Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Different Ways of Thinking
• Part 2 of 3: Understanding the Basics of Thinking
• Part 3 of 3: Improving Your Thinking
• Tips
• Warnings

We all think - for us it is absolutely natural. The question, however, is how to learn to think better. Yes, it will take time, you will have to constantly practice, and there is no limit to perfection at all, but isn't it amazing? A sharp mind and ability to think will be very useful to you!

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Different Ways of Thinking

1. 1 Understand that there are different types of thinking. There is no one single correct way of thinking that would be more effective than all others. To learn to think better for yourself, you need to understand how you can think in general and how others think.
   • Learn to think conceptually. Simply put, learn to identify patterns and connections between abstract ideas, which you will then link into one big picture. For example, this kind of thinking comes in handy during a chess game - by looking at the board, you will recognize the tactics that your opponent is playing and you can apply counter-tactics.
   • Learn to think intuitively. Yes, you also need to listen to intuition. The brain sometimes processes much more than we can understand - this, in fact, is our intuition. For example, you are a girl who for some reason really does not want to go on a date with a likeable guy. Later it turns out that this was the right decision - the guy turned out to be a maniac. What saved you? A brain that has caught some signals that you were not able to analyze consciously ... in other words, intuition!
2. 2 Learn five styles of thinking. In the book "The Art of Thinking" (Harrison and Bramson, "The Art of Thinking"), there are five main types of thinking: synthetic, idealistic, pragmatic, analytical and realistic. Understand what works best for you and you can think better. You can use one or several styles at once, but the more the better.
   • Synthetic thinkers love conflict (and are happy to play the role of "devil's advocate"), they are more likely to ask the question "what if". Conflicts fuel their creativity and often allow them to see the whole situation as a whole.
   • Idealists are more likely to see the whole situation at once, rather than any single component of it. Idealist thinkers are more interested in people and emotions than facts and figures. They also like to think about the future and make plans.
   • Pragmatists find it nicer what works in practice. They can think quickly, plan well for the short term, are quite creative and adapt to change. Sometimes they are even capable of impromptu.
   • Analysts, on the other hand, break down all problems and situations into smaller components, since they are not so comfortable working with the whole situation as a whole. Analysts love lists and details, and respect order.
   • Delusional fantasies are alien to realists. They know how to ask unpleasant questions and do what is required to solve the situation. They can control both the problem and the ways to solve it, and also not lose sight of their own boundaries of the possible. Realistic thinking is at least minimally inherent in most people.
3. 3 Think divergently, not convergently. Convergent thinking means you only see two options - black and white, good and bad, us and the enemy. Divergent thinking allows for a much wider range of possibilities and options.
   • To learn to think divergently, when faced with new people or situations, you need to pay attention to how you perceive it. Do you only use a limited set of options (for example: he doesn't want to go out with me - he hates me, he wants to go out with me - he likes me)? Do you often use the phrases “or ...or"? Having caught yourself thinking in this way, stop and think: are all these options that you have? As a rule, there are significantly more options.
   • Convergent thinking isn't always a bad thing. In mathematics, for example, when you need to find the only correct answer, it is simply necessary ... but in life, its relevance is still severely limited.
4. 4 Learn to think critically. Critical thinking is an objective analysis of a situation or information, by obtaining additional facts and information from third-party sources, on the basis of which you analyze the primary information.
   • In general terms, thinking critically means not taking things for granted, not thinking that by default everyone understands what they are talking about, and sorting things out on their own.
   • However, you will need to understand your own prejudices and prejudices, and then try to overcome all this in order to start looking at the world more objectively.

Part 2 of 3: Understanding the Basics of Thinking

1. 1 Challenge assumptions. To learn to think truly effectively, you need to learn to challenge and doubt your own assumptions. Your way of thinking is a product of the social and cultural environment in which you grew up, and you need to think very hard about whether it is productive and useful.
   • Consider multiple points of view at once. Having learned something, even if it sounds logical and correct, take the trouble to look at it from a different angle. Find the facts for and against, look at the opinions of other people. Example: You've heard that wearing bras leads to cancer, which sounds logical (and if you are a woman, it couldn't help but alarm you). However, you started researching the question and soon found that this assumption was not supported by any scientific evidence. If you took everything on faith, you would not get to the bottom of the truth.
2. 2 Become an inquisitive person! Great thinkers are perhaps the most inquisitive people. They asked themselves questions about the world around them and looked for answers to these questions.
   • Ask people questions about themselves. You don't need to be annoying, but if you have met someone, then questions like "where are you from?" or "what do you work for?" will not hurt. People love to talk about themselves, and you can find out a lot of interesting things that you would never have learned if you had not asked questions.
   • See the world through the eyes of a curious child. Are you flying an airplane? Take an interest in how a multi-ton steel colossus can fly, how it keeps in the air, how aircraft construction developed (and do not limit yourself to just one story of the Wright brothers).
   • If you get the opportunity, go to museums (it happens that once a month they are allowed in for free), to libraries, to public lectures. This is a great way to satisfy your curiosity and learn more about the world for minimal or no cost.
3. 3 Look for the truth. True, there is one small difficulty here: one truth, common to all, does not always exist - instead, there are many small "truths" that everyone has their own. However, the ability to search, if not to the unambiguous truth, then to the deep essence of questions in all spheres of human life (social, political, personal and others) will be useful to you and will noticeably improve your ability to think.
   • Try to wade through the thorns of controversy to the truth and proven facts. Your mind must be open and ready to accept new things, otherwise you will simply ignore those facts that contradict your theory and with which you disagree.
   • For example: the problem of climate change is very politicized, and it is difficult to get to the bottom of the facts (and the climate is changing rapidly, and precisely because of anthropogenic impact). Why? Because due to the flow of distorted information and mutual accusations, the facts often cease to interest anyone.
4. 4 Look for creative solutions. Creativity is a great way to nurture an outstanding thinker.Creative thinking will teach you to react to non-standard problems, wherever they overtake you. Plus, you can practice it anywhere: at school, at work, and even on the bus.
   • Daydreaming is beneficial. Quite frankly, it is an extremely powerful tool for both thinking and problem solving. Set aside some time for this activity every day (for example, before bed). Make yourself comfortable in silence and let your mind know no obstacles!
   • If you are having difficulty solving a problem and are looking for a creative way to cope with it, then try asking yourself: what would you do if you had access to any resources in the world; who would you turn to for help if you could ask anyone; what would you do if you weren't afraid to make a mistake. All of this will help you see new opportunities.
5. 5 Collect information. Learn to seek information from trusted sources. These days there is a lot of informational rubbish, which sometimes seems very convincing. Accordingly, you need to be able to distinguish between soft and warm ... that is, a reliable source of information from a not very reliable one.
   • Libraries are good. No, this is even wonderful! Not only are there a lot of free books (and sometimes other media content), but various events are also sometimes held there. Librarians can answer your questions or suggest where to look for answers.
   • Also, libraries often contain local publications, from which you can learn a lot about your city.
   • Some sites are excellent sources of information. Wolfram | Alpha contains scientific and computational data, Digitised Manuscripts contains digitized manuscripts (ranging from medieval manuscripts to contemporary artist notebooks), and Open Education offers free lecture courses in a wide variety of subjects. Above all, keep in mind that a little healthy skepticism never hurts, whether you get information from the internet, a book, or a documentary. Adherence to facts and impartiality will help you more than natural intelligence.

Part 3 of 3: Improving Your Thinking

1. 1 Change your thinking with language. Scientists have long proven that language determines the way we think. For example, those who grew up in a country where the names of the cardinal points (north-south, west-east) are more often used, and not the concept of "left-right", much faster navigate the terrain without the help of a compass.
   • Learn at least one foreign language. Those who speak more than one language see the world wider, fuller, brighter, and more capacious. Each new language is another new picture of the world. A new language is sure to introduce you to new paradigms of thinking.
2. 2 Study everywhere. Studying is not going to school or memorizing the date of the Battle of Kulikovo. You can (and should) learn all your life, you can learn anything. If you are constantly learning, you are constantly thinking and developing accordingly.
   • You should not blindly trust the authorities. Even if a person seems to know what he is talking about, you should always check, double-check, look for new points of view. Just what a respected person has said about something does not at all make what he said true. And it is quite another matter when in a number of independent sources you find confirmation of what he said.
   • Skepticism is your best friend. Information should be obtained from a number of independent sources, while always paying attention to who makes certain statements (his research is financed by the very company he defends? He is interested in spreading false information to draw attention to his alleged innovation? or, perhaps, does not understand at all what he is talking about?).
   • Discover new things for yourself, get out of your comfort zone. This will make it easier for you to accept new opinions and views that differ from yours, so you can discover ideas that you would never have known about.So sign up for a cooking class, learn to knit, or join the amateur astronomer community!
3. 3 Use mind exercises. The brain is in a sense similar to muscles: weak muscles get stronger and stronger after exertion, a weak brain after exertion ... also gets stronger and begins to think better. The more and more often you use your own brain, the better you think!
   • Do math. Regular math exercises are a great exercise for the brain, as well as prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Do a little math every day (it doesn't have to be hard problems - at least just do it in your head, without a calculator, when you need to add some numbers, and so on).
   • Learn a poem. This is not only a way to impress at a party, but also a great exercise for your memory and, by extension, your brain. You can also memorize various quotes, so that later they can be screwed into the conversation at the right moment.
   • Create mini-tasks for your brain every day. For example, take a different route home, listen to new music, watch a documentary on a topic that is new to you, learn a new word, try a new sport, draw a little, speak a foreign language, or volunteer.
4. 4 Practice mindfulness. This is important because mindfulness not only helps us to put our thoughts in order, but sometimes allows us to find answers to important questions. Mindfulness can reduce the severity of mental problems and can also help those seeking to learn more and think better.
   • You can practice mindfulness just by walking down the street. Do not immerse yourself in your own thoughts at such a moment, focus on your own five senses - pay attention to the green of the trees, the blue of the sky, clouds, the sound of your own footsteps, the rustle of foliage in the wind, people walking nearby, smells, temperature. Do not evaluate your feelings (too cold-hot-windy), just notice them.
   • Meditate at least 15 minutes a day. This will clear and calm your mind. Sit in a quiet, peaceful place where nothing will distract you (with practice, you can start meditating even on the bus or at work). Breathe deeply with your stomach, focus on breathing, on inhaling and exhaling, and not on the thoughts that will be spinning in your head at that moment.
5. 5 Take care of your physical and social health. Leading an active lifestyle day after day is critical to keeping your mind sharp. Regular physical activity (in moderation) and communication with people help prevent memory loss. Keep your schedule busy.
6. 6 Make it a challenge to learn new things every day. This is not only a way to acquire new skills or interesting knowledge, but also to develop your thinking. Try to learn or do something new every day. This can be anything from brushing your teeth with your left hand instead of your right hand, to completing a lesson on a free site like Duolingo, Code Academy, or another platform that suits your interests.

Tips

• Understand that thinking is an automatic and conscious process, but primarily conscious: you need a volitional effort to set it into action, like an engine.

Warnings

• The ability to think comes with experience. Everyone sometimes believes what they shouldn't. In this case, there is nothing to blame yourself for - you just need to continue looking for the truth and be more careful when spreading any information.