Oscar Wilde said, “ A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.” What makes a person a “good thinker?” Here are some traits we can cultivate to help us become better thinkers:
1. Deliberate – don’t just react from your gut, or go with first instinct—think it over!
2. Recognize complexities – strong thinkers are able to work within problems, and consider all options before coming to conclusions.
3. Curious – be inquisitive; ask questions!
4.Truth Seekers – bottom line, you want to know the truth, even if it changes your what you’ve taken for granted.
5. Communicate well – good thinkers do their best to be clear and logical. Some find it helpful to jot down ideas in an orderly way.
6. Fair-minded – good thinkers consider multiple points of view before drawing a conclusion. If you always get your information from one source, is it fair? Listen to both sides and you’ll come to a truer conclusion.
7. Intellectual empathy – you need to try and understand another’s point of view.
8. Integrity and intellectual courage – you need to be honest, have strong moral principles and be willing to back up your convictions honorably.
9. Develop reasonable conclusions – strong, critical thinkers are able to draw rational conclusions because they took the time to analyze, evaluate, infer and deduce a conclusion.
10. Gracious – good thinkers are full of grace towards others who are in process of becoming better thinkers!
These tips are largely taken from Insight Assessment, http://www.insightassessment.com, developed of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test.
That’s a big bill to fill! But it really starts one to think differently.
Thanks, Lisa , for getting us out of our comfort zone!