nelacanovic posted: " Absolutely. Thinking independently is a challenge, though, because it doesn't just naturally happen. We may not even be aware of it, but our thoughts and opinions are influenced by and sometimes mirror those of other people. This process starts in" Nela's Blog
Thinking independently is a challenge, though, because it doesn't just naturally happen. We may not even be aware of it, but our thoughts and opinions are influenced by and sometimes mirror those of other people. This process starts in childhood as we repeatedly hear statements from our parents, grandparents, teachers and it progresses well into our adult years. Often we don't question the way we think or where these thoughts came from. But it is beneficial to form our personal opinions, apply critical thinking, and ask ourselves why something matters to us and how we want to proceed — with a decision, a conclusion, a lesson that we can learn from a situation.
What are some practical ways in which you can develop this skill?
Make it a habit to question authority, norms, and rules. This doesn't mean you should break the law, but it does mean you should ask the important question: WHY? Why follow the same process to complete a project at work (or is there a better way to do it)? Why study for 12 hours straight, or can time be used more efficiently? Why react to a problem by walking away from everything — quitting a job, ignoring a goal, ending a relationship, or is it better to understand the source of the issue first)?
Keep your mind open to different points of view. This can apply to politics, world history, philosophy, literature, spiritual practice, art, science, culinary skills and preferences, technology, etc. Find out different people's perspectives on various topics to understand the context of the conversation. Don't dismiss someone's upbringing, culture, or language if it doesn't overlap with your own. And just because someone believes in something you do not, doesn't mean you cannot learn from what they have to say.
Ask questions to better understand how things work. Questions are an excellent learning tool. Make sure they are open-ended questions like, Why did this problem occur? How does this work? Can you explain it in a bit more detail?How did you reach that conclusion? If that doesn't work, which alternate solution do you propose? The more answers you receive, the better your view of the entire situation.
Train your brain to think creatively. Learn to find different solutions to a single problem. Get your brain comfortable with mind mapping — brainstorm by writing and drawing ideas, then connect them in original ways. Look at one problem from different angles to see the bigger picture. If something is bothering you and you can't find a solution, take a break and do something unrelated to the problem. Look for patterns in data that tell an important story. Diversify your sources of information: read books and website articles, take time to understand data in a spreadsheet, listen to podcasts that aren't only news-related, watch different film genres.
Treat the advice of other people as their autobiography. They're indirectly sharing their life experiences, their mindset, their education, their mistakes or fears or lessons that made an impact on their lives. Ask yourself, Does this advice align with my personal values? How would I benefit from taking their opinion seriously? Are these comments valuable to my situation or am I seeking their approval? What can happen if I accept their advice and I don't get the result I want?
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