likely does not have the perfect body. They don’t require themselves to win a pose down or reach single digit body fat. They enjoy looking and living a vibrant fit life but their deep satisfaction is in the feeling, the energy, the quality and passion for life.
So, what’s your answer? Have you been being a Hack or a Craftsman?
I bet I know your answer going forward.
To Experience true Craftsmanship in Nutrition try the world’s most expensively created nutrition shake, Full Strength. Take the 14-Day Full Strength Challenge and discover how much more strong, vibrant and alive you can feel in 2 short weeks! If you don’t love the way Full Strength feels in your body, you don’t owe a dime.
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Mark Schlereth
Love it!
Shawn Phillips
Thanks Mark!
Andrew Brown
Shawn thank you as always for another insightful blog to help us achieve our best health. I agree with this concept as I attack my current goals for 2011 to lose an additional 50 pounds of fat and do some long distance charity bike rides this summer. It is this same approach that I lost 55 already with Full Strength and a combination attack of training with purpose and intensity. God Bless. -Andrew
Shawn Phillips
Yes, congrats Andrew! Amazing progress… the way it’s supposed to happen. Over time through lifestyle changes.
And here’s to the power-house 1-2 punch of Full Strength and a cycle!
Ride Strong!
Shawn
Benjamin
Shawn,
Great blog today. I’m striving to be a craftsman. Having a defibrillator at the age of 31 I have seen the light. It’s not about how much I can lift on the bench press. It’s about having a quality life Full of energy and accomplishing things that will make a difference in the lives of others. I have my goals laid out and I am doing the necessary steps in accomplishing them.
Thanks for the great shakes!!! They’re gggggrrrreeeaattt, LOL
To The Work
Benjamin
Kurt
Shawn – I just completed Boot Camp, and am starting into full training this week. Just got my first shipment of Full Strength shakes last night and had one this morning. I admit I was a little skeptical about your description of how delicious they are, but I have to say – wow! The chocolate shake was really good. And it definitely worked well as a full meal – I felt lots of energy.
I appreciate having a well thought-out, detailed training regimen. I have run marathons for many years, including Boston, and following a scientific training program that others have put so much time and study into has helped me achieve the results I wanted. I look forward to doing the same with your program! Thanks for your excellent work!
Shawn Phillips
Kurt,
Wow! Congrats on your superhuman feats of Strength in completing so many marathons, and the Boston which stands tall. Impressive. You clearly know what it takes… and have the experience of “The Craft.”
I appreciate you doing the Bootcamp / Reboot. It’s an amazing feeling of accomplishment and renewed energy. For the 12-Short days it can really shock a person. Thanks for trusting me on Full Strength and giving it a shot. I totally get that once you’ve heard a sales pitch, you’ve heard ‘em all… and it makes anyone, any words, difficult to believe. That’s why I always give to experience. It really doesn’t matter what I say about anything. What does matter is your experience–for you can not know what you do not know. Or better yet, what you have not experienced. The mind can only hold “best ever” as a concept but with no experience it’s still guessing and comparing to existing experience.
To experience the lift and sustained energy, all great taste aside, of Full Strength is to have your eyes opened to the possible, to the future in the present. It’s to know what can happen when craftsmanship is built in.
Please keep me posted on your experience as you venture into this Season of Strength!
To Your Life @ Full Strength,
Shawn
jerry bickle
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful we must carry it with us or we find it not.”
Emerson
I thought this quote rang true with what we all are striving to discover in our lives. Our world is a beautiful place if only we perceive it. What we see is more about who we are than we may realize. We perceive the world through the windows of our soul.
There is a term in fitness circles called, Specific Adaptation to Implied Demand (SAID). You can add to this, Always and Exactly. The forces we apply to our body cause it to adapt. The body you have has adapted to the demands you have placed on it over the years. For most of us, the results are not what we’d wish. The good news is, it can change through the application of forces such as weights, running, walking, yoga, whatever. Your body is very adaptable and elastic.
Very fit people find themselves on what they call a plateau. Breaking a plateau requires doing things differently. Your body will adapt, always and exactly. The question is what do you do differently. The answer is different for everyone based on where you’re at and what your goal is. I said goal, and not goals! Specific means you attack or target that aspect of your life. Depending on where you are, what works to move you toward your goal could be several things or a few things. But whatever it is, it will take consistent focused effort.
When you’re focused, you begin to develop a vision for hitting your target. You can see it in your mind. You can rehearse it. You make choices that move you toward your vision. Your vision becomes clearer, more in focus. You build momentum; you’re the little engine that could!
Interestingly, when you begin to focus on this vision, and you make choices that move you toward it, other facets of your life are affected as well. This shapes your character. If your vision is noble, excellent, praiseworthy, etc, you can be sure that God is also pleased and you are in the “flow” of His Spirit. Pursuit of a noble goal produces noble character. You begin to recognize other things in the world that are also noble, excellent and praiseworthy. Your perspective has begun to change. You’re seeing the “beautiful” because you’re carrying it with you.
Others will want to be around you more. You’re not an angry man because your life has a greater purpose. You’re not an addict because your life has a noble purpose. Your are a noble man. A man of character. A man of honor. All because you have purposed to pursue excellence in something God wired you for. You’re fulfilling His purpose for you.
So consider what you love to do and pursue it with excellence. Apply the SAID principle and your life will adapt to the demands you place on it. You will, as Paul said, forget what is behind to press on toward the mark, that calling that God created you for. He will strengthen you and help you. He is pleased to have His Spirit flow through you.
George Bowden
I hired a trainer for the first time and now understand my goal is to be craftsman when I work out,, not a hacker..
BYW,, I have been a gym rat for 15 years,, so being re-directed to work out smarter,, not harder enforces the blogger’s thesis..
An excellent blog..
George