Next Article Build your mental... Be flexible. As we've seen before, it's important to always ask yourself why something is important and how it connects to things to you already know. At least once a day, live disconnected for an hour. It is not And that explains a stunning cultural trend: fewer and fewer of us can actually think for ourselves. Just use promo code SYOB99 to claim your offer. Your Brain Power with Classics Generally speaking, a good warning flag for when you need to put on that critical thinking cap is when the speaker uses a qualifying statement. is groupthink. When we talk about critical thinking it's impossible not to talk about the fact that we're pretty bad at recognizing biases in our own thinking. On my own, by trial and error. You’ll suck at most things in the beginning. How To Achieve Entrepreneurial Success -- With No Friends, No Money, No Real Expertise, How Complaining Rewires Your Brain for Negativity, 13 Cognitive Biases That Really Screw Things Up For You, why those critical thinking skills are in such short supply, Entrepreneur Voices on the Science of Success, How to Make Career Decisions That You Will Never Regret, Why Lateral Career Moves Are Actually Power Moves. If something doesn't sound true, that's your first warning sign. Not that all outside influence is bad or detrimental to How To Think Critically. Hero Images | Hero Images. One of the most important parts of thinking critically is learning what details matter. Let your brain fire back: “Only if I’m buying what you’re selling.”. But understanding what your positive traits are and what makes you unique will help you banish the negativity and accept yourself. Once you do, you'll know that it's time to start asking questions. They want easy solutions and they want them now. get caught up in a cycle of over-spending, over-consuming and then Might call it snatching a moment from the day. As for self-help books, that’s easy. Think of things that I hadn't thought of in the past? If you want to continue wasting your time and your brain’s capacity to create and imagine, keep right on reading prescriptive content and business books. Do I still know what's going on? Do not let others, especially When I was young, my friends and I made up our own games with our own rules using little more than our bodies, our surroundings and the occasional stick and rubber ball. In many cases, they are weapons. Many times we They don't want to know that man bites a dog, because the world is not supposed to happen like that. Personal Image credit: And therein, lies the rub. Being wrong just means you’re ready for new information, not that you’re somehow defective. you do everyone a disservice, especially yourself. Now, ask me how many business books I’ve read. From there, you can start looking for other holes in an argument. Choose yourself today! Gather as much information about a subject as possible before forming an opinion. I owe all my career success to an upbringing that allowed me to find my own answers and figure out my own solutions. Read at least 1 personal development article a day. People like to be told what they already know. Paying attention to the Whys that go hand-in-hand with the Whats will go a long way in freeing up mental space for your own mind to roam. What would need to change for you to have a different (opposite) opinion? We don’t need devils whispering in our ears; we have billboards. Clarity goes a long way toward shaking off unworthy – even harmful – mental influences. under so many external influences that it can be compromise the facts for the sake of consensus or fitting in. Apparently, when children are allowed to explore the neighborhood and play with random things they find, that sparks their imagination. Quit Wasting Your Brain and Learn to Think for Yourself As our culture becomes ever more cautious, employers are desperate for people who think critically and creatively. The vast majority were great stories about real CEOs and their companies, while the remainder were classics from brilliant minds like Drucker, Bennis and Levitt. Take some time off for yourself every week. what is already in place. Relax, rejuvenate and charge yourself up for what’s up ahead. Think positive This may sound obvious, but optimism goes hand in hand with being happy. Life Skills.net. Of course, this is similar to something like the Socratic method, where a series of questions help you reveal what you think about an argument or idea. Games are ready made. Gather as much information about a subject as possible before forming And that’s OK. You know, even computers lose at chess. At least once a day, live disconnected for an hour. people's opinions? By recognizing what your thoughts feed you, you can begin to alter reactions and perceptions toward thinking for yourself. Think of people, moments, or things ... Open yourself up to humor. If no