I passed the PMP, you can too + key mindset for the exam

Thank God, passed the PMP! 🙏

As I reflect, here’s what I think actually works. If you’re preparing for the PMP, this 3-step strategy might help:

1. Learn the content (1–2 weeks)

Start by familiarizing yourself with the content.

If you don’t have the 35 hours, try a Udemy course:

• Andrew Ramdayal / David McLachlan (Just pick one. Watch at 1.5x or 2x speed.)

If you already have 35 hours, consider a cram course like Yassine Tounsi’s 5-hour crash course (Udemy).

If you prefer reading, Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Prep Guide is a solid choice.

Take notes if possible — or if not, use:

• Third3Rock Cheatsheet, or
• David McLachlan’s Course Summary notes (usually comes with the Udemy course)

2. Learn the mindset (2–3 days)

This is what actually helps you answer PMP-style questions.

What worked for me:

• Watching Ramdayal’s “200 Ultra Hard Questions” on YouTube (It’s long. Like really long. But worth it.)
• Watching Mohammed Rahman’s videos for extra practice

Eventually, it’ll click — and you’ll start:

• Eliminating 2 of the 4 options confidently. Sometimes even getting directly to the right option!

3. Practice questions (2–4 weeks)

This step is critical. I tried a lot of sources, and honestly, PMI’s Study Hall was the closest to the real exam.

I used the Essentials version: • 700+ questions • 15 mini exams (15 questions each) • 2 full mock exams (175 questions each)

If you have the budget or your company covers it, go for the Plus version — it has more exams (20 minis, 5 mocks).

Do all the questions. Review why they’re right or wrong. Yes, they feel tricky. That’s exactly why they’re helpful. Don’t get discouraged by low scores. Just keep practicing until you start averaging 80%+. Focus mostly on Moderate and Difficult questions. You can skip most of the Expert ones.

One more thing — when Study Hall explanations didn’t make sense, I used ChatGPT. Honestly, it helped a lot and gave clearer reasoning.

Key PMP Mindset / Notes:

General:

1.	Always assess or analyze first before taking action — understand the root cause.
2.	Collaborate with the team when making decisions or developing plans.
3.	Act as a servant leader — support, coach, and mentor your team.
4.	Focus on prevention over inspection — deal with risks and issues proactively.
5.	Base actions on data, trends, or impact assessments, not assumptions or gut feelings.
6.	Refer to the project vision or objectives if the team is confused or misaligned.
7.	Respect organizational processes and governance — don’t bypass them.
8.	Avoid escalating or involving third parties like HR, sponsor, or steering committee — unless the situation explicitly calls for it.
9.	Don’t delay, pause, or stop the project unnecessarily — keep progress moving.
10.	Don’t overreact — avoid firing, rejecting, or making extreme decisions unless ethically required.

Stakeholders & Communication:

11.	If a stakeholder is unresponsive → revisit the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
12.	If a stakeholder missed updates → check the Communication Management Plan.
13.	Meet 1-on-1 with stakeholders to resolve conflicts or understand preferences.
14.	Tailor communication style and frequency to stakeholder needs, not fixed cycles (e.g., not “monthly” or “daily” by default).
15.	Consider cultural and individual preferences, especially with global teams.
16.	Don’t act immediately on requests — analyze feasibility and impact first.
17.	Keep stakeholders engaged and informed throughout the project lifecycle.

Agile / Hybrid:

18.	Product Owner owns the backlog and prioritizes based on value and stakeholder input.
19.	Team owns sprint backlog, story points, and velocity estimation — empower them.
20.	Once a sprint begins, don’t change it — honor the timebox.
21.	Use demos for progress, retrospectives for improvement, and refinement for clarity.
22.	Grooming can happen before sprint planning.
23.	If the org is transitioning to Agile → provide training and coaching.
24.	Agile is feedback-driven — use MVPs and early releases to validate and adapt.
25.	Use video calls for distributed teams to maintain face-to-face communication.
26.	Avoid command-and-control behaviors — support sustainable pace and shared ownership.
27.	Hybrid = when part of the project is predictive (e.g., regulatory) and part is adaptive (e.g., user interface).

Predictive (Waterfall):

28.	Can’t update baselines (scope, schedule, cost) without a formal change request.
29.	For change requests → assess the impact first, then follow change control processes.
30.	Work authorization and governance systems must be followed.
31.	Project charter = high level; scope baseline = scope statement, WBS, WBS dictionary.
32.	Cost baseline = estimates + contingency; project budget = cost baseline + management reserves.
33.	Risk, quality, and stakeholder management are ongoing efforts, not one-time tasks.
34.	If a known risk materializes → it becomes an issue; execute the planned risk response.

Risk & Issue Management:

35.	“Something may happen” = risk, “has/will happen” = issue.
36.	Add new risks to the risk register, and active issues to the issue log.
37.	Don’t ignore or delay risk response — act early and appropriately.
38.	Use Monte Carlo simulation for scenario-based risk analysis.
39.	New regulations? → Assess impact first, then update risk register if applicable.
40.	Escalate only if the issue exceeds your authority — not just because it’s difficult.

Quality, Procurement & Resource Management:

41.	Quality Control = product-level; Quality Assurance / Plan Quality = process-level.
42.	If a deliverable is rejected → review the acceptance criteria.
43.	For vendor/supplier issues → refer to the contract and procurement agreements.
44.	If a team member lacks knowledge → arrange training or mentoring.
45.	For resource constraints → work with the Functional Manager to resolve.
46.	Establish and follow a Team Charter with team norms and ground rules.
47.	Use the team charter or conflict resolution techniques for team issues or misbehavior.
48.	Recognition should be timely, relevant, and based on team member preferences.

Red Flags:

49.	Be cautious of options with harsh tone: instruct, demand, force, command.
50.	Avoid answers with:

•	Rigid phrases: always, never, only, immediately, do nothing, pause project
•	Specific timelines: weekly, monthly, daily (unless the question says so)
•	Third-party escalation: HR, sponsor, steering committee — unless the scenario involves them
•	Single-constraint focus: answers that mention just cost, schedule, or scope without considering the others

Wow, that turned into a long post 😅 — but I’d be happy if it helps someone out there.

Good luck and all the best! 🙏