We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Today at a Glance
Why reciting facts won't get you remembered
The 6-gear model of thinking (and where most people stall)
A daily tool to help you think higher, not harder
BONUS: This Week's Mental Challenge

The Moment I Realized I Was Just Reciting, Not Thinking
It was my final presentation of the first year of my MBA program.
I had spent days preparing.
The slides were clean.
The talking points were tight.
I even bought a brand-new tie to “look the part.”
When I got up there, everything went to plan.
I quoted the research. I recited the model.
I sounded smart.
Polished.
Academic.
Then the questions came.
Someone asked how my model held up under edge cases.
Another challenged an assumption I hadn’t even realized I was making.
And that’s when it happened:
I froze.
My notes couldn’t save me.
Sweating, my heartbeat rose in my throat.
I hadn’t truly understood the content.
I had just memorized it.
Afterward, my professor pulled me aside.
He could see I was rattled and a little embarrassed.
And he taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten:
“You weren’t wrong,” he said.
“But you didn’t think. You stayed in second gear the whole time.”
I was confused at first.
I was presenting an economic model, not driving a car.
Then he introduced me to something I’d never heard of:
Bloom’s Taxonomy
A simple but powerful way to understand how we think, and where most of us stall.
That day, I realized something that changed how I approach every challenge:
Sounding smart and thinking smart are two very different things.
And people can tell the difference.

Why Knowing ≠ Thinking
This is where most of us get stuck. And we don’t even realize it.
We know the material. We can explain the concepts.
We nod, quote, and contribute.
But when it’s time to challenge, reframe, or create, we hit a wall.
It’s not a talent issue. It’s a thinking issue.
We were taught to know, not to think.

The 6 Gears of Mental Performance
Your brain is like a transmission.
It can cruise… or it can climb.
Here’s how to spot which gear you're in:
Gear 1: Remember
Recite facts and definitionsGear 2: Understand
Explain what something meansGear 3: Apply
Use knowledge in real-world scenarios
Gear 4: Analyze
Break down problems and identify patterns
Gear 5: Evaluate
Make strategic judgments and tough calls
Gear 6: Create
Build new ideas, models, or solutions
Each gear shift boosts your clarity, credibility, and impact.
But most professionals stay in Gear 2 their entire careers.
I created a cheat sheet to help you master these 6 gears. Grab it below.

A Simple Tool to Diagnose (and Upgrade) Your Thinking
After your next meeting or deep work session, ask yourself:
What did I do with the information?
→ Repeating or explaining? You’re in Gear 1–2How did I interact with it?
→ Solving, testing, or adapting? You’re in Gear 3–4What did I build from it?
→ Judging, innovating, reimagining? That’s Gear 5–6
Try this:
Create a “Gear Tracker” this week.
After each major task or conversation, jot down what gear you operated in.
You’ll quickly spot your cognitive default.
And where you need to stretch.
🌟 Bonus: This Week’s Mental Challenge
Ready to shift out of autopilot?
Here’s your 3-step challenge:
Track your gears daily — Build self-awareness
Push one task into Gear 5 or 6 — Evaluate. Reimagine. Create
Ask better questions than you answer — That’s real leverage

Connecting the Dots
I still remember that moment in the university lecture hall clearly.
I stumbled, not from a lack of knowledge, but because I was stuck in the lower gears of thinking.
Here’s what I’ve learned since that moment:
It’s easy to play it safe. Stick to the notes. Recite what you know. It looks polished. Feels productive.
But leadership? That’s a different gear.
It’s not just knowing the material. It’s understanding it deeply enough to question it. To apply it. To defend it. To change it if needed.
The best leaders don’t stay in second gear. They challenge assumptions (including their own). They take risks. They think for themselves.
That’s when real leadership shows up. Not in how well you present an idea — but in how far you’re willing to push it.
Let’s keep climbing higher.
Until next week,
— Justin