Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters 6 Key Self-Dev Questions Hi there Well, it’s September already and the days are closing in a bit. Where has the year gone? Actually, I like the autumn season as I get more time to work on my projects which always seem to get put to one side during the summer months. I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity lately as it relates to self-development. After all, the more time we can spend on the improvement of ourselves the better right? The short answer...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Make Your Words Count Hi there This month I want to talk in some depth about clarity and the effective use of language as well as two ongoing self-development tactics to help you with both. I talk a lot about Emotional Intelligence or EI. I also train and coach extensively on the topic of EI. EI is an especially important topic and one all self-developers should embrace and work on. In my world EI comprises self-awareness, self-regulation, understanding...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Garbage IN = Garbage OUT Hi there I am a carpenter by trade (it feels like a good 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...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Group learning helps Hi there This month I want to talk about self-developing along with others and using expert knowledge to shorten the learning curve. But first I want to mention balance. I’ve talked a lot about balance and, because I recently discovered that at age 59 I am woefully unfit and weak, I am out of balance. For me, this shows just how easy it is to lose sight of important things whilst chasing other important things. I have been focusing...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Patience and Self-Compassion Hi there I’m feeling very philosophical this month so I thought I'd go ahead and philosophise a bit. I’ve been driving myself extremely hard over the years and this year I’m feeling hard-driven. An autodidact is a person who is self-taught or who has gained knowledge and skills through their own independent study and efforts, rather than through formal education or training. I’m a passionate and enthusiastic autodidact and...
6 months ago • 2 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Uncertainty and Your Self-Development Hi there This month I wanted to share some thoughts on understanding and dealing uncertainty and ambiguity as a self-learner and self-developer. I will also offer some ideas and approaches for you to consider and even apply if you are feeling the onset of ambiguity overwhelm. It’s an important topic and if not embraced and understood can lead to overwhelm and a feeling of “Why me? Why can’t I cope like other people?...
8 months ago • 3 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Mindfulness & the Autodidact Hi there Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a good break. 2023 was a busy and successful year for me. I hope it went well for you and yours. I mentioned on my last newsletter that I would be moving to a once per month schedule. This will ease my burden but, more importantly, also reduce the strain on your inbox. It’s important as a self-directed learner (aka an autodidact) to control time and energy so I must practice...
9 months ago • 2 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters The Power of Change & Some Upcoming Changes Hi there This week let's talk about something super-important to all of us - change. We're coming up to the end of 2023 and we're often reminded and encouraged to make changes at this time of year. I'm all about self-development which is all about making changes, big and small, and growing myself as a person. Now I know these ideas can be a bit scary, but guess what? It's also incredibly exciting and full of...
10 months ago • 2 min read
Andrew D Pope Self-Development Matters Many Small Wins Create Big Results Hi there Self-development can be tough at times. It can be a hard road to walk. For me, self-discipline is the key to keeping going on the journey to ultimate success. Being self-disciplined about your self-development efforts will really pay off in results. Self-discipline is like a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly. Just like any other muscle, it gets stronger and more effective with consistent use. It also...
11 months ago • 3 min read