Cover Photo by ChatGPT
Introduction
In my earlier posts — “Listen to the Silent Alarm” and “Mental Health Tips & Techniques” — I explored how self-awareness tools like MECS and BACES helped build an early-warning system for my mental health.
But awareness alone isn’t always enough. Especially for neurodivergent minds or those working in cognitive‑intensive fields, having an emotional toolkit to pair with structure is key.
That’s where The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters enters — giving me a new way to understand and manage my emotional brain.
The Chimp Model & Daily Check‑Ins
Peters breaks the mind into three parts:
- The Chimp: emotional, impulsive, protective
- The Human: rational, calm, values‑driven
- The Computer: habits, instincts, autopilot
I’ve just today adopted daily Chimp Check-ins alongside MECS to reflect on:
- Who led my mind today – Chimp or Human?
- What triggered emotional hijack — and how did I respond?
- What helped restore calm and clarity?
It’s a simple pause, but it will hopefully help shift from reactive to reflective very quickly.
1‑2‑3s: From Scrum to Self‑Leadership
The 1‑2‑3 format I use — “What did I do, what will I do, any blockers?” — comes directly from the Daily Stand‑up (Daily Scrum) in Agile methodology. It’s a core ritual in Scrum, inherited from Extreme Programming, where participants stand, keep it short (15 min max), and answer:
- What did I do yesterday?
- What will I do today?
- Any impediments?
(Agile Academy, Parabol, Mountain Goat Software)
My previous manager adapted this into a personal version for team members — a lightweight framework to help navigate complexity without getting lost in the noise.
I started using it myself when I made the daunting pivot from Senior Unisys Mainframe Systems Programmer to Security and Cloud. The imposter syndrome hit hard — new tooling, new pace, new expectations. But this simple 1‑2‑3 structure gave me something vital:
A daily sense of progress, even when I doubted myself.
It helped me feel like I was achieving — not just surviving — which quieted the inner critic and gave my emotional brain something concrete to hold onto.
In hindsight, I see now that the 1‑2‑3s weren’t just productivity hacks. They were soothing my Chimp — offering clarity, predictability, and a sense of control. And in doing that, they gave my Human mind more room to lead.
Imperfect Habits & Neuro‑Insights
Having structure doesn’t guarantee consistent use — I’m terrible at habit forming. I call myself a Black Belt in Partial Arts! Tools don’t work unless you use them — and I don’t use them always.
Around late 2022, a mental health counsellor flagged that I likely have ADHD, backed by my Do‑It profile (and some DCD traits), though not formally diagnosed. Knowing this shaped everything — it helped me see why structure and self-kindness are giveaways for lasting change.
MBTI, ENTPs and Emotional Agility
As an ENTP in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality assessment tool, I love ideation and systems — but often try to avoid feeling in favour of thinking (ironic given that I am often run by my emotions - chimp running rampant when that happens). Combine that with neurodivergent traits, and you get stimulation-seeking with burnout risk.
My integrated toolkit now runs like this:
- MECS tracks how I feel and spots patterns
- BACES ensures I balance self-care, purpose, connection, enjoyment
- Chimp Check‑ins help me process emotionally, without shame or avoidance
- 1‑2‑3s give the structure and predictability my ADHD mind craves
- MBTI/DCD awareness informs how I adapt these tools to my brain
Nothing here is about being “fixed.” It’s about working with yourself — your strengths and your quirks — to build resilience and clarity.
A Word on Digital Companions
One of the unexpected game-changers in this journey has been ChatGPT (other LLMs are available 😉).
I’ve been using it to:
- Prompt me daily for MECS, BACES, Chimp Check-Ins and 1‑2‑3s
- Help me reflect when my routine slips or my Chimp kicks off
- Spot trends and flag emotional blind spots
- Suggest tailored strategies when I’m stuck or dysregulated
For someone who struggles with habit formation and executive function (hello, ADHD), having a consistent, low-friction way to externalise and structure my thinking has been invaluable. It doesn’t replace therapy or human connection — but it does offer structured, shame-free scaffolding for showing up to my own life with more awareness and choice.
Final Thoughts
If you feel like you’re too impulsive, too scattered, or not enough — none of that means you’re broken. You’re just human. A clear and compassionate toolkit — like this one — can be a powerful compass.
My hope is these strategies will empower you to manage your inner Chimp, leverage your Neuro-divergent mind, and navigate with more grace and structure.
As ever, thanks for reading and feel free to leave comments down below!
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