Jean Moroney

In the twenty years I’ve known Jean, I’ve always enjoyed what she has to say. With Think Directions, I am pleased to share her insight. I wish this would have been up earlier for you to take advandage of her webinar, however you still have time to register for the early fee for her program. This is posted with Jean’s permission.~MDH

The Thinking Directions Update 
Issue #53by Jean Moroney

I.      Tip: Taking Words Seriously Can Help You
        Get Things Done
II.     Thinking Lab: Join in October, get a copy
        of: “Hitting Your Head Against the Wall:
        It Must Be Fun, If You Keep Doing it,
        But Let’s Find an Alternative”
III.    Upcoming Thinking Tactics workshop
        New York: Saturday, January 12, 2013
        Early-Bird Discount Ends November 10
IV.   Jump Start Teleclass (FREE)
        Tuesday, October 23, 2012
        8:00 p.m. Eastern
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I. Taking Words Seriously Can Help You Get Things Done
“I need more time.” That is what a client told me was the solution to his grueling work schedule.
We say such things without thinking about it, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to focus on the thought. How could the solution possibly be more time? There is no such thing as getting more time. There are 24 hours in the day. That’s it. You can’t get more time. How can you “need” the impossible? Why would you want the impossible?
This is a simple case where using accurate words helps you solve problems. I suggested it would be more accurate to say my client needs a bigger impact from the time he spends.
“I need a bigger impact” is something that could guide him. Should he cut two hours from his sleep to get “more time”? No–that would reduce his brain functioning for all his waking hours, and reduce his impact. Where can he get greater impact? Early in his workday, not late when he’s tired. What tasks should he cut? The ones with the least impact.
Sometimes the words are true but vague. Someone says, “I’m not getting anywhere.” Well, what exactly is happening? Are you going in circles? Are you avoiding doing the work? Are you working hard but everything is taking five times longer than you thought? Did you give up after slogging along for hours? The solution to the problem is different in each of these cases.
This is one reason I don’t talk much about procrastination. In many cases, when someone says “I’m procrastinating,” I find it’s a euphemism for, “I’m not doing it, and the only reason I can think of offhand for why not is that I’m just being bad.”
Such a thought warrants further scrutiny.
When you don’t do what you planned, there is always a reason. It’s not always a good reason, but it is always a clue to what needs to change to transform the plan into action.
Maybe there was a chain of events that contributed to putting it off. How you do influence the chain of events next time? Maybe you had the perfect opportunity, and checked email instead. Oops–next time you need to recognize that impulse for what it is (a diversion).
Putting the problem into exact words makes all the difference.
We live in an approximate age. It’s common to slide over problems using euphemisms or blurt out issues using the first words that occur to one. Anything goes. But it’s worth taking a look at the words–taking the words seriously–and challenge whether they make sense. Are they true? Are they based on truth? Are they exact?
Clarify the words, and you clarify the thought. Clarify the thought and you clarify the problem. Clarify the problem and you are most of the way to a solution.
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II. Join the Thinking Lab
The Thinking Lab is my membership program for people who have taken Tap Your Own Brilliance or Thinking Tactics. Every month there is a new teleclass on a new topic. Join in October, get a recording of this month’s class:
“Hitting Your Head Against the Wall: It Must Be Fun, If You Keep Doing it, But Let’s Find an Alternative”
(Note: A free trial to the Thinking Lab comes with any purchase of Tap Your Own Brilliance. Just email me to start your trial.)
Read more about the Thinking Lab here:

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III. Upcoming Thinking Tactics Workshops
    New York: Saturday, January 12, 2012
    Early-Bird Discount Ends November 10
“This class is very valuable, as a practical guide to getting projects done. I found it interesting how the skills applied across the board to both personal and professional activities. Jean did a great job at distilling a lot of theory into practical skill sets. She’s a great teacher — I loved the analogies and the humor.”
Adam Mossoff, Professor of Law, George Mason University School of Law
Read more and sign up here:
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IV. Jump Start Your Thinking Teleclass
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
8:00 p.m. Eastern
(7:00 Central, 6:00 Mountain, 5:00 Pacific)
In this class, I teach easy ways to jump start your thinking. I show you how a few minutes of targeted thinking may bring fantastic results, and always makes the rest of the task easier.
This is a freebie teaser class for Thinking Tactics. No obligation. Register here:
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(c) Jean Moroney
Thinking Directions

Thinking Directions
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