If the PMP exam feels random, frustrating, or harder than it should be — this episode will change how you see it.

In this episode, I break down one of the biggest mistakes PMP candidates make:
they try to solve every question instead of understanding what PMI is actually testing.

Here's the truth most people miss:
The PMP exam is not random.
It uses the same few problems over and over — just dressed up in different words, industries, and scenarios.

You'll learn:

• Why PMP questions feel chaotic (and why that's intentional)

• How PMI really evaluates your answers

• The PMO mental model that makes questions predictable

• The 3 decision lenses PMI consistently rewards — and why using them changes everything

This episode isn't about memorizing more content or grinding harder.
It's about learning how to think the way PMI wants you to think — before you ever choose an answer.

If you've ever said, "I knew the material, but the questions got me," this episode is for you.

🎧 In the next episode, I'll show you how to identify the one dominant issue every PMP question is testing — and how that makes bad answers fall apart fast.

How long are you planning to study for the PMP?

Most people don't have a real answer — they just keep grinding and hope they'll feel "ready" someday.

In this episode, Scott Payne breaks down the real reason some PMP candidates pass in weeks while others struggle for a year or more — and it has nothing to do with intelligence, experience, or effort.

You'll learn:

• The four levels of PMP study most people never realize they're stuck in

• Why working harder can actually slow you down

• The single biggest indicator of how long the PMP will take you

• How to move from memorization to judgment — the skill the PMP actually tests

This episode will help you:

• Study smarter, not longer

• Build real confidence instead of burnout

• Become a better project manager while preparing for the exam

If you've been putting in the hours but not seeing progress, this episode will change how you think about PMP prep.

Questions that compare the Project Manager role and the Project Lead role are some of the easiest places to get stuck on the PMP exam — especially when both answers sound reasonable.

In this episode, I walk you through a simple 2-step decision framework you can use to solve these questions consistently:

• Where does the problem live — inside the team system or outside of it?
• Can it be handled at that level, or does it need to be escalated?

We'll apply this thinking to practical scenarios and break down how PMI expects you to approach execution issues, authority decisions, and escalation — without memorizing job titles or overanalyzing org charts.

This episode is about learning how to think, not what to memorize, so you can walk into exam day calm, confident, and in control.