Master, Master

by Mike Rosen

Growing up there was a kid in my neighborhood who was a huge Metallica fan, I wasn’t. Our house was more Willie Nelson, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, and Neil Diamond. You get the idea, a tad softer. They (both the kid and the music) frightened me at the time, though I’ve now come to really appreciate Metallica. Like many, my on-ramp was via their 1991 eponymous ‘black’ album. Their long tenure as a top tier, global force is undebatable. 125+ million albums sold and a more telling measure in our digital world, their last tour grossed over $125 million. 

Master of puppets, I’m pulling your strings

Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams

Blinded by me, you can’t see a thing

Just call my name ’cause I’ll hear you scream

Master, master

Just call my name ’cause I’ll hear you scream

Master, master

Flashback to 1986, which brought Metallica’s 3rd album ‘Master of Puppets’, the title track linked with the lyrics above. Scary neighborhood kid had the cassette tape, the poster, the shirt, all of it. I remained wide-eyed by it all.  Stick with me, I’ll bring the story around.

 In Chicago, the day after Election Day was gray, cool, overcast, and windy–weather I would regularly consider blah, it mirrored my feelings and mood. The following day was bright, sunny, and there literally wasn’t a cloud in the sky, stunningly beautiful weather that again mirrored my feelings and mood. 

Plenty has been written about the collective political and social mood, temperature, and climate of our country. I don’t pretend that my thoughts around it are original or unique nor do I feel a need to add to that collective noise. I’ll leave that to the many brighter, more eloquent minds out there.

With that and in the spirit of one of MenLiving’s 5 Suggestions, I’ll speak candidly. I was tremendously disappointed in the outcome of the Presidential election. I truly hoped (and voted!) for an outcome and it didn’t happen. With the letdown, I take comfort in both community and in other’s words. I really appreciate what Barack and Michelle Obama had to say, this is part of their statement:

“This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for… living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out…In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace—even to people with whom we deeply disagree. That’s how we’ve come this far, and it’s how we’ll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free.”

Faith and grace. Two really big ideas and with those words I recognize two things: I want to extend both faith and grace AND I’m solely responsible for mastering my mood, disposition, and mindset for the next four years and beyond. Will I allow myself to become a puppet, allowing media, both traditional and social to ‘pull my strings’, Metallica-style, stoking fear and division? Or will I work to master my own emotions, moods, predispositions, biases, fears, and judgements? Will I cultivate enough faith, grace, and curiosity to seek to understand first or will I rush to judgment about things (I think) I’m absolutely certain of? Put more simply–can I master my mood despite the weather? 

“Mastery is the best goal because the rich can’t buy it, the impatient can’t rush it, the privileged can’t inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.”–Entrepreneur and author Derek Sivers

Mastery of anything takes work. It’s mine, the efforts towards it and the outcomes my own. No one’s going to ‘pull my strings’! I’m curious what strategies or practices you use to work towards self-mastery? Is it a conscientious effort and plan on your part or is it a natural byproduct of self-work? What wisdom have you gleaned around mastery and the journey of work? Does your work involve MenLiving’s 5 Suggestions? Please share in the Comments below and make sure you crank the volume as you’re reflecting. Metallica is really, really good, best when played LOUD!! Don’t be scared!