All The Greats Do This

• 💡 Wisdom

• ✏️ Illustration

• 💬 Saying

• 🧭 Explanation

• 📝 Reflection

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 51 seconds

You will not find an experienced master craftsman still using their first tools.

They recognise an important lesson:

As you improve, so should your tools.

Computer games can be a great source of wisdom.

Here’s today’s wisdom visualised with the assistance of a game that I played 20+ years ago:

For those of you that haven’t played a Pokémon game, as you progress through the game, you catch Pokémon in Pokéballs.

As you get further through the game, the Pokémon that you’re trying to catch get stronger, so you need to start using better balls.

This isn’t a principle exclusive to Pokémon either.

We see this in sports games like EA FC, where you sign better players to help you to win better competitions.

And we see this in role-playing games like Baldur’s Gate 3, where you acquire better armour and weapons to help you beat stronger enemies.

As you improve, so do your tools.

We’re all familiar with the idea of investing, where the aspiration is that the resource we spend yields a greater return than what we paid.

When it comes to tools, it is no different. Investing in new tools can and should make a huge impact, justifying its value.

Let’s unpack this more. 👇

Could Ed Sheeran create a hit pop song with his first guitar? Sure.

And do you think Serena Williams would still beat most tennis players with an average racket? Certainly.

What about Vincent van Gogh? Could he still make a masterpiece with a beginner’s set of brushes? Absolutely.

Then why is it important that you improve your tools?

Here are 3 reasons why you should improve your tools.

• Ease - An improved tool can remove friction, making your craft or hobby easier to achieve

• Enjoyment - An improved tool can make your craft even more enjoyable than it currently is

• Enablement - An improved tool can help you achieve things that you weren’t able to before

So if you’re reading this thinking “Should I invest in new tools?”, ask yourself if the new tools will make things easier, more enjoyable or enable you to achieve more.

If they won’t, it doesn’t pass the purchase test.

Here are a few journal prompts to help you explore today’s wisdom:

• What is an area where you could benefit from improving your tools?

• What tool would you improve? Would it make my hobby/craft easier, more enjoyable or enable me to reach new heights?

• What is a tool that you have improved, and what impact did it make?

Want to learn more about journaling? Join Journal Wiser today!

Today’s resource is only slightly related to today’s wisdom.

Tools of Titans is a book by New York Times Bestselling author Tim Ferriss.

It shares the tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers.

If you want to learn the mindsets that has helped some of the most admired people in the world reach new heights, consider picking up this book from your friendly local bookstore or find it here:

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Catch you in the next issue!

Thanks,
Michael