If you are new to the term Critical Thinking, then don’t get swayed by the word to relate it with criticism, being a critic or being self-critical. Indeed Critical Thinking as an approach is an excellent way to go beyond our mental conditioning of labeling experiences and people. We often operate from a mindset of labeling or experiences according to our frame of reference as being Right or Wrong, Good or Bad and many such perceptual filters. However, this limits our ability to look at the potential of the information shared with us at the moment.
Why should we develop critical thinking? What advantage it has over our conventional way of operating in the world? – If you want to cultivate a Growth Mindset and would like to create opportunities where others see problems? Then it is fundamental to upgrade your thinking habits to critical thinking.
It starts by asking the right questions from yourself regarding any situation, information or people presented to you. Let me explain with the example. For instance take this blog article, as you read it, you can either chose to classify under any label as per your frame of understanding or else you can choose to deal with information the critical thinking way by asking a series of following or similar questions.
- WHY – why this information is so important?
- WHAT – what can be other perspectives to this information/event etc
- HOW – how can I make use of this information?
- What NEW can I do with this information?
- WHO else can get benefitted and effected with this information?
- WHAT assumptions could have undergone while preparing this info?
- What can be Unknown or possible uncertainty in this info?
Above questions will steer your mind to critical thinking by helping you discover the purpose, letting you look at different alternatives and perspectives to the info, push you to UNDERSTAND the info rather than classifying it and eventually adopting and adapting the info to build on it and create something of your own.
Due to our operational lifestyle, where we are busy organizing things, we have unconsciously developed the pattern of classifying or labeling every information we receive according to our perceptions. This limits us from reaching out to the true potential and the power that the information holds in itself. Critical thinking enables us to challenge our own mental patterns and drive us towards a growth mindset and Learning Mindset that is a must to Evolve.
Sending Love, Laughter, and Joy.. Parth