What if you could gain 20 years of insight and advice from a wildly successful person in less time than it takes to binge your favorite television series? This is precisely what Jen Groover, a successful motivational speaker, serial entrepreneur, and thought leader with over two decades of experience, set out to do when she created the M.O.R.E. method. This method is meant for anyone at any stage of life, but is especially relevant for those who find themselves on their recovery journey and can clearly envision the life they want for themselves but can’t seem to find the path to get there.
What is the M.O.R.E method?
The MORE method is a framework of thinking created by Jen Groover introduced in her eponymous first book, The MORE Method: The Simple Formula to Get More of Everything You Desire in Life, and is an acronym for Mindfulness, Optimizing, Responsibility, and Elevation. The concept was borne out of Groover’s desire to help others maximize their potential and get the most out of their lives, but doing so in a way that feels authentic and fulfilling to each person.
Groover likens her methodology to a toolbox — it’s not going to prevent someone from making mistakes, but will allow them to overcome them more quickly, in a more productive way, and reduce the likelihood to repeat any missteps.
“M” is for Mindfulness
It’s not just for the sake of a clever acronym that mindfulness is at the beginning of the MORE concept. Mindfulness is an integral aspect of getting the most out of one’s life because it lays the foundation for identifying not only what ways a person could change for the better, but that their goals actually align with their values and desires. Similar to the ethos of Alcoholics Anonymous, Groover encourages constant and ongoing mindfulness auditing — especially as it relates to one’s thoughts.
According to Groover, It’s not uncommon for someone to have the wrong goals. Often, people will have achievement-based goals (“I want to generate 10 more sales ”) that are rooted in productivity when the actual goal is actually something on an interpersonal level, like being a better listener or a stronger communicator.
Ask yourself: Are these thoughts keeping me stagnant?
“O” is for Optimization of Body and Brain
Groover recognizes the power of the body and brain connection and the interconnectedness between a healthy physical state and mental well-being. In short, prioritizing self-care can directly contribute to greater energy, cognitive ability, and creativity, which in turn positively affects productivity, communication, and strategic thinking. It’s a deceptively simple concept but one that primes an individual for always being in a position to think and act in a way that’s advantageous.
Ask yourself: What actions have a direct impact on how I feel? How can I increase the positive and decrease those negative feelings?
“R” is for Responsive vs. Reactive Lifestyle
The “R” of the MORE method speaks to the importance of emotional intelligence. It’s a reminder that ultimately, each person has agency over their thoughts and actions and therefore, they can choose what they react and give power to. Groover advises that having greater control over one’s response to situations and people, the better the outcome they’re likely to have, and thus, put them closer towards achieving what they want in life.
Ask yourself: Can I give this situation a different perspective that would allow me to react more calmly?
“E” is for Excelling in all aspects of life
The idea of excelling at everything sounds intimidating, fortunately, that’s not what Groover is suggesting in the MORE method. Instead, she’s referring to a belief that a holistic approach to success is essential — that one can’t just achieve success in one aspect of life because of the connection between health, relationships, finances, and productivity — and making an intentional effort to keep all these key elements of existence in balance.
Can the MORE Method help someone in recovery?
In many ways, the MORE method has strong similarities to therapeutic approaches in addiction treatment, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CTB). Both share the ultimate goal of getting individuals to stop destructive behaviors and instead foster positive change.
When CBT is used in treating addiction, change is achieved through a combination of deep self-reflection and awareness. and learning how to control one’s thoughts, beliefs, mindset, and actions to achieve a desired outcome.
Jen Groover’s MORE method also strongly leans on self-reflection as the key to unlocking mastery over one’s thoughts, feelings and behavior. Like CBT, this framework is pragmatic and ongoing — a continuous effort to be better than yesterday, without demanding the need to be perfect.
