Episode 099: Building Craftsmanship – Take Care of Your Tools

Finding Your Groove With Kathleen Thompson

As an Artisan, your tools are an important extension of your craft. They enable you do perform your craft. So it’s important to keep them in good working order. On this episode, we focus on how to take care of your tools. And that includes the most important tool – you!

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On This Episode

Rhythm of Life – My Voice Got Rusty
Random Riffs – A Whole Other World
Feature Segment – The Artisan Life: Craftspeople Take Care of Their Tools

Today’s Quote

The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. — Confucius

Rhythm of Life – My Voice Got Rusty

While I traveled to Ireland with my family, I didn’t do my voice exercises every day. My voice got a bit rusty.

It’s going to take a bit of work to get the rust off so I can continue to improve. It might even be a bit uncomfortable at first.

Is there anything you’ve let get a bit rusty? Why not just start again today? Be willing to feel uncomfortable – and even a bit rusty – in the beginning. It’ll soon wear off.

Why not start today? The sooner you start, te sooner you’ll get to the fun part.

Ready? Set? Go!

Random Riffs – A Whole Other World

I was organizing my Kindle while getting ready for my trip. While doing so, I saw “Pride and Prejudice,” a Jane Austen novel. As is the case with Amazon, they also showed me several other books in the category “People who liked this also bought that…” And what was in that list? Several books called “Pride and Prejudice Variations.”

There were so many it was like entering a whole new world. One I didn’t even know existed. Which got me wondering; “I wonder how many other alternate worlds exist besides this one?”

Which then got me thinking about the information we see on our phones. We get customized news delivery based on what we’ve previously liked and clicked on. We can end up living in a world where we hear and see only what reinforces what we already believe.

That may feel good, but it doesn’t build empathy or understand of others. It doesn’t improve our relationships with people unlike us. And it doesn’t lend itself to creativity. That requires diversity of though and healthy conflict.

So remember that the next time you find yourself in an alternate reality that’s looking awfully familiar. It might be time to jump through the looking glass to Wonderland.

Feature Segment – The Artisan Life: Craftspeople Take Care of Their Tools

I opened the case of my Ovation guitar. The one I’d gotten as a college graduation present, it had sat in its case, ignored, for months. And now I saw a huge crack running the entire length of the top.

If I was a professional musician, I’d play that guitar every day. I’d make sure it was climate-controlled. I’d take care of it.

And that’s what this episode is about. Artisans take care of their tools. Because to be at high level of craftsmanship, you need skill. And maintaining that skill at the highest level requires high-quality tools in good working order.

Though the tools for each craft are different, there are 3 common principles for tool care that apply to all artisans.

1. Use for intended purpose

Don’t re-purpose for something else. It often doesn’t work, and can dull or break the tool. Not only that, but if you reserve your tools for use with your craft, your mind will automatically associate picking up the tool with starting work. It’s easier and faster to get in the flow.

2. Prevention, Rotation and Maintenance

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Rotation helps keeps tools fresh. Three ounces of maintenance are worth the same point of cure. All help to avoid repair or worse, the tools becoming unusable.

3. Repair

No matter how well you prevent, rotate and maintain, some repair will eventually be needed. Make sure you have a true professional to do these repairs. Whether it’s you or not.

Don’t forget! The greatest tool you have is you. Your body, mind, and heart. It’s important to keep yourself tuned up. You don’t want to end up with a huge crack in your system like I found in my Ovation guitar. Keeping yourself in tune will help keep you playing beautiful music for a long time to come.

What tools do you use for your craft? How do you keep them in good shape? Leave a comment.

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As an Artisan, your tools are an extension of you. Take care of them as you would your art.
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Artisan Series

090: Why You Should Be an Artisan at Work
091: The Three C's of Artisanship
092: Are You a Creator, Consumer, or Critic?
093: Where to Start as an Artisan? With a MAP.
094: What's Your Signature Scent?
095: The Foundations of Craftsmanship
096: Follow Your Curiosity to Build Craftsmanship
097: Craftsmanship Requires Change
098: Building Craftsmanship – When it Gets Hard

The post Episode 099: Building Craftsmanship – Take Care of Your Tools first appeared on Kathleen Ann Thompson.