How To Become A Better Thinker

Thinking is something you do all the time so you should do it well. If you are reading and comprehending this article right now then you are thinking. The importance of being a good thinker shows itself in several aspects of daily life; at work, at school, in social settings, when dealing with life’s problems, and the list goes on. Being able to think well can make the difference between success and failure.

It’s not just work, school, and social settings. Thinking right can improve overall quality of life if you have it as a tool to deal with any challenges life may throw your way. Ultimately, it is the best tool we have and we should make sure it functions optimally. But before we get into ways to improve thinking, it should be mentioned that what can be done to do this is very complicated. You can read this list as a great start to get on your way but always try to find novel ways to improve thinking skills. What works for you may not work for others here. Each of the items in this list can be their own topic, but here we can get started by laying the foundation.

Ways to become a better thinker

Here are some suggestions to improve your thinking.

1. Solve problems

Problem solving is one of the biggest things that define effective thinking. You should be skillful at resolving challenges even when they seem complicated and out of your control. Don’t expect yourself to solve world hunger as practice but you should be training yourself on ways to solve daily problems. Think outside the box and go beyond your knowledge’s comfort-zone so you can elevate your problem solving potential. Solve riddles or search up problems online that companies or other people may have faced and try solving them yourself. Imagine yourself in situations where you need to overcome an obstacle and do so. Challenge yourself in daily life.

2. Build your creativity

Being a talented thinker involves being able to form new ideas from what you know. Creativity may seem like one of those things people either have or they don’t but in reality it is not that cut and dry. To a certain extent, ideas come to whoever they come to. Some people get great ideas when they aren’t even looking for them –it just comes to them. Still, there are ways creativity can be improved. Try using your creativity more. The brain is like a muscle and it gets stronger with use. Use your imagination often and come up with wild ideas. Try to come up with ridiculous scenarios in your head. Also, expose yourself to artwork, architecture, unique engineering accomplishments, and similar demonstrations of genius. These may work to inspire you to formulate your own new and great ideas.

3. Be logical and illogical

Being logical is a defining feature of intelligence but being illogical is (surprisingly) equally as important. Being an excellent thinker means mixing these two together without overdoing either one. Being logical might be an obvious suggestion, but why be illogical? Well, illogical thinking is actually creative. Even if your thoughts are distant prospects, they are still creative. Furthermore, being illogical could actually help prepare you to face the obstacles of life. If you come up with ridiculous situations and you prepare yourself to handle them then if a less extreme situation arises then you may have thought of the solution already. Don’t go overboard with illogical thinking to the point where you create anxieties that have little or no grounding in reality. Moderation is key here. Illogical thinking should always take second place to logical thinking.

4. Improve communication skills

Communication is partially a show of intelligence and partially an indication of it. People who are better communicators are generally viewed as more intelligent. For that reason, it can be used as a way to present you as more intelligent. But the goal here shouldn’t be to show off thinking skills (don’t do that to avoid coming off as snobby).  The goal is to actually be a great thinker, and communication is a part of that. You should be able to have the creativity to come up with a novel idea and then pair that with the communication skills to describe and explain it. You should have the ability to understand the reasoning in other peoples’ words and be able to navigate social situations using your words. Ultimately, communication is a connection between the outside world and your internal thinking skills.

5. Control your emotions

Emotional control is a demonstration of excellent thinking and it contributes to it. People who are emotionally regulated tend to be viewed as more intelligent, and rightfully so. Acting on the basis of emotion is indicative of the fact that someone is thinking on a lower neurological level. Moreover, people who control their emotions use less mental energy on them. Less mental energy on emotions means that energy can be made available for other more important mental processes. Control stress, overcome trauma, defeat mental illness or do whatever you need to do to control emotions. This may be easier said than done but there is a way. Dedicate effort to learning about any mental health issues you may be facing and seek professional help when needed so you can break free from the control emotions might have on you.

6. Pay attention to detail

With attention spans getting worse and worse on average it is becoming harder for people to focus on minute details and really understand them. But paying attention to details is important for proper thinking because sometimes the details are the greatest source of information. They may be where the solution lies and overlooking details can mean the difference between success and failure. Make sure you are looking at the small things, understanding them deeply and using them as a building ground to grow your understanding of larger more complex topics.

7. Take care of your brain

Avoid having your thinking compromised by your environment by taking care of your brain. There is a lot we can discuss here, but these are the basic tips: stay hydrated, eat fruits and vegetables, make sure you get proper nutrition (protein, unsaturated fats, minerals and nutrients), sleep right, don’t tire your eyes or your ears, and control stress levels.