We live in a time of hype and self-aggrandizement. But my guest today argues that what the world needs more of are quiet professionals — people who’s only focus is to get the job done well. His name is Rob Shaul and he’s the founder and president of Mountain Tactical Institute. We had Rob on the podcast last year to discuss his physical fitness philosophy.
Today on the show, I talk to Rob about his philosophy towards work and life that he’s laid out in a series of essays on his site about what it means to be a quiet professional. We begin by unpacking the foundational definition of a quiet professional, and then Rob walks us through the traits and attributes he thinks one must develop to embody this ideal. Rob’s ideas are refreshingly understated in a culture that puts a premium on bombast.
Show Highlights
- What is a “quiet professional”?
- Character traits of the quiet professional
- The ethos of the craftsman in work
- Why leading in a quiet manner is actually liberating and energizing
- Applying this ethos to various kinds of jobs and professions
- How do you embrace the grind?
- The intrinsic rewards of being a quiet professional
- Ensuring that we learn from our mistakes and follies
- Meditating on our insignificance, and our mortality
- What do you when you start feeing a little self-important? How do you inject humility?
- Mundane tasks that are necessary for success, and how to keep motivated to do them
- How to make do-or-die decisions
- Rob’s 3 steps for happiness
- How a quiet professional approaches self-improvement
- Why should you “embrace the suck”?
- Why developing your gratitude is so important
Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast
- My first episode with Rob about his fitness philosophy
- Rob’s original article about being a quiet professional
- 3 Virtues of Quiet Leadership
- Applying the Ethos of the Craftsman to Our Everyday Lives
- Embracing the Grind
- What Man Understands That He Is Dying Daily?
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Meditations on a First Reading of Meditations
- Think Like a Poker Player to Make Better Decisions
- Don’t Just Lead Well, Follow Well
- 3o Prompts for Reflection on Your Integrity
- What Strengthens and Weakens Our Integrity
- How Bad Do You Want It?
- The Spiritual Disciplines: Gratitude
Connect With Rob and Mountain Tactical Institute
Mountain Tactical Institute website
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Coming soon!
The post Podcast #389: What It Means to Be a Quiet Professional appeared first on The Art of Manliness.
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