Hi there

I worked as a professional carpenter for 10 of my early years (it feels like a way too many years ago now in a different life and in a land far far away) so I’m fully qualified to use this analogy.

To get the best from a cutting tool, such as a saw, chisel, plane or knife, etc… the tool needs to be sharp and in good condition.

If it is in poor condition, you’ll get poor results. You can even hurt yourself due to slippage or breakage.

It’s the same with you and I when we’re trying to better ourselves in some way. In our case we’re focused on developing our self-confidence, interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence but it holds true for any self-improvement project.

We probably all know the phrase, “A healthy body = a healthy mind.”

We are likely looking to improve both, so we need to try and keep both in the best condition possible. That way our mind helps our body, and our body helps our mind.

Computer systems programmers often use the phrase garbage in = garbage out (or GIGO) and we can align this concept to out bodies and minds quite easily.

Two of our main inputs are nutrition and exercise.

My point here is that to be maximally effective in our self-development efforts we need to eat as healthily as possible, and we need to exercise as much as we can.

Amongst other things, we also need good inputs in terms of information, emotions and sleep.

A lack of any one of these inputs, and many more besides, or a poor-quality substitute and we can not only struggle to develop but we can also burn out and breakdown.

Monitor all your inputs and make them the best quality you can?

Hopefully that's offered you some food for thought (and a very positive high-quality input).

Have a good one and I'll see you next month.

All the very best to you and yours

Andrew D Pope.