There are so many ways in which we are divorced from ourselves in the modern world. So many ways in which we are divorced from the wellspring of life that resides within and around us. So many ways in which we’re living limited lives and told that it’s normal. Many of which I’ve talked about before and encourage men to fix. Man was meant to live and develop in a certain way for proper function.
Throughout the ages most societies figures this out to some extent, we live in a strange period in history where many have forgotten the timeless lessons that have kept man going in a somewhat right direction throughout time. The rituals, wisdom, and understanding have been forgotten. And the society suffers because of it, the world suffers because of it, most importantly you suffer because of it.
Man was not made to work sixty to eighty hours in a box as a replaceable cog that’ll be thrown out once its been used up. He was not meant to live with his hormones not functioning and his brain numbed. He was not meant to live with nothing to strive for, nothing to live for. We fight this in many ways but even then it can seem almost impossible to ward off all of the negative effects.
What’s To Be Done To Solve This
We workout, we set goals, we try to spend time in nature, we meditate, we read books, and much more. All of these things are great and help men keep on the right track. Which can be a huge challenge when it seems like everything in the world is against you literally from the commercials you see on TV to the chemicals they put in your water to the majority of jobs being offered. Men have to find ways to combat all of this in a healthy and natural way. Otherwise you end up miserable or numbing yourself to oblivion.
Neither is an outcome we want. We want to live full, vibrant, and happy lives. Not happy in the nothing bad ever happens sense but happy in the well lived sense. To live with a goal and a purpose that we work each and every day to fulfill. Again there are many things that we do to accomplish this, but there’s one that I seldom hear talked about that I think can make one of the biggest differences possible.
And that is to develop a craft. Now first off, what is a craft? According to the dictionary a craft is “an activity involving skill in making things by hand.” or “skill in carrying out one’s work.” for our purposes here I’m going to expand the definition a little bit. It’s not just making something with one’s hands but also one’s mind and it takes skill to pull it off. So for example sales could be a craft just as much as woodworking.
But why? Why should a man adopt a craft?
The Benefits Of Adopting A Craft
I want you to look beyond practical benefits here and look for something that you enjoy and love. It could be just about anything as long as it is the use and learning of skill to create/bring about an outcome through use of your hands and/or mind. Painting is a craft, comedy is a craft, writing fiction is a craft, woodworking is a craft, blacksmithing is a craft, cooking is a craft, hunting is a craft, boxing is a craft, and so on and so forth. What speaks to your soul and is something that you feel like you need to do or should?
It’s fine if you don’t get it at first, try different things until you figure out what you want. The benefits of learning a craft are numerous. First off there’s obvious benefits like the learning of a skill and refining of it will keep your mind fresh and a great many will also keep your body in shape. Creating is good for the soul and the mind, to see your work and know that you made it. Also there is a practical skill to most crafts and many can be used to make a small side profit. Also having a craft will also give you a goal and something to work on and moved towards.
Those benefits alone should sell you on the benefits of picking up a craft but there’s another big one that’s less obvious. And that is a craft can ennoble who you are as a man. It can be the path that takes you from living a lackluster life to living with passion. All men are artists, from Picasso to Khabib to Grant Cardone making a sale, every man has art as part of him.
While seen as superfluous the fact of the matter is that it’s anything but. It adds things to your life that can only be had through the unique development that a craft gives you. It can supercharge your life and lead you on a path you never thought you’d take before. It can be a path to greatness in many different forms. Influence or just a self-satisfaction you never thought you’d feel before.
The Art Of Craft
Find a craft that suits you and fires up your soul. A craft that could be your path to greatness. That doesn’t mean you’ll be the best at it but rather that it gives you the things you need in life. Doesn’t matter if you’re not the champ, or not a best seller, or don’t have your own show on TV. You can still be great, in your own life and in the lives of those around you. Find what your craft is and start to learn it. I can think of few better uses of your time.
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-Charles Sledge
