Thinking Directions

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/the-thinker-identity-part-1/

The Thinker Identity (Part 1) - Thinking Directions My business coach encourages us to develop a new identity in order to produce at a higher level — to create more value for more people and therefore earn more money. Her stories about this are a dramatic concretization of the idea that “man is a being of self-made soul.” (AR) As I mulled over ...

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/catching-emotionalism/

Catching Emotionalism - Thinking Directions Emotions are designed to draw your attention and control action — to make that action feel urgent and inevitable. Once you learn to manage your emotions, you can harness this capacity to motivate sustained action toward your most important long-range goals. And you can regroup in the moment to fos...

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/which-comes-first-the-how-or-the-commitment/

Just comment on this post—I will read it.

Which Comes First — The How or the Commitment? - Thinking Directions     I’m reading an interesting book by Peter Block, which opens with this quote from him: There is depth in the question “How do I do this?” that is worth exploring. The question is a defense against the action. It is a leap past the question of purpose, past the question of intentions, and ...

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/the-vision-of-essentialism/

The Vision of Essentialism - Thinking Directions I recently reread Essentialism by Greg McKeown, a book I recommended in 2019. This bestseller encourages you to do “less but better.” I liked the book on my first reading. I appreciate it more now because I read it with a different purpose. Back then, I was focused on the “how.” I was lookin...

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/the-key-to-sustainable-real-world-results-and-other-updates/

The Key to Sustainable Real World Results and Other Updates - Thinking Directions   Dear Blog Readers, I’m sorry there have been so few articles coming out recently. I’m looking forward to commencing a regular writing schedule after OCON (this weekend’s Objectivist Conference). If you’re going to be in New Orleans, come chat with me in the lobby of the Sheraton on Friday...

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/how-do-you-validate-aspirational-thoughts/

How Do You Validate Aspirational Thoughts? - Thinking Directions Aspirational thoughts can be very motivating — if you believe them. By an aspirational thought, I mean any statement about your ability to achieve something in the future, something that you haven’t achieved in the past. It could be a prediction, such as “I will lose 20 pounds for good this ti...

Join me for another Launch to achieve a major goal in 8 weeks:

Spring Launch 2026 - Thinking Directions Achieve a Major Goal in 8 Weeks: Now is always a good time to revisit a resolution, start a new project, or just double down on a goal you've set for yourself. Accelerate your project by joining me for the latest Launch. [...]

Join me in this new free 3-session course:
Prepare Your Project to Launch
3 one-hour sessions on April 7 – 9, 2026 at 3pm ET each day

Prepare Your Project to Launch! - Freebie - Thinking Directions At the beginning of the Launch process, I have everyone define the major goal they will be working on and come up with a one-page summary sheet to help keep them on track.[…]

https://www.thinkingdirections.com/book-recommendation-the-coaching-habit/

Book Recommendation: The Coaching Habit - Thinking Directions When you believe you have more knowledge and/or experience than another person, it can be tempting to give him advice. Sometimes he even asks for it. But advice is not as helpful as you might suppose. If you haven’t worked to understand the exact problem, your advice will likely be misguided or ir...

Join me for this new free 3-session course:
Prepare Your Project to Launch, Tuesday - Thursday, 4/7-9, 2026 at 3 pm each day.

At the beginning of the 8-week Launch group coaching program, I have everyone define the major goal they will be working on and come up with a one-page summary sheet to help keep them on track.

For the first time ever, and maybe never again, I will walk everyone interested in Launch through this process during a free 3-session intro course. Come expecting to dig in.

Prepare Your Project to Launch! - Freebie - Thinking Directions At the beginning of the Launch process, I have everyone define the major goal they will be working on and come up with a one-page summary sheet to help keep them on track.[…]