Let's be honest. Most people here are not exactly revolutionary material. Just being in chans and adhering to fringe ideologies probably tells a lot of bad stories about us, and suggests we're not really a bunch of Che Guevaras and George Jacksons here ready for the revolution.
However, if we're serious about our ideas, it's our job to reach this ideal and improve ourselves as we engage in class struggle. Human material is a major part of any conflict, and if we're still unable to articulate our views in a persuading manner, to influence our communities, to fight or shoot, and to cultivate the skills necessary for organizing, then we're not being serious. Sorry, but you can't be part of a revolutionary movement being a weak person with poor social skills who can't argue past "the CIA did it".
I've noticed that leftists are often procrastinating these basic tasks. Usually postponing theory by waiting for the perfect introductory book/reading list, procrastinating physical exercises, procrastinating the learning of new skills and development of current ones.
This is a terrible approach. First steps are not meant to be perfect. Even on a neurological level, the most important is to consistently force yourself to do something past point of comfort until the adaptive mechanisms of your body and mind take over. Besides that, as we know, abundance of options can be limiting. Pretend you're in jail and that Das Kapital and, say, Tom Bottomore's Dictionary of Marxist thought are the only books you're given. You'll be through with that in a few days. Face that mountain, every day a little, and watch as you grow with it. You don't have to wait the perfect companion or preparation to Kapital and other theory books.
Follow this approach with everything. Pavel's GTG with bodyweight compounds is more than enough for those who can't be bothered with gym. Talk and debate politics with peers constantly, you'll suck and may even get humiliated at first, but by exposing flaws on your rhetoric your opponents will show you how to become a better speaker, and how to cover your weak spots with more research. Don't wait for the perfect interpreters of Marx: read Marx and if you're shorter on time, send articles of Second International popularizers on Marxist.org (Bax, Kautsky, Plekhanov, Bukharin) to your phone, once you get into the habit of reading theory and understand the language and concepts naturally, the more "serious" works will not feel as draining. Use Anki flashcards to improve your vocabulary. Read left-wing news websites, bloggers and journalists first thing in the morning to stay well informed.
Make those things a habit. That's all you need. Worry about perfect sytems later. You just have to fucking do shit, a small improvement in every aspect every day.
