The Masonic Approach to Skill Acquisition

Discover the transformative power of the Masonic approach to skill acquisition and personal growth. Learn how the entered apprentice, fellow craft, and master Mason mindsets can help you navigate different phases of your journey, and uncover the best times to utilize each approach. With the 24-inch gauge and the common gavel as your tools, explore the art of learning and discover the true potential within you.

Key Points
• Understanding the lifelong journey of being an editor apprentice, fellow craft, and master Mason
• Embracing growth and development as inclusive and not destructive
• The entered apprentice Mason's approach is ideal for beginnings and breaking new ground
• Use the 24-inch gauge to determine time allocation for skill acquisition
• Utilize the common gavel to identify the most valuable activities for your learning process
• Seek support and guidance from your lodge community to enhance your growth
• Explore the fellow craft and master Mason perspectives for deeper insights and wisdom

Best Quotes
00:11 - 00:18 • "You, you are always an editor apprentice, always a fellow craft, and always a master Mason."
01:16 - 01:22 • "These perspectives or mindsets are available to you regardless of what degree you just received."

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Creators and Guests

Host

Brian Mattocks

Host and Founder of A Mason's Work - a podcast designed to help you use symbolism to grow. He's been working in the craft for over a decade and served as WM, trustee, and sat in every appointed chair in a lodge - at least once :D

What is A Mason's Work?

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.

Brian
00:00

So, I alluded to this a little bit in the last episode, but one of the things that was not made clear to me when I was going through my degrees about a decade ago was that you, you are always an editor apprentice, always a fellow craft, and always a master Mason. You, you don't essentially move from being an enter apprentice and then fellow craft, you know, into a fellow craft mason that does not make you not an enter apprentice anymore, right? You're not, these are, these, this growth and development isn't, isn't destructive. It is inclusive, I guess is probably the best way to think of it. And so as you go through your degrees, you're gonna find that there are times in your life where an apprentice Mason's approach is a great way to break new ground, let's say, in a skill you're trying to develop, but it does not necessarily serve you when you have gotten past the basics and you need to move to a fellow craft masons approach, or you need to move to a Master Masons approach.

Brian
01:12

This, this understanding that you are essentially, these, these perspectives or these mindsets are available to you regardless of what degree you just received or most recently were involved in, was a, a game changer for me. And so I think it would be instructive to talk about like, what are the good times and places to use, let's say the entered Apprentice Mason's approach. And I've already alluded to one of them, and that is the entered apprentice Mason's approach is great for beginnings. It's using those tools. How should I spend my time using that 24 inch gauge and using the common gavel? What, what activity or behavior is moving me forward versus what isn't are great ways to walk into acquiring a new type of knowledge or information? So let's say you're considering a career change, or let's say you're trying to develop a skill to enhance your career, or you're about to undertake a new social activity and you're not sure how to go about it.

Brian
02:20

Apply the Under Apprentice Mason's tools, right? Learn. Let's say you wanted to learn piano, right? You want to go learn how to play piano. Use the 24 inch gauge first. How much time should I spend trying to learn how to play piano? How much time should I spend listening? How much time should I spend with my fingers on the keys? How much time should I spend reading music? How much time should I spend watching other people, you know, on YouTube or, or what have you? When should I get a teacher? And then the gavel will help you figure out which of those activity sets that

Brian
02:58

I just specified, right? You've got your time allocated, now, which one, which of those activities is gonna deliver the most value for you in your learning process? You start to very quickly see that these tools all do great, great things in trying to help you become a better person because you can essentially use them as direct guidance on how to approach skill acquisition, how to approach, you know, pretty much any activity you wanna pursue in your life. Now you add onto that the fact that you are in a lodge where you can go back to the people in your, you know, in your lodge room and say, I'm struggling with this, or I need help, or Does anyone have a blueprint for how to go about this, that, or the other thing. You now are essentially using the craft for what it's capable of, and that is precious. We'll be talking more about when to take on the fellow craft mason's perspective and when to take on the Master Mason's perspective as you go. In subsequent episodes, I.

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