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Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

Setting Your Uncompromised Soul Free

Published on September 5, 2025

While at Burning Man, a campmate made a comment that resonated deeply with me. She said, “I’m very selfish when it comes to Burning Man. I’m happy to introduce, give people the 101, and even travel with friends to and from the burn. But, while there? I need to be completely free. This isn’t just building, gifting, and dancing—there’s a spiritual component for me. And like any spiritual journey in life—I need to follow my uncompromised soul.”

This goes back to one of the points I made in yesterday’s post: Do more alone… together requires compromise and while there’s nothing wrong with that, there IS something wrong with never following your uncompromised soul.

My first year at Burning Man, I went completely alone and knew nobody there. Since then, my soul has found and connected with so much of what it needed. From workshops and classes to art and expression, from trial and tribulation to triumph and celebration, from one-off conversations to deep and long lasting connections… there are spiritual happenings that can only happen when your soul is given that uncompromised freedom.

Again, this isn’t to say there’s anything wrong with compromise. Sharing time and experiences with others also feeds the soul in equally nourishing ways. It’s simply a reminder to balance shared, compromised experiences with solo, uncompromised ones—not just at Burning Man, but in whatever ways your soul needs in everyday life.

12 Ways To Connect With The Core Of A Person (First)

Published on September 4, 2025

As a continuation from yesterday’s post, here are some ways you might be able to connect with the core of a person first in a world that prioritizes social hierarchy and status: (in no particular order):

  • Give more gifts… think less in terms of transactions.
  • Do more with art… do less with passive entertainment.
  • Go where love goes (i.e. music festivals), not where hate goes (i.e. news / media).
  • Less money on luxury and name brand… more money on experience and worldly travel.
  • Don’t shy away from hard tasks/situations/questions… easy only ever reveals the superficial.
  • Less time fighting the other national political side… more time volunteering at the local soup kitchen.
  • Ask better questions: “What are your political beliefs?” vs “What charities do you love to support?”
  • Rather than joining clubs based on status, (i.e. country clubs) join clubs that have nothing to do with status.
  • “What do you do for a living?” Rather than job title/company/history/trajectory… try reason/feeling/vision/dream.
  • Do more alone… together requires compromise and while there’s nothing wrong with that, there IS something wrong with never following your uncompromised soul.
  • Take on a project and team up with people who are ready/willing to help problem solve… distance yourself from people who exacerbate problems and problem compile.
  • And maybe most important, do the inner work and get to know who YOU ARE at your core first… because we can only ever meet people as deeply as we’ve met ourselves.

Inner work prompt: What would somebody have to do to connect with the core of who you are? How might they act? What might they say? Where might they be? …What situations/circumstances/experiences bring out the vulnerable, raw, real you?

The Magic Of Meeting The Core Of A Person First

Published on September 3, 2025

At Burning Man, you don’t meet people from their social hierarchy position first… you meet them from their character position first.

…And this is no small difference.

In everyday life, we meet people in our neighborhoods (socio-economic position), we know pretty clearly where people stand in school (educational position), ask usually first what people do for a living and where they work (career position)—if we don’t know already…

And all of these aspects of our identity act as layers that surround the core of who we really are.

It isn’t until a person removes their professional persona; can eliminate from their mind any judgments or predispositions they have about different status indicators, educational backgrounds, political beliefs, and so on; and can meet another person honestly where they are… that the real magic of connection happens.

See, peeling back these layers of identity and trying to unlearn these conditioned judgements takes tremendous inner work.

But flipping the script and meeting people BEFORE any of this information is ever known… and building art, surviving harsh weather conditions, creating gifts and offering help to others, problem solving, and going out to have a good time with them…

Introduces you to the core person without any peeling back… without any unlearning…

…Are they helpful? Kind? Hard working? Loving? Patient? Fun?

…Or are they the opposite?

I know not everybody has gone to or will go to Burning Man to experience this.

But it’s worth reflecting on: how can I/we show up with a different intention that seeks to connect with the core of a person BEFORE we cover them up in layers of hierarchical social position?

Gone To Burning Man!

Published on August 24, 2025

From Saturday (8/23/25) to Tuesday (9/2/25), I’ll be off grid.

That means, you won’t get daily emails from me until I get back on grid on Wednesday (9/3/25)-ish.

Rest assured, I’ll still be writing daily—it’ll just take on a more primitive form.

And when I get back, I’ll share what words got stirred up during what I’m expecting to be a wild, curious, mysterious, serendipitous, and nothing-short-of-inspirational week.

Don’t know what Burning Man is? I can barely explain it. But, this video does a pretty solid job.

Thank you to each of you for your ongoing support. I look forward to reconnecting when I get back. ♥

P.s. If you’re feeling generous, you can send a little love via coffee here. This trip will definitely require copious amounts of caffeine. Cheers 🙂

The Secret To A Rich And Filling Life

Published on August 23, 2025

The secret, I think, to a rich and filling life… are rich and filling moments.

…Moments that are made rich and full with an unwavering devotion to the present, what’s real, and what’s right in front of our face.

The idea is as simple, yet as hard as it gets:

When sitting… just sit… be with yourself… resist the urge to chronically be doing something.

When walking… just walk… be immersed in all of the worldly elements.

When talking… just talk… be completely and totally consumed with the words.

When eating… just eat… be mindful of the experience as a whole and savor each bite.

When dancing… just dance… surrender to the pull of your soul… without fear and as un-self-consciously as you’re able.

When working… just work… do the damn thing with as much excellence as you can manage.

…And as much as you can: minimize and subtract all that distracts you.

It’s far too easy to never be where you are.

…Which, I’d say, is the antithesis of the rich and filling life.

Stop Making Little Things Big

Published on August 22, 2025

Know what’s a little thing?

…That argument you’re having with your family member.

Know what’s a big thing?

…That both you and your family member are alive and healthy enough to argue.

Know what’s a little thing?

…The “L” you took at work, in sport, or anywhere otherwise.

Know what’s a big thing?

…That you’re conscious, coherent, and have the ability to improve.

Know what’s a small thing?

…Haters saying hateful things online or in person.

Know what’s a big thing?

…Gratitude expressed, grace given, and love felt.

It’s easy to let the small things take over your perspective. Which is, in fact, what makes them feel so big. But we have to remember what’s REALLY the big thing(s) and worth taking over our perspective.

Otherwise, small things will consume our lives until it’s too late to do anything about the big things…

Arguing For Yourself

Published on August 20, 2025

Exercising with your child present is not the same as exercising alone—even if it’s the same workout.

Going for a walk with an acquaintance is not the same as going for a walk alone—even if it’s the same distance.

Working at home is not the same as working in an office—even if the same amount of work gets done.

An argument can be made in either direction for any of the above mentioned sides.

What’s worth considering, however, is which side makes the most sense for you and your life… and then arguing for it.

Which sounds obvious, but I assure you, is something most of us don’t do.

…Because if exercising with your child present is consuming any of your alone time and making you emotionally exhausted… you should argue for the opposite.

And if walking with somebody who chronically complains is messing up your outdoor recharge time… you should argue for the opposite.

And if working at home is messing with your ability to compartmentalize work vs life balance… then you should argue for the opposite.

…And the same is true for the inverse of each of the above.

The point isn’t to say any one side is better than the other… it’s to remind you that if you don’t argue for what’s best in your life… who will?