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About this quote

What does it mean?
Thinking requires time because it involves letting the mind wander from the immediate task. This mental freedom to be elsewhere is essential for deep thought.
In plain terms
You need time to think because your mind must be allowed to wander.
What can you take from it?
Allow idle time for your mind to process complex ideas.

Where it applies

  • deep work sessions
  • problem solving
  • creative reflection

Putting it to work

  • schedule unstructured time
  • avoid constant multitasking

Questions to consider

  • How much unstructured time do you allow?
  • Does your schedule permit mental wandering?

Another view

Some thinking tasks require focused intensity rather than wandering.

More from Eric Hoffer

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  3. A multitude of words is probably the most formidable means of blurring and obscuring thought. There is no thought, however momentous, that cannot be expressed …

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