Curious about Critical Thinking? Start collecting its benefits today

You may be hearing lots of good things about Critical Thinking. But what are the real benefits and applications in your everyday Life? This is how you can develop and use it to your advantage.

Curious about Critical Thinking? Start collecting its benefits today
Photo by Juan Rumimpunu / Unsplash

In these times that information comes from everywhere, everybody talks about everything, and activities should be performed faster than ever; stopping to think, analyze, and understand is becoming extremely valuable.

In that context, Critical Thinking is gaining power in organizations and daily life.

What is Critical Thinking

The following definition comes from Google / Oxford Languages

Although there is no unanimous interpretation of the phrase, many sources argue that some actions lead to Critical Thinking:

  • Questioning, Being skeptical, Analysis of different points of view
  • Gathering information, Researching
  • Logic, Deduction
  • Seeking for reasons behind the facts
  • Understanding, Evaluating, and Connecting Ideas
  • Awareness of biases (self and other people's)
  • Knowing when to stop

In short, to analyze a problem, you should research, understand, and connect. Then, you will be in a better position to make a decision.

Why is Critical Thinking Important

These are some examples of what it can give you:

  1. Too much information is flowing. This is good and bad. You need to be capable of filtering what is important, what is useful, what is inaccurate, and what is a scam.
  2. When you connect ideas, you understand what you see and can build from there. Getting a good foundation, identifying patterns, and creating connections help you learn, design, and remember better.
  3. Recognizing potential flaws and counterpoints in your work or ideas lets you anticipate future issues.

In general, Critical thinking can improve:

  • Decision Making
  • Problem-Solving
  • Awareness
  • Creativity
  • Learning

How can I apply Critical Thinking

Some daily applications are:

  • Forming an opinion when consuming information. Checking the sources. Searching for sources expressing the opposite. Developing your unique point of view.
  • Protecting yourself against fraud. Being skeptical, asking, and analyzing the whole situation.
  • Making better decisions. Being aware of your intention. Evaluating the risks and investments.
  • Working better. Understanding how your client thinks and what they want. Checking your ideas, testing what you did.

How can I develop Critical Thinking

You will improve it with practice. The better you become at it, the more efficient you will get.

You always need to set some time aside. It is easier and faster to close your eyes and go ahead with whatever appears in front of you, but taking the right time will benefit you in the future. For example:

  • When reading a headline, instead of incorporating it as truth, check it. Go through the article and sources, and search on the topic. What points don't make sense even when you agree with what you read? Dig in those open items.
  • When learning something, explain it using your own words. If it is technical, create exercises for you. Think about how you could solve it differently. Compare what you learned with some other knowledge that you have. Challenge it.
  • Always assess yourself. Why do you think that way or have that opinion? Search for counterpoints. Write down how you would defend your idea and how you would attack it.
  • When asked to do something at work, understand the reason behind it. What is the pain they have for asking you to do that activity? How would you like it to be solved if you were the one asking for it?
  • When immersed in some topic, step back and look at the big picture again and again. Identify particularities. Why is this that way? Does it make sense? Look for inconsistencies. Explain why they exist.

Wrap up

Critical thinking is a tool that is becoming more and more valuable. You can apply it in many aspects of your life. Mastering it will bring you benefits at work and personal life.

Start practicing it, and you will find yourself with a better understanding of the world around you.