how critical thinking as a skill can help you succeed in life discuss

• Published on August 31, 2023
• August 31, 2023

How Critical Thinking Can Empower You to Do More and Succeed

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Do you consider yourself a critical thinker? Are you able to solve problems rationally, evaluate information objectively, and arrive at conclusions based on factual evidence?

Critical thinking is a skill—one that can be honed and developed with practice and time.

Whether you inherently possess this talent or not, rest assured that you, too, can foster your own critical thinking abilities.

Jim Kwik , brain coach and trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest, says, “ It’s not about mental intelligence; it’s about mental fitness .”

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly, logically, and objectively. It’s the ability to analyze and evaluate information in a methodical way.

For example, imagine being handed a jigsaw puzzle. With your critical thinking skills, you’d be able to study each piece, figure out where it goes, and see the bigger picture. And when it comes down to it, it’s not accepting things at face value.

So what’s the big deal about it anyway? Simply put, developing critical thinking skills can help you make better decisions in everyday life. Whether you’re deciding which car to buy or which movie to watch, a little bit of analytical thought can go a long way. Remember: it’s all about weighing up the evidence, considering different perspectives, and drawing conclusions based on that information.

Now, don’t feel pressured to become a master detective overnight. Developing this skill takes time and practice. So every time you’re faced with a question or puzzling topic, take a step back and think critically about it.

Learn more: 7 Most Common Types of Thinking & How to Identify Yours

Why Is Critical Thinking Important?

Critical thinking skills encourage you to operate without prejudice or bias, to keep the facts straight, and to arrive at logical, fact-based solutions.

As Vishen , the founder of Mindvalley, says, “ If you want to be the best you can be, you’ll need to be willing to make a change or two. ”

In today’s world, where there’s a ton of information and things are changing superfast, being able to think critically feels like a superpower.

Making smart choices and thinking carefully about stuff becomes easier if you work on these skills. It’s like having a clear map to find your way through all the confusing stuff out there.

Now, in what ways can critical thinking be beneficial to you?

• Versatile Skill: Critical thinking navigates professional diversity.
• Effective Problem-Solving: It tackles multifaceted challenges adeptly.
• Personal Growth: Self-reflection fuels the evolution of beliefs and perceptions.

10 Critical Thinking Skills to Thrive in a Dynamic World

Having sharp critical thinking skills has become more important than ever. By sharpening them, you’ll have the ability to make smart choices using trustworthy information and logical thinking. 

Here are ten to highlight:

1. Analysis 

You use a systematic approach to understand underlying concepts and relationships through the breakdown of information or a situation.

Real-life example: To analyze a piece of literature, you would first break it down into its component parts, such as the plot, characters, setting, and themes. Then, you would look for patterns and relationships between these parts. This would help you understand the underlying meaning of the work.

2. Evaluation 

You make well-informed judgments and sound decisions when you evaluate the credibility, relevance, and reliability of information or arguments.

Real-life example: A triage nurse in an emergency room assesses the severity of patients’ conditions and determines which patients should be seen by a physician first.

3. Inference 

You use available evidence and prior knowledge to draw logical conclusions.

Real-life example: Imagine a warm day in July. You see a person with a red face who is sweating profusely. You conclude that they are probably hot—as simple as that!

4. Interpretation 

You have a coherent and meaningful way of understanding and communicating information, data, or ideas. Real-life example: Think of how a doctor interprets the results of a medical test by considering the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and other test results. This allows the doctor to communicate the meaning of the test results in a way that is understandable to the patient and their family.

5. Explanation 

You use clarity and logical reasoning and allow others to understand and evaluate your reasoning. Real-life example: Just like in school, when a teacher explains a complex mathematical concept to their students by breaking it down into smaller, easier-to-understand steps. This allows the students to follow the teacher’s reasoning and understand how the concept works.

6. Self-regulation

You identify and rectify cognitive biases and monitor and adjust your thinking consciously. Real-life example: A salesperson who is good at self-regulation may be able to identify and correct their own tendency to make assumptions about potential customers. They may also be able to monitor their own thinking during a sales pitch and adjust it accordingly, such as by asking more questions or by being more open-minded.

7. Creativity 

You use imagination and innovative thinking to generate original solutions, ideas, or approaches to problems and challenges. Real-life example: Creative artists may be able to come up with new and innovative ways to express themselves. For example, they can create a new type of painting or a new form of music.

8. Open-mindedness

You’re receptive to different perspectives, ideas, and viewpoints and are willing to consider and evaluate alternative possibilities without immediate judgment. Real-life example: At a team meeting, a colleague suggests a new, unconventional approach to a project. Instead of dismissing it, you listen, ask questions, and consider its potential. Your open-mindedness and critical thinking led you to adopt elements of the idea, resulting in a successful project outcome that benefits from diverse perspectives.

9. Problem-solving

You have the capacity to identify, define, and address challenges or obstacles in a systematic and effective manner. Real-life example: Consider a software engineer who is good at problem-solving. They may be able to identify and define a bug in a piece of software, develop a systematic approach to fixing the bug, and test the software to ensure that the bug has been fixed.

10. Adaptability 

You’re flexible and responsive to new information, situations, or perspectives. Real-life example: A student who is adaptable may be able to adjust their study habits if the material becomes more challenging or if the teaching style changes. They could change their major or their career goals if they discover that they are not interested in the original path.

By embracing and refining these critical thinking skills, you’ll become more proficient in your cognitive abilities.

10 Questions That Boost Critical Thinking

Asking thought-provoking questions is one of the most effective ways to encourage critical thinking.

Questions that challenge assumptions, require evidence, or promote deeper thinking can help people see things from different perspectives and come up with their own conclusions.

Let’s look at the top ten:

1. How did you get this information?

By asking someone—or even yourself—this question, you set the stage for the source of the information to be examined. Did the information reach us by word of mouth? Through some random, unsigned article or through a confirmed source?

2. From a different perspective, how would you view the matter?

To correct an opponent’s arguments, you must thoughtfully anticipate their arguments in order to counter them. This question challenges everyone to think from an opposing person’s perspective. 

This means that you need to try to understand the other person’s point of view, even if you disagree with it. This can be a difficult task, but it is important to try to do it if you want to understand the larger situation.

3. What would you do to solve this issue?

Creating practical, creative solutions to problems is a significant life skill. This question provides an exceptional opportunity to encourage people to do so.

4. Why do you agree? Why do you disagree?

The process of choosing a side in any debate requires you to consider both perspectives, weigh the arguments, and make an informed decision. So, go on, and ask the question.

5. Why, why, why?

You should relive the experience you had when you were a child by pushing ourselves beyond a simple first, second, and third answer to reach the core of the matter. However, it’s important not to overdo it, as you want your learning experience to be positive.

6. Could this be avoided? How?

Using critical thinking strategies, consider how you can prevent the occurrence of a certain problem from happening again in the future. Repeating a mistake is always a good thing to avoid.

7. Why is this important?

This is an essential concept that needs to be stressed when discussing any topic. It does not matter whether it is about a historical event or a mathematical concept, understanding why the topic is relevant today is crucial.

8. Can you give me an example of this?

When applying critical thinking skills, creating or drawing from examples based on experience is excellent. When you create such cases, you’re forced to think about the issue in a new way. 

You have to come up with a hypothetical situation that illustrates the point you are trying to make. And this can help you see the issue from different perspectives and come up with new solutions.

9. What’s the reason for asking this question?

This question invites people to consider whether the question merits any further consideration instead of answering it at face value. It’s also designed to encourage people to be aware of their own biases. 

When you answer questions, you often bring your own biases to the table. This can lead you to answer questions in a way that supports your own beliefs, even if the question is not clear or relevant.

By being aware of your biases, you can be more objective in your answers.

10. Why is this troubling you?

If you learn how to analyze difficulties rather than just accept them as they are, you’ll be able to develop strong problem-solving abilities.

Learn more: Critical Thinking Questions That Will Blow Your Mind

How to Improve Critical Thinking Skills: Tips From Mindvalley Trainers

If you’d like to hone your critical thinking abilities, then you’re in luck. You’ve assembled five actionable tips and tricks from Mindvalley experts:

1. Examine your biases

Some of the biggest hindrances to your ability to think critically are your own biases, preferences, and beliefs .

Coming to a better, more holistic understanding of your biases can help you look past them to become a more objective, critical thinker.

How can you identify them?

The best way to delve into what makes you tick is by becoming aware of your own reactions. If ever you feel yourself becoming irritable, upset, frustrated, angry, anxious, or distressed, you may want to pay attention to which of your values or beliefs have been impinged upon.

Insight from Marisa Peer , the creator of Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®) and trainer of Mindvalley’s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance Quest:

2. Question everything

The more questions you ask, the more you’re likely to learn. So if you’d like to work on your critical thinking skills, you’ll need to start asking a lot of questions.

It doesn’t mean you need to bombard the people you meet with a barrage of questions, but you should practice active listening skills.

If you pay attention, you can learn a lot, but more often than not, you’re too caught up in your own daydreams.

Be sure to question yourself as well—your own beliefs and ideals. You change as you grow, and your ideas often change as well. And sometimes, people don’t realize how much their ideals have changed until they examine them.

3. Learn to be an investigator

This skill is of ever-increasing importance in a world overflowing with “fake news.” Learning to research and investigate the things you learn is an integral skill that will facilitate your knowledge and success.

When you hear something of interest, don’t accept it at face value.

Ask questions, and dig deeper. Get to the root of the issue. Learn as much as you can, and then learn some more. Practice vigilant research skills and identify reputable resources you can trust.

Ask questions, and then investigate the answers.

Insight from Jim Kwik , brain performance coach and trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest:

3. Perform critical thinking exercises

As Jim says, “ We need to understand how our minds work, so we can work our minds better. “

Critical thinking skills can be developed through exercises like the following: data analysis, problem-solving, and abstraction. All these critical thinking exercises are indeed powerful ways to develop and enhance critical thinking skills. 

Let’s elaborate on each one of these:

Reverse the process

A mental block or lack of inspiration can occur after working on a problem for a long time. When this happens, it is crucial to take a fresh look at the situation. When trying to reframe a concern, one of the best ways is to work backward. Try reverse engineering your approach and see if it makes you think more creatively. 

People who like to work their minds and investigate issues from different angles have enjoyed competitive debating for years. Debates occur most often in high school or college, but you can hold them at any age with your friends or family.

Choose a new, unknowing topic, think outside the box, perform some research, structure your arguments, and have a mental workout.

The Ladder of Inference 

By using the Ladder of Inference , one can gain a deeper understanding of how people make decisions based on their beliefs and experiences. 

Take a moment to reflect on a recent decision or opinion you formed and trace your thinking process up a ladder with six rungs representing different phases of thinking: data, observations, selected data, meaning assigned, assumptions made, and conclusions drawn. The exercise encourages self-awareness and helps you identify areas where your critical thinking skills can be improved. 

Assess each step to determine if you missed vital information or jumped to conclusions too quickly.

4. Practice empathy

A lot of what critical thinking points to is the notion that being a critical thinker means removing reactivity and subjectivity from the thinking process. That all sounds a tad cold and detached, doesn’t it? 

But here’s the thing: critical thinking involves an inherent element of empathy . And that can help you connect with others on more intimate and profound levels.

It’s essentially putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s imagining what life is like from another person’s perspective. This detachment from your ideas, your thoughts, and your ego. And it allows you to relocate into the mental space of another person, helping you see beyond yourself. Critical thinking, in a nutshell.

Insight from Jeffrey Allen , energy healer and trainer of Mindvalley’s Duality Quest:

5. Train your brain

If you’d really like to improve your critical thinking skills, there are plenty of games and apps you can download that help improve your cognitive abilities.

Try any of the following for just 15 minutes a day to enjoy a quick and efficient brainpower boost:

You can also check out this 15-minute mind hack to incredibly boost your brainpower, brought to you by Vishen:

Awaken Your Critical Thinking Power

As Jim said, “ Our most precious gift is our brain. You can learn to unlimit and expand your mindset, your motivation, and your methods to create a limitless life. “

So cultivate a world where thoughtful reasoning thrives and navigate life’s complexities with clarity and confidence. 

If you need some inspiration on your journey to boost your critical thinking skills, Mindvalley is the place for you. Your transformation can start with insightful Quests, such as:

• Be Extraordinary Quest with Vishen
• Superbrain Quest with Jim Kwik 
• Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance Quest with Marisa Peer

By unlocking your FREE Mindvalley access , you can sample classes from these programs as well as many others. What’s more, there are free meditations on a daily basis, some of which are specially designed to help you boost your critical thinking abilities.

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Why Is Critical Thinking Important? A Survival Guide

Updated: December 7, 2023

Published: April 2, 2020

Why is critical thinking important? The decisions that you make affect your quality of life. And if you want to ensure that you live your best, most successful and happy life, you’re going to want to make conscious choices. That can be done with a simple thing known as critical thinking. Here’s how to improve your critical thinking skills and make decisions that you won’t regret.

What Is Critical Thinking?

You’ve surely heard of critical thinking, but you might not be entirely sure what it really means, and that’s because there are many definitions. For the most part, however, we think of critical thinking as the process of analyzing facts in order to form a judgment. Basically, it’s thinking about thinking.

How Has The Definition Evolved Over Time?

The first time critical thinking was documented is believed to be in the teachings of Socrates , recorded by Plato. But throughout history, the definition has changed.

Today it is best understood by philosophers and psychologists and it’s believed to be a highly complex concept. Some insightful modern-day critical thinking definitions include :

• “Reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do.”
• “Deciding what’s true and what you should do.”

The Importance Of Critical Thinking

Why is critical thinking important? Good question! Here are a few undeniable reasons why it’s crucial to have these skills.

1. Critical Thinking Is Universal

Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. What does this mean? It means that no matter what path or profession you pursue, these skills will always be relevant and will always be beneficial to your success. They are not specific to any field.

2. Crucial For The Economy

Our future depends on technology, information, and innovation. Critical thinking is needed for our fast-growing economies, to solve problems as quickly and as effectively as possible.

3. Improves Language & Presentation Skills

In order to best express ourselves, we need to know how to think clearly and systematically — meaning practice critical thinking! Critical thinking also means knowing how to break down texts, and in turn, improve our ability to comprehend.

4. Promotes Creativity

By practicing critical thinking, we are allowing ourselves not only to solve problems but also to come up with new and creative ideas to do so. Critical thinking allows us to analyze these ideas and adjust them accordingly.

5. Important For Self-Reflection

Without critical thinking, how can we really live a meaningful life? We need this skill to self-reflect and justify our ways of life and opinions. Critical thinking provides us with the tools to evaluate ourselves in the way that we need to.

6. The Basis Of Science & Democracy

In order to have a democracy and to prove scientific facts, we need critical thinking in the world. Theories must be backed up with knowledge. In order for a society to effectively function, its citizens need to establish opinions about what’s right and wrong (by using critical thinking!).

Benefits Of Critical Thinking

We know that critical thinking is good for society as a whole, but what are some benefits of critical thinking on an individual level? Why is critical thinking important for us?

1. Key For Career Success

Critical thinking is crucial for many career paths. Not just for scientists, but lawyers , doctors, reporters, engineers , accountants, and analysts (among many others) all have to use critical thinking in their positions. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, critical thinking is one of the most desirable skills to have in the workforce, as it helps analyze information, think outside the box, solve problems with innovative solutions, and plan systematically.

2. Better Decision Making

There’s no doubt about it — critical thinkers make the best choices. Critical thinking helps us deal with everyday problems as they come our way, and very often this thought process is even done subconsciously. It helps us think independently and trust our gut feeling.

3. Can Make You Happier!

While this often goes unnoticed, being in touch with yourself and having a deep understanding of why you think the way you think can really make you happier. Critical thinking can help you better understand yourself, and in turn, help you avoid any kind of negative or limiting beliefs, and focus more on your strengths. Being able to share your thoughts can increase your quality of life.

4. Form Well-Informed Opinions

There is no shortage of information coming at us from all angles. And that’s exactly why we need to use our critical thinking skills and decide for ourselves what to believe. Critical thinking allows us to ensure that our opinions are based on the facts, and help us sort through all that extra noise.

5. Better Citizens

One of the most inspiring critical thinking quotes is by former US president Thomas Jefferson: “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” What Jefferson is stressing to us here is that critical thinkers make better citizens, as they are able to see the entire picture without getting sucked into biases and propaganda.

6. Improves Relationships

While you may be convinced that being a critical thinker is bound to cause you problems in relationships, this really couldn’t be less true! Being a critical thinker can allow you to better understand the perspective of others, and can help you become more open-minded towards different views.

7. Promotes Curiosity

Critical thinkers are constantly curious about all kinds of things in life, and tend to have a wide range of interests. Critical thinking means constantly asking questions and wanting to know more, about why, what, who, where, when, and everything else that can help them make sense of a situation or concept, never taking anything at face value.

8. Allows For Creativity

Critical thinkers are also highly creative thinkers, and see themselves as limitless when it comes to possibilities. They are constantly looking to take things further, which is crucial in the workforce.

9. Enhances Problem Solving Skills

Those with critical thinking skills tend to solve problems as part of their natural instinct. Critical thinkers are patient and committed to solving the problem, similar to Albert Einstein, one of the best critical thinking examples, who said “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Critical thinkers’ enhanced problem-solving skills makes them better at their jobs and better at solving the world’s biggest problems. Like Einstein, they have the potential to literally change the world.

10. An Activity For The Mind

Just like our muscles, in order for them to be strong, our mind also needs to be exercised and challenged. It’s safe to say that critical thinking is almost like an activity for the mind — and it needs to be practiced. Critical thinking encourages the development of many crucial skills such as logical thinking, decision making, and open-mindness.

11. Creates Independence

When we think critically, we think on our own as we trust ourselves more. Critical thinking is key to creating independence, and encouraging students to make their own decisions and form their own opinions.

12. Crucial Life Skill

Critical thinking is crucial not just for learning, but for life overall! Education isn’t just a way to prepare ourselves for life, but it’s pretty much life itself. Learning is a lifelong process that we go through each and every day.

How to Think Critically

Now that you know the benefits of thinking critically, how do you actually do it?

How To Improve Your Critical Thinking

• Define Your Question: When it comes to critical thinking, it’s important to always keep your goal in mind. Know what you’re trying to achieve, and then figure out how to best get there.
• Gather Reliable Information: Make sure that you’re using sources you can trust — biases aside. That’s how a real critical thinker operates!
• Ask The Right Questions: We all know the importance of questions, but be sure that you’re asking the right questions that are going to get you to your answer.
• Look Short & Long Term: When coming up with solutions, think about both the short- and long-term consequences. Both of them are significant in the equation.
• Explore All Sides: There is never just one simple answer, and nothing is black or white. Explore all options and think outside of the box before you come to any conclusions.

How Is Critical Thinking Developed At School?

Critical thinking is developed in nearly everything we do. However, much of this important skill is encouraged to be practiced at school, and rightfully so! Critical thinking goes beyond just thinking clearly — it’s also about thinking for yourself.

When a teacher asks a question in class, students are given the chance to answer for themselves and think critically about what they learned and what they believe to be accurate. When students work in groups and are forced to engage in discussion, this is also a great chance to expand their thinking and use their critical thinking skills.

How Does Critical Thinking Apply To Your Career?

Once you’ve finished school and entered the workforce, your critical thinking journey only expands and grows from here!

Impress Your Employer

Employers value employees who are critical thinkers, ask questions, offer creative ideas, and are always ready to offer innovation against the competition. No matter what your position or role in a company may be, critical thinking will always give you the power to stand out and make a difference.

Careers That Require Critical Thinking

Some of many examples of careers that require critical thinking include:

• Human resources specialist
• Marketing associate
• Business analyst

Truth be told however, it’s probably harder to come up with a professional field that doesn’t require any critical thinking!

Photo by  Oladimeji Ajegbile  from  Pexels

What is someone with critical thinking skills capable of doing.

Someone with critical thinking skills is able to think rationally and clearly about what they should or not believe. They are capable of engaging in their own thoughts, and doing some reflection in order to come to a well-informed conclusion.

A critical thinker understands the connections between ideas, and is able to construct arguments based on facts, as well as find mistakes in reasoning.

The Process Of Critical Thinking

The process of critical thinking is highly systematic.

What Are Your Goals?

Critical thinking starts by defining your goals, and knowing what you are ultimately trying to achieve.

Once you know what you are trying to conclude, you can foresee your solution to the problem and play it out in your head from all perspectives.

What Does The Future Of Critical Thinking Hold?

The future of critical thinking is the equivalent of the future of jobs. In 2020, critical thinking was ranked as the 2nd top skill (following complex problem solving) by the World Economic Forum .

We are dealing with constant unprecedented changes, and what success is today, might not be considered success tomorrow — making critical thinking a key skill for the future workforce.

Why Is Critical Thinking So Important?

Why is critical thinking important? Critical thinking is more than just important! It’s one of the most crucial cognitive skills one can develop.

By practicing well-thought-out thinking, both your thoughts and decisions can make a positive change in your life, on both a professional and personal level. You can hugely improve your life by working on your critical thinking skills as often as you can.

Related Articles

The Power of Critical Thinking: 10 Steps for Personal and Professional Growth

Do you ever wonder why some people seem better at solving problems or making decisions than others? It’s not just luck or talent – it’s the power of critical thinking!

Critical thinking is an essential skill that helps us analyze information, identify biases, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone who wants to improve their critical thinking skills, this article is for you.

In this article, we’ll take ten easy steps to develop and improve your critical thinking and skills and help you achieve personal and professional growth.

By the end of this article, you’ll better understand the benefits of critical thinking and how it can help you in your everyday life. So, are you ready to take your thinking skills to the next level?

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Understanding the Foundations of Critical Thinking

“Savvy innovators should also consider how to build up their workforce’s non-technical proficiency, especially in critical thinking skills.” Deloitte.

Understanding the foundations of critical thinking is essential to evaluating data and making sound decisions. Understanding a better critical thinker requires an active listening approach, evaluating facts from many perspectives, and developing innovative problem-solving strategies.

Fundamental components of this process include:

• Separating assumptions from facts
• Objectively evaluating arguments for credibility
• Researching pertinent information for accuracy
• Evaluating opposing points of view
• Evaluating potential solutions for feasibility and effectiveness
• Approaching a problem with an open mind.

These can improve critical thinking skills, and observation skills can help develop accurate conclusions within any field or profession.

Critical thinking is analyzing, evaluating, and understanding information to make informed decisions. It involves using logic, reasoning, and problem-solving skills to identify the best solution or action.

In this article, we’ll discuss the elements of critical thinking, its benefits, and how it differs from other types of thinking. 

Elements of Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking requires an individual to consider multiple perspectives and analyze the evidence available before making a decision. Considering evidence objectively is key to discovering the truth. You must do this without allowing any personal biases or preconceived notions to interfere. Doing so will enable you to explore facts objectively and arrive at a reliable assessment unrestrained by external judgments.

The key elements of critical thinking include: 

• Objectivity – looking at the facts objectively instead of through personal biases  
• Analysis – breaking down information into smaller pieces to understand it better  
• Reasoning – looking for patterns and connections between pieces of information  
• Problem-solving – considering different solutions before selecting the best one  
• Creative thinking – developing unique solutions beyond what is already known 

Benefits of Critical Thinking 

The primary benefit of critical thinking is that it helps individuals make more informed decisions. By applying these skills to any situation, individuals can gain insight into potential outcomes and identify potential risks or problems before they occur.

Additionally, critical thinking can help individuals become more flexible thinkers who can think outside the box and develop creative solutions. Finally, this thinking encourages collaboration by providing a framework for individuals to work together to solve complex problems. 

How Critical Thinking Differs from Other Types Of Thinking 

Critical thinking differs from other thought processes because it focuses on finding a solution based on evidence rather than intuition or personal preference.

Furthermore, creating informed decisions is a process that encourages iteration. This means carefully approaching each situation to discern the best answer and the most comprehensive evidence possible. Measurement is critical; evaluating all available factoids allows individuals to make more conscious and valued choices.

This distinguishes it from other forms of thought, such as creative or intuitive thinking, which are often less structured and rely more heavily on individual opinions or experiences. 

Step 2: Identifying Your Biases

Critical thinking involves recognizing and analyzing the inherent biases in any situation. These biases can be conscious and subconscious, ranging from personal values to social stereotypes.

For critical thinking to be effective, it is crucial to identify and separate these biases from the facts.

When engaging in critical thinking, it is important to approach any situation objectively and without pre-existing assumptions. 

Definition of Bias 

Bias is the influence of personal opinion on a decision-making process. It can lead to inaccurate conclusions that appear logical but are not based on fact or research.

Biases are part of the human condition. They exist fundamentally within us, regardless of our willingness to admit them. 

We naturally form opinions and beliefs based on our past experiences, upbringing, and ways of thinking; these foundations direct our responses and reactions in every situation. It’s almost as if we can’t help ourselves from having an instant judgment or assessment in any given scenario. 

The challenge lies in recognizing and mitigating them when making important decisions. 

Different Types of Biases 

The most common types of biases include the following:

• Confirmation bias (looking for data that reinforces a preconceived notion)
• Self-serving bias (underestimating risk while overestimating potential rewards)
• Cognitive bias (inaccurate conclusions caused by distorted perceptions)
• Groupthink (a collective group mentality that suppresses individual thought)
• Recency bias (overestimating recent trends).

Each type can have an adverse effect on decision-making processes.  

Why It Is Important to Identify Your Biases 

Identifying your biases lets you make more informed decisions about your organization’s challenges. This involves understanding how these biases may affect individual behavior and collective outcomes so you can adjust accordingly. This will also help create a more trusting relationship between yourself and those around you by demonstrating open-mindedness and active listening skills instead of relying solely on opinions or gut feelings without any facts or evidence behind them.  

Techniques for Identifying Your Biases 

There are several techniques available for identifying your biases:

• Questioning assumptions regularly.
• Seeking out diverse perspectives from others
• Gathering data to support or disprove a hypothesis
• Recording thoughts objectively instead of attaching emotion to them
• Actively listening without interruption during conversations with colleagues
• Acknowledging opposing views even if they differ from yours, Etc.

All these methods require efforts but will ultimately result in better decisions across all areas of your business. 

Step 3: Gathering Information or Data

Critical thinking often begins with analyzing data or information about a problem or question. This involves breaking down each piece of information into its parts and looking for patterns, connections, discrepancies, and other important details.

Analyzing data requires an open mind and the willingness to think beyond the surface to determine its relevance.

Types of Data Analysis

Data analysis typically involves looking for patterns, trends, and correlations. The analysis may include techniques such as descriptive statistics, predictive analytics, and sentiment analysis.

When analyzing data, it is essential to go beyond simply crunching numbers. True analysis includes using critical thinking to assess the collected information properly. 

By thoughtfully considering each piece of data, you can arrive at more meaningful conclusions that will result.

Different sources of information

Different sources of information can be critical in the critical thinking process. These sources can include various media types, such as books , articles, online resources, and even conversations with experts or peers. Looking for reliable and trustworthy sources that provide accurate and up-to-date information is an important critical thinking skill.

In addition to these more formal sources, critical thinking should include personal experiences, insights, and intuition. By considering all these sources, a critical thinker or thinkers can gain a more comprehensive perspective on any issue and come to more informed conclusions.

These three steps lay the foundation for critical thinking:

• Understanding the problem or question at hand.
• Gathering relevant data.
• Analyzing it with an open mind.

Evaluating the credibility of sources

The credibility of sources is essential in critical thinking. By verifying the information from different sources, critical thinkers can ensure that they rely on accurate and credible data for their informed decision-making process. This is especially important when making decisions based on research or other external sources.

Techniques for gathering information effectively

Effective techniques for gathering information involve being mindful of the critical thinking to process and analyze information with, researching diverse sources, and validating information.

• Critical thinkers should remain cognizant of their critical thinking process and the steps they take to reach conclusions.
• Critical thinkers should research diverse sources to gain a more comprehensive perspective on any issue. This includes using various media types such as books, articles, online resources, conversations with experts or peers, and personal experiences.
• Critical thinkers must validate the information from each source to ensure that their decision-making process relies on accurate and credible data.

By using these techniques, critical thinkers are more likely to make informed decisions with confidence.

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Step 4: Analyzing Information

Analyzing data allows you to identify trends that would otherwise go unnoticed. It enables you to extract meaning from raw facts and draw conclusions. Uncovering these insights can offer great potential for tapping into new business directions and ideas. 

Digging deeper can provide an in-depth understanding of what current and prospective customers want, allowing companies to create enhanced services or products to meet those needs. This process can generate unique strategies which encourage the adoption of innovative approaches in the organization or by its clients.

Methods of Analysis 

There are many approaches to analyzing information, such as

• Qualitative analysis (looking at non-quantifiable factors).
• Quantitative analysis (utilizing statistics and numbers), or a combination of both.
• Exploratory analysis (uncovering patterns and relationships in data).
• Predictive analysis (predicting future outcomes based on past performance).
• Diagnostic analysis (identifying root causes).

Each analysis method offers distinct advantages in certain areas. On the other hand, each one also has its potential shortcomings. Before settling on a particular analysis type, it’s critical to consider the pluses and minuses unique to that approach. 

Organizing Information for Analysis 

Organizing data for analysis is key to success; otherwise, you may end up with a jumbled mess of information that’s hard to interpret. One approach is using spreadsheets or databases to store raw data in tables or charts, which makes it easier to visualize patterns among different sets of information.

Another is using special software that helps organize data into easy-to-read visualizations, like dashboards or graphs.  

Step 5: Developing and Evaluating Arguments

In business, there are times when you need to make a persuasive argument that is both clear and concise. To do this, it’s important to understand the following:

• The definition of an argument
• Familiarize yourself with different types of arguments.
• Learn how to develop an argument.
• Have techniques for evaluating arguments. 

Definition of an Argument 

An argument is a process of reasoning or evidence in support of a claim or proposition. When making an argument, one should present facts and data as a thesis statement to persuade others to accept their point of view.

Different Types of Arguments 

Three main types of making an argument: deductive, inductive, and causal.

• Deductive arguments use logical reasoning from accepted premises to reach conclusions about specific cases.
• Inductive arguments rely on probability and generalizations from past experiences rather than logic alone.
• Causal arguments attempt to establish cause-and-effect relationships between two events by examining their relationship over time or through experiments. 

How to Develop an Argument 

Using reliable sources such as academic journals or professional organizations is important. Reliable sources will help ensure accurate data and research back up your claims that your audience can trust. It’s also important to provide clear examples supported by hard evidence so readers can see why your position is valid.

Finally, be sure not to jump around too much when making your point — instead, focus on supporting each point logically so that the reader can follow your thought process easily.

Techniques for Evaluating Arguments 

When evaluating someone else’s argument, it’s essential to consider the source — make sure the facts you hear are true before making up your mind.

Additionally, look out for any potential bias in the argument; try not to let anyone else’s personal opinions influence yours too heavily if they don’t align with your own values and beliefs.

Lastly, ask yourself how likely it is for the conclusion drawn from the given evidence to be true — this will help you determine whether or not you believe in someone else’s argument before forming your own opinion.  

Step 6: Recognizing Logical Fallacies

Logical fallacies are errors in reason or critical thinking that can lead to flawed conclusions. Fallacies are two kinds: formal fallacies and informal fallacies.

• Formal fallacies are errors in an argument, such as invalid deductive reasoning (e.g., affirming the consequent).
• Informal fallacies are errors in an argument’s content, such as oversimplifying a complex issue or overlooking significant evidence.

Why is it important to recognize logical fallacies?

Logical fallacies are wrong ways of thinking that can make an argument wrong. It is crucial to recognize logical fallacies to evaluate arguments effectively, identify weaknesses in reasoning, and make better decisions.

By recognizing logical fallacies, we can enhance critical thinking skills, challenge existing beliefs and assumptions, and gain insight into different points of view.

Techniques for recognizing logical fallacies

One of the most important techniques for recognizing logical fallacies is to be familiar with the different types of logical fallacies and their characteristics and common examples. One way to become familiar with logical fallacies is to read articles or textbooks that discuss critical thinking, argumentation, and logic.

Another technique for recognizing logical fallacies is to practice critical thinking skills. By engaging in critical thinking exercises, one can apply critical thinking skills and become more adept at recognizing logical fallacies.

Finally, it is important to be aware of any biases or preconceived notions that may lead to faulty reasoning when evaluating arguments or making decisions. It is critical to remain objective and open-minded when engaging in critical thinking tasks.

By recognizing logical fallacies and applying effective critical thinking and techniques, one can become better at critical thinking and make more informed decisions.

Step 7: Assessing Assumptions

Critical thinking is assessing assumptions. Assessing assumptions means you look at what you think is true and check if it is true. You do this by looking for evidence that supports or does not support the assumption.

If you can find facts to back up your idea, then it’s a good assumption. If not, it may need more thought or research before being accepted as fact.

Definition of assumptions: A statement taken for granted or accepted as true without proof.

Assumptions can be dangerous because they limit critical thinking. To truly think critically, you must be open to seeing things from different perspectives and recognize that what we assume may not necessarily be true.

How to identify assumptions?

1. Identify the conclusion that you are trying to make or draw.

2. Look at all of the facts and evidence surrounding the conclusion.

3. Look at all the facts and evidence. See if proof exists to show it is true or just an assumption.

4. Evaluate each assumption to determine its validity.

5. Re-examine your conclusion in light of the valid assumptions and other factors you’ve identified and see if it still holds or needs to be adjusted.

Assessing assumptions is a key component of personal and professional growth; it requires much more than halfhearted attention. Critical thinking is the lifeblood of this process, as it allows you to probe further by questioning commonly accepted beliefs to prevent mistakes. 

So take the time to evaluate assumptions before you make any conclusions or decisions! You won’t regret it.

Why is it important to assess assumptions?

It is crucial to assess assumptions because it helps you think critically. When you assess assumptions, you look at what you believe is true and check if it is true. You do this by looking for evidence that supports or does not support the assumption.

Your critical thinking strategies should be formidable; building conclusions driven by facts and sound evidence is key. It’s crucial to avoid guessing or making faulty assumptions to define these strategies. Using factual information and logical reasoning will bring you greater security when asserting yourself and your opinions. 

Assessing assumptions can also help prevent critical mistakes and help make sure decisions are made with evidence rather than guesses.

Step 8: Evaluating Evidence

Evaluating evidence is an integral part of critical thinking. It helps you to decide if something is true or not. To evaluate evidence, you must look at the facts and determine if they support what you think is true. You can do this by looking for proof that the facts are correct or incorrect.

If there is proof, then your idea may be true. If there isn’t any proof, then it might need more thought or research before being accepted as fact.

Taking the time to check your ideas with evidence will help you improve your critical thinking skills and that decisions are based on facts instead of guesses!

Step 9: Making Decisions

Making decisions is important because it helps you make choices that will lead to the best outcomes. You can use different models and techniques to make decision-making tools to help make decisions effectively.

• Rational Decision-Making Model.

This model involves gathering information, analyzing the data, making a decision based on, and then evaluating the outcome of that final decision afterward.

• Intuitive Decision-Making Model

It involves using intuition or gut feeling to make a decision.

There are also some decision-making techniques, such as brainstorming ideas, getting feedback from others, setting goals and objectives, and weighing the pros and cons of each option before deciding on one.

Once you have decided the final step, it’s essential to take a step process and evaluate it afterward to determine whether it was effective. You can do this by looking at the results of your decision and seeing if they match up with what you wanted them to be.

Step 10: Communicating Effectively

Communicating effectively means saying what you mean in a way that is easy for others to understand. Good communication skills are vital because it helps you share your ideas, feelings, and thoughts with other people.

Different communication styles include talking, gestures, writing, and body language. You can use active listening, being clear when speaking, and asking questions if needed to communicate effectively.

How to communicate critical thinking effectively?

Communicating and thinking critically and effectively requires being clear and concise. You should explain the steps of the critical thinking process you took to reach your conclusion and why they were important.

Make sure to clearly define any terms or concepts you use so the person on the other end can understand what you mean.

Additionally, back up your conclusions with evidence if possible so that the person on the other end can trust your judgment and reasoning. Finally, listen to any feedback or questions they have and be open to new perspectives as you discuss important critical thinking skills together.

Critical thinking is essential for both personal and professional growth. It helps individuals to develop critical thinking skills, think deeply about issues, identify relationships between facts or ideas, and make informed decisions. With strong critical thinking abilities, people can challenge assumptions, evaluate evidence objectively and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

On a professional level, critical thinking is a valuable skill, enabling people to explore any issue from all angles. It encourages an open, unbiased mindset that considers various possibilities. 

Critical thinking can help organizations make better decisions while staying focused on their goals. Additionally, good critical thinkers can ask questions that further expand discussions instead of merely seeking agreement with their own opinions or ideas.

Therefore, critical thinking is essential for successful problem-solving. By following the steps of critical thinking, people can evaluate evidence objectively, identify relationships that may have been overlooked and develop better solutions in a shorter time frame.

Critical thinking is an invaluable skill that can help individuals personally and professionally. By going through the process step by step, critical thinkers can uncover new insights, ask thought-provoking questions, and develop creative solutions to complex problems. So the next time you have a difficult decision or problem, remember that critical thinking can be your ultimate guide. Discover the power of critical thinking today!

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Critical thinking is the one skillset you can't afford not to master

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What is critical thinking?

5 characteristics of critical thinking, what are critical thinking skills, and why are they important, 6 key critical thinking skills, critical thinking example in real-life, 13 ways to start thinking critically.

Whether you’re aiming to improve your performance at work or simply trying to live a more fulfilling life , you’ll need a variety of hard and soft skills to move the needle. Some skills come naturally to some people, while others need to develop them actively.

One of these skills is critical thinking. But critical thinking itself is made up of several types of skills that contribute to solving problems more effectively.

Let’s explore the different types of critical thinking skills and how you can start improving them to level up your career.

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze facts objectively and form a judgment. It is a form of emotional intelligence .

Someone with critical thinking skills can think clearly and rationally when the situation demands it. It allows them to perform problem-solving and decision-making more effectively. 

As a result, you can look further than what you see at face value. You’re able to analyze what you see from a situation and gain some insight that goes further than what’s obvious to anyone from the outside.

Critical thinking also requires being able to understand the logical connection between two or more ideas or concepts. For example, a team working on a company’s pricing strategy needs to think critically about several concepts. 

Both the marketing and sales teams must work together. They need to analyze how to maximize sales. But they need to do so while also meeting profit goals. It’s important to understand the logical connection between sales strategy and marketing logistics. It’s the only way to get a good outcome.

Critical thinking is different from creative thinking . Creative thinking is the ability to generate brand new, innovative ideas. On the other hand, critical thinking requires you to carefully and logically analyze what information is given to you. Both are important to maximize results in any given situation.

What defines critical thinking? How does it affect the decision-making process? Here are five characteristics that make up the ability to think critically.

1. Dispositions

Critical thinkers have specific traits that allow them to think the way they do. Some people are predisposed to these traits, while others need to develop them actively.

Some of these dispositions include:

• Open-mindedness
• Respecting evidence and reasoning
• Being able to consider different perspectives and points of view: in other words, having cognitive flexibility
• Not being stuck in one position
• Clarity and precision

2. Argument

Good critical thinkers need to make solid arguments. 

An argument is making a statement aided by supporting evidence. It’s important to use well thought-out arguments when you’re in a constructive conflict . When analyzing a situation critically, you’ll need to make several arguments in your own mind to come to a judgment. 

3. Reasoning

In addition to arguments, critical thinking also requires inferring conclusions. From the facts and arguments presented to you, you need to use reasoning skills to come to a logical conclusion. 

This conclusion will determine the best course of action to take.

4. Criteria

Critical thinking is sometimes a matter of discerning truth from fiction. Not all facts presented to you may have the same level of truth. Certain conditions need to be met for something to be considered believable, and a critical thinker needs to be able to understand that.

5. Metacognition

Metacognition is the ability to think about your own thinking. Critical thinkers should be able to analyze their thoughts so that they can judge whether or not they’ve thought everything through. This helps them come up with better hypotheses.

The critical thinking skills definition is: soft skills that help you in the critical thinking process. Developing these skills can improve your ability to think critically.

Critical thinking skills are considered one of many durable skills in the workplace . Many of these are soft skills that are also useful in other situations.

According to research by America Succeeds, critical thinking is in the top five most requested durable skills in job postings. Those top five durable skills get requested 2.6x more often than the top five hard skills. This goes to show that soft skills like critical thinking skills are in demand in the workplace.

Critical thinking skills are important for several reasons. These include helping you work independently and solve problems . Not all positions require ongoing critical thinking. But, those skills definitely matter to anyone who wants to uplevel their career. And even the most easygoing positions require at least some level of critical thinking skills.

For example, working as an accountant can be straightforward in most cases. But it may require critical thinking skills. For instance, what if certain expenses aren’t easily distributed in simple categories? Without critical thinking skills, an accountant will struggle to work independently and solve problems on their own.

Critical thinking abilities also matter in everyday life. Having a foundation for critical thinking can help you analyze several possible solutions for problems that pop up in the home. It can also help you:

• Analyze different viewpoints
• Come up with the best solution for complex problems
• Become a better learner

The key critical thinking skills are identifying biases, inference, research, identification, curiosity, and judging relevance.

Let’s explore these six critical thinking skills you should learn and why they’re so important to the critical thinking process.

1. Identifying biases

This critical thinking skill is necessary for metacognition, which is the fifth characteristic of critical thinking. It involves knowing when others have a cognitive bias and when you have one yourself.

Biases can influence how someone understands the facts presented to them. But when you’re aware of those biases, you can question yourself on those biases and consider other points of view.

Identifying biases is especially important for people who make hiring decisions. That’s because biases against groups of minorities can lead to inequalities in the workplace when not identified. 

For example, imagine a hiring manager comparing two resumes. Their gut feeling could guide them to discount one of the resumes due to a bias against the opposite gender. But let’s say this hiring manager realizes they have this bias. They can then question themselves on whether or not this bias is influencing their judgment. 

2. Inference

Inference is the ability to draw conclusions based on the information you have. Without inference, it can be difficult to take action once you’ve analyzed the facts presented to you. Processing information is key to coming up with a reasoned judgment.

For example, let’s go back to the accountant struggling to assign the correct category to a business expense. They can analyze other similar situations and infer the most logical category based on that information.

3. Research

Before you analyze facts and infer a conclusion, you need to find out what those facts are. Researching skills allow you to discover facts and figures to make an argument.

Not all situations will have the required information available to you. Researching skills are necessary to dig into a situation and gather the information you need to think critically.

Some situations don’t require further research. For example, a first responder who arrives on the scene of an automobile accident won’t perform further research. They’ll have to analyze what they see in front of them and decide which injuries are the most urgent to care for. 

On the other hand, someone performing a market analysis will need to research competitors and gather information before coming up with an opinion. 

4. Identification

Identification is different from inference and research. It involves being able to identify a problem but also what’s influencing that problem.

In short, identification is necessary for someone to realize that they need to think critically about something. Without proper identification skills, it will be difficult for someone to know when it’s time to analyze a situation. 

For example, let’s say you’re entering numbers in a spreadsheet. The numbers aren’t coming out as they usually do. Without identification skills, you could easily keep going without realizing there’s an issue. But when you identify what’s going on, you can see that something is broken in the spreadsheet’s formula.

Only once you identify the fact that the formula is broken can you start analyzing what’s going on to solve the issue.

5. Curiosity

Don’t be afraid to question everything and explore what you’re curious about. That’s because intellectual curiosity is a valuable skill, especially when it comes to critical thinking.

One way to practice curiosity is to adopt a beginner’s mindset . When you come into every situation with the mindset of a beginner, you’re able to keep an open mind. You’ll be able to perceive things you may not have noticed when keeping your mind closed.

6. Judging relevance

Not all information is equally pertinent. In order to make a critical judgment, it’s important to be able to judge the relevance of the information you have.

Take, for instance, basic online researching skills. You have access to a plethora of information on virtually every topic imaginable. But performing online research requires you to constantly judge the relevance of what you see. 

Without judging relevance, you’d spend too much time on details that don’t matter as much for the final desired outcome. But when you’re able to discern what’s most pertinent, you can give that information more weight as you’re thinking critically.

So what would critical thinking skills look like in a real-life situation?

Let’s imagine you’re working in software quality assurance (QA) as a team lead. But every time your team needs to enter bug regression, everyone gets bottlenecked because you must manually populate the spreadsheet used for the regression. While you do this task, your team cannot be productive without you.

This process happens once a week and easily wastes half an hour for each team member.

First, you must identify what’s going on. The team gets bottlenecked because only you, as the team lead, can access the information required to fill in the regression spreadsheet.

Next, you can research information. You can inquire to higher-ups about the reason why only you have access to this information. You can also speak to other teams about what potential solutions they’ve come up with to solve this problem.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to analyze the information and judge relevance. Some teams have solutions that don’t apply to you, so that information isn’t relevant anymore. 

Figure out if there are any personal biases before you analyze your information. 

For example, it’s possible that you don’t get along with one of the other team leads. As a result, you could discount the information they’ve given you. But by identifying this bias, you can look past your personal opinion of this person and see how valuable their solution is.

Based on what you’ve analyzed, it’s time to brainstorm and come up with a solution. You realize that creating a simple, automated script will save your team’s time. And it will do so without consuming too many resources from the engineering department.

Next, present your solution to your manager. Explain how you came to this conclusion. 

Now, let’s say your spreadsheet automation solution is approved. It’s important to go back and analyze what happens after implementing the solution. But only do this once the spreadsheet has been in place for long enough to gather plenty of information. 

Here’s an example. You could realize that the solution did solve the bottleneck. But, the script also slows down the spreadsheet and makes it difficult to work with. This would require you to go back to the drawing board and start the process all over again.

Want to start improving your own critical thinking skill sets? Here’s how you can improve critical thinking skills using 13 techniques:

• Play games that require critical thinking skills
• Ask more questions, even basic ones
• Question your assumptions
• Develop your technical skills so that you can identify problems more easily
• Find ways to solve more problems (at work and at home)
• Become aware of your mental processes, like the availability heuristic
• Think for yourself: don’t adopt other people’s opinions without questioning them first
• Seek out diversity of thought
• Start developing foresight
• Try active listening
• Weigh the consequences of different actions before you act
• Seek a mentor who can help you develop these skills
• Get professional coaching

How to improve your critical thinking skills 

Critical thinking skills aren’t always easy to develop. But it’s much easier to start thinking critically when you have someone to work with. Try a custom BetterUp demo to see how a coach can help you develop your critical thinking skills today.

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Maggie Wooll, MBA

Maggie Wooll is a researcher, author, and speaker focused on the evolving future of work. Formerly the lead researcher at the Deloitte Center for the Edge, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Princeton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Maggie is passionate about creating better work and greater opportunities for all.

How to develop critical thinking skills

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13 Easy Steps To Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

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With the sheer volume of information that we’re bombarded with on a daily basis – and with the pervasiveness of fake news and social media bubbles – the ability to look at evidence, evaluate the trustworthiness of a source, and think critically is becoming more important than ever. This is why, for me, critical thinking is one of the most vital skills to cultivate for future success.

Critical thinking isn’t about being constantly negative or critical of everything. It’s about objectivity and having an open, inquisitive mind. To think critically is to analyze issues based on hard evidence (as opposed to personal opinions, biases, etc.) in order to build a thorough understanding of what’s really going on. And from this place of thorough understanding, you can make better decisions and solve problems more effectively.

To put it another way, critical thinking means arriving at your own carefully considered conclusions instead of taking information at face value. Here are 13 ways you can cultivate this precious skill:

1. Always vet new information with a cautious eye. Whether it’s an article someone has shared online or data that’s related to your job, always vet the information you're presented with. Good questions to ask here include, "Is this information complete and up to date?” “What evidence is being presented to support the argument?” and “Whose voice is missing here?”

2. Look at where the information has come from. Is the source trustworthy? What is their motivation for presenting this information? For example, are they trying to sell you something or get you to take a certain action (like vote for them)?

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3. Consider more than one point of view. Everyone has their own opinions and motivations – even highly intelligent people making reasonable-sounding arguments have personal opinions and biases that shape their thinking. So, when someone presents you with information, consider whether there are other sides to the story.

4. Practice active listening. Listen carefully to what others are telling you, and try to build a clear picture of their perspective. Empathy is a really useful skill here since putting yourself in another person's shoes can help you understand where they're coming from and what they might want. Try to listen without judgment – remember, critical thinking is about keeping an open mind.

5. Gather additional information where needed. Whenever you identify gaps in the information or data, do your own research to fill those gaps. The next few steps will help you do this objectively…

6. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers, so channel your inner child and ask lots of "who," "what," and "why" questions.

7. Find your own reputable sources of information, such as established news sites, nonprofit organizations, and education institutes. Try to avoid anonymous sources or sources with an ax to grind or a product to sell. Also, be sure to check when the information was published. An older source may be unintentionally offering up wrong information just because events have moved on since it was published; corroborate the info with a more recent source.

8. Try not to get your news from social media. And if you do see something on social media that grabs your interest, check the accuracy of the story (via reputable sources of information, as above) before you share it.

9. Learn to spot fake news. It's not always easy to spot false or misleading content, but a good rule of thumb is to look at the language, emotion, and tone of the piece. Is it using emotionally charged language, for instance, and trying to get you to feel a certain way? Also, look at the sources of facts, figures, images, and quotes. A legit news story will clearly state its sources.

10. Learn to spot biased information. Like fake news, biased information may seek to appeal more to your emotions than logic and/or present a limited view of the topic. So ask yourself, “Is there more to this topic than what’s being presented here?” Do your own reading around the topic to establish the full picture.

11. Question your own biases, too. Everyone has biases, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. The trick is to think objectively about your likes and dislikes, preferences, and beliefs, and consider how these might affect your thinking.

12. Form your own opinions. Remember, critical thinking is about thinking independently. So once you’ve assessed all the information, form your own conclusions about it.

13. Continue to work on your critical thinking skills. I recommend looking at online learning platforms such as Udemy and Coursera for courses on general critical thinking skills, as well as courses on specific subjects like cognitive biases.

Read more about critical thinking and other essential skills in my new book, Future Skills: The 20 Skills & Competencies Everyone Needs To Succeed In A Digital World . Written for anyone who wants to surf the wave of digital transformation – rather than be drowned by it – the book explores why these vital future skills matter and how to develop them.

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Critical Thinking in Life

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Why Critical Thinking Is a Key Skill in Life, and How to Improve Yours

Critical thinking can help you do better in life. From learning how to communicate with your boss better when you don’t understand something, to helping you figure out why a romantic relationship didn’t work out. While some people are born with this ability, it’s absolutely something you can learn to do.

You’ve probably heard at some point in your life that critical thinking is the key to solving complicated problems. It applies to both issues in our everyday life as well as situations that happen at work. It can affect personal relationships, work relationships, and even interactions with strangers on the street or customer service people. But understanding what that looks like in real life can be a bit hard. 

Decades of cognitive science confirm that critical thinking is… well, critical. It’s an essential skill for living a meaningful life. But, what does it mean to think critically? And how do you develop this skill?

Let’s break down some of the elements of critical thinking and go over some actual things you can do to improve yours, so you can apply it to your everyday life.

Key Takeaways

• Critical thinking allows you to identify the key root of a problem, and then figure out what the best way to fix it is.
• Both at work and in your personal life, understanding how to think critically can help you be a better person.
• You can learn how to think critically by doing things like not overthinking and making time to understand yourself first.

What is Critical Thinking?

The first step is to define what critical thinking actually is. Essentially, it’s your ability to identify and solve problems by gathering information, analyzing and evaluating evidence, discovering patterns, and reasoning logically. A complete process that most of the time takes place only in your head and can be done in seconds. 

Without the ability to think critically, you basically can’t make any rational observations about a person or situation. In other words, critical thinking lets you think for yourself and not be manipulated by other people’s opinions. It makes sure you use your own mind as a tool to both understand the world in a deeper way, and make better choices.

Here are some things critical thinking helps you do:

• Understand how ideas connect with each other.
• Identify, build, and understand arguments.
• Find inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning.
• Solve problems systematically.
• Understand the real meaning behind different ideas.

What does Critical Thinking Look like at Work vs. your Personal Life?

While critical thinking is a life skill that you will use in every aspect of your life, there are so differences between how you apply it at work versus at home. The main difference is how you relate to the subject. Critical thinking in daily life is about personal growth. When you think critically in everyday life, you’re going to be tackling questions that don’t have easy answers or working through problems that are messy and complicated. The end goal, however, is improvement. Whether that’s improving relationships with others, improving your health, or improving your skills at something.

When you apply critical thinking to your job duties, you’re also trying to improve things for yourself and for the people around you. That said, it happens often that the pressures of deadlines and responsibilities can get in the way of creative problem-solving. It’s also an important skill for business success. Being able to look at situations objectively can help you make better decisions about the direction of your business, avoid mistakes and improve your customer service. 

What are Some Real-Life Examples?

It can sometimes help us understand concepts better if we have a real-life example. So, here are two of how critical thinking can make a difference in your personal and professional life:

• Picture the last relationship you were in. You might have ended it because you were blinded by love. Critical thinking means you asked yourself why the relationship didn’t work, and even if it was actually as good as you thought it was in the first place. You might also have questioned your partner’s behavior and motivations or thought critically about what kind of relationship dynamic would work better for you in the future.
• At work, your boss gives you instructions on how to build a report from start to finish. It’s an important one so you don’t want to make any mistakes. But those instructions aren’t as clear as you need them to be. You could just do exactly what she says at the risk of mistakes happening, or you could think critically about what you’re being asked to do first. You could also decide that asking questions for more information is a good idea. Which would also be your critical thinking in action. 

5 ways you can Improve your Critical Thinking Skills Right Away

If you’ve done any research about critical thinking, you might have stumbled across the concept of the 5 Critical Thinking Strategies . They are basically 5 specific things you can do to improve and keep improving your critical thinking skills. 

Strategy 1 – Always be learning

The biggest obstacle to critical thinking is the assumption that you already know everything. If you go through life without questioning anything, how can you expect to expand your knowledge? Always take every opportunity to learn more about yourself, others, and the world around you.

Strategy 2 – Choose based on what most people want

This might be counterintuitive, but it’s actually a pretty good rule of thumb in everyday life. You don’t have to let other people make choices for you, but it’s important to consider the needs and desires of other people in your life before making a decision. This is especially important when you’re leading a team at work.

Strategy 3 – The strangest option might be the best one

This is key for managers and bosses. No idea should be passed over just because it seems too strange or different from what’s been done before. While you may think something has been tried already or won’t work for one reason or another, don’t shoot down ideas without giving them proper consideration first. A lot of the time, the reason you have a team in the first place, is to have access to different thoughts when problems arise. Take advantage of that!

Strategy 4 – Don’t overthink things

The best way to start improving your critical thinking is by learning not to overthink things. We know – that’s easier said than done. But if you try to analyze everything around you at once, it will slow down your ability to reach rational conclusions. Instead, focus on one thing at a time. Think about everything you know about the problem before moving on to another issue that might need your attention.

Strategy 5 – Analyze yourself first

Critical thinking is about being as objective as possible. That can only be done if you understand yourself first. You need to be comfortable with knowing that you will have unconscious biases that can influence your decision-making process. Plus, knowing those biases are there can be the first step to getting rid of them. Analyzing yourself first will also help you understand how to separate emotions from logic when making important choices.

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• 11 Supervisor Skills That Every Supervisor Should Master
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How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process. 

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

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Top 8 critical thinking skills

Like most soft skills, critical thinking isn’t something you can take a class to learn. Rather, this skill consists of a variety of interpersonal and analytical skills. Developing critical thinking is more about learning to embrace open-mindedness and bringing analytical thinking to your problem framing process. 

In no particular order, the eight most important critical thinking skills are:

Analytical thinking: Part of critical thinking is evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject bias and strive to gather and consume information to come to the best conclusion. 

Open-mindedness: This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go and coming to a conclusion based on all of the information. 

Problem solving : Because critical thinking emphasizes coming to the best conclusion based on all of the available information, it’s a key part of problem solving. When used correctly, critical thinking helps you solve any problem—from a workplace challenge to difficulties in everyday life. 

Self-regulation: Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate your thoughts and set aside any personal biases to come to the best conclusion. In order to be an effective critical thinker, you need to question the information you have and the decisions you favor—only then can you come to the best conclusion. 

Observation: Observation skills help critical thinkers look for things beyond face value. To be a critical thinker you need to embrace multiple points of view, and you can use observation skills to identify potential problems.

Interpretation: Not all data is made equal—and critical thinkers know this. In addition to gathering information, it’s important to evaluate which information is important and relevant to your situation. That way, you can draw the best conclusions from the data you’ve collected. 

Evaluation: When you attempt to answer a hard question, there is rarely an obvious answer. Even though critical thinking emphasizes putting your biases aside, you need to be able to confidently make a decision based on the data you have available. 

Communication: Once a decision has been made, you also need to share this decision with other stakeholders. Effective workplace communication includes presenting evidence and supporting your conclusion—especially if there are a variety of different possible solutions. 

7 steps to critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

 First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Research

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Determine data relevance

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Ask questions

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed? 

5. Identify the best solution

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Present your solution

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

7. Analyze your decision

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was. 

Example of critical thinking in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Then, you research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Ask open-ended questions to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Determine the best solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Present your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Analyze the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Critically successful 

Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed . 

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How Critical Thinking Skills Can Help Improve Your Future

July 14, 2014

“For every complex problem, there is a simple solution that is elegant, easy to understand, and wrong.” H.L. Mencken

Well-developed critical thinking skills will go a long way in impressing a potential employer.  A survey done in 2012 by the American Management Association polled 768 managers and executives, and found that critical thinking skills of their employees are considered crucial for the future success of their organizations , but 49% of those surveys reported that their employees’ critical thinking skills were either average or below average ( www.amanet.org ).  To put it short, employers want people whose skills are above average . The report states: “Today’s employee’s need to think critically, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, and communicate more effectively…They must excel at the ‘four Cs’: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.”

We all know communications skills are essentials, and the skills needed to communicate well have been given a lot of attention. We also all know that we need to have team spirit, to work well with others, and to “think outside of the box”. Because of this, pretty much everyone preps to go into an interview ready to demonstrate these skills. But, most people fail to acknowledge the importance of demonstrating their critical thinking skills.

It’s become trendy in our culture however for judgmental criticism to be considered thoughtful analysis. Critical thinking is not faultfinding, derogatory, disparaging, or judgmental . But  often times, in the employment world, it’s commonly seen in a proposal meant to show that someone has found the weakness in something, and as a result, is worthy of a raise, promotion, or some other form of personal gain. The solution might sound elegant and might work in the short term, but because it lacks genuine analysis, it is usually wrong and won’t work in the long term. You would get noticed for this, but not necessarily in the way you want to be noticed.

Working well together – collaboration – is a proven way to test ideas . Employers want to promote people whose contributions add value to the organization. People who are collaborators and work well with others can build on people’s ideas and encourage a higher level of innovation,which takes on a much higher level of critical thinking than simply pointing out the faults in other’s work. Therefore, critical thinking is not only fair-minded and analytical, but also judicious, diagnostic, and decisive.

This is how you DO want to be noticed : If you can lead the group to make a solid decision that can be backed up with a well-considered evaluation, you will impress your supervisor in a good way. To lead however does not mean to dominate ; it means making sure ideas are free flowing and everyone’s voice is heard . Critical thinking encompasses the ability to gather relevant information, interpret the information’s significance, clarify its meaning, examining it from different perspectives (this means asking questions and looking at the big picture not just the immediate situation), and then evaluating what you’ve learned and considering multiple options, all before arriving at your final conclusion. If that sounds like a lot of work that’s because it is . Just remember that critical thinking is elastic, it’s a process which allows for unexpected variables. In other words, it’s open to changes in the plan to ensure successful outcomes.

Potential employers want to know if you have the thinking skills that will give them a competitive edge. You may be wondering how you should get the message across that you have honed your critical thinking skills and that you are exactly the type of person who can help the organization reach its goals. Well, you know those common interview questions, like tell me about yourself, tell me about your strengths, what was your biggest accomplishment, why do you want this job, what challenges and problems have you faced in a job and how did you handle them? All of those questions give you golden opportunities to provide proof of your critical thinking skills.

You know where else you can make your critical thinking skills shine? Networking . You may have heard the advice to follow-up with professionals who have agreed to network with you by sending them articles of interest to help foster a working relationship. Instead of simply forwarding an article of interest to your contract, write two or three lines that show you’ve given the article analytical thought and have drawn meaningful conclusions . If you meet a professional for coffee or lunch, when you discuss a topic of interest don’t just “pick their brains”, show them how well your own brain works . The people who are impressed with your critical thinking skills will refer you for interviews, tell you about openings they know, and may even hire you themselves.

Nowadays, some colleges and universities offer full courses in critical thinking. This would be a perfect way to get started on building your skills, or asking a professor or advisor what courses might be beneficial for you to take. It takes time to develop critical thinking skills, and no one expects a recent graduate starting a career to have the level of expertise that can swiftly provide an elegant, yet efficient solution. But if you take the time to careful examine the problem, you can arrive at a solution that is both easy to understand, and, most importantly, correct.

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6 Ways You Can Teach Critical Thinking at Home

When my husband and I first got married, he was shocked at the number of passionate debates my immediate and extended family regularly had. 

Nearly any topic, large or small, could spark a three-hour discussion—and it was rare for everyone to be on the same page. We would disagree and argue our points relentlessly, but it rarely deteriorated into a true argument. Eventually, we’d drift off onto a less-debatable topic, or perhaps abandon talking altogether to enjoy a family game instead. 

My husband’s family did not do this. 

Discussions in his family were almost discouraged, with everyone shying away from controversial topics. They kept their mouths shut when they disagreed. He was very uncomfortable with my family’s debates, and he never participated. 

Over the next couple of years, my husband began to see the value in these seemingly dramatic episodes. He realized that our discussions were an effective way to develop critical thinking skills. With so many people with varying experiences, backgrounds, and educations, my family’s home was packed with intellect and reason. 

The atmosphere of logic forced us to base our opinions on fact and principles, and we pushed one another to think through each topic thoroughly . 

My husband eventually came to enjoy debating himself and began to encourage his own family to try their hand at it. He also hopes to encourage the same spirit of discussion with our children to sharpen their critical thinking skills and help them work through problems logically.

So, what is critical thinking and why is it valuable?

VeryWellFamily describes critical thinking as “… the ability to imagine, analyze, and evaluate information in order to determine its integrity and validity, such as what is factual and what isn’t. These skills help people form opinions and ideas as well as help them know who is being a   good friend and who isn’t.”

In other words, critical thinking is a vital skill for a well-balanced, well-rounded adult. 

It’s also highly beneficial to children, as it can help them to better understand the world around them and even offer a certain amount of protection and security. 

While children may have the opportunity to develop some of their critical thinking skills at school, parents should encourage them to practice those skills at home in their daily lives. There are many strategies that parents can use to accomplish this goal.

1. Encourage Healthy Debate

“Debate everything!” TeachThought tells parents . “…Debate is useful for a couple of reasons: it helps students look at alternate explanations—good for analyzing experimental results—and can also develop teens’ natural communication skills. For example, ‘ Should Bottled Water Be Banned ?’”

Family life offers ample opportunities for discussion. From “is it ever right to lie?” to “is it more effective to plant a garden or buy our produce?”—nearly any topic can be turned into a critical thinking exercise. 

Lively and spirited debate is a practical way to teach critical thinking skills. You can encourage your child to think through their opinions and challenge their assumptions. Allow them to speak freely in these types of conversations. There is one caution: never let the discussion become emotional or hostile. Keep the debate on a friendly, civil plane. Passion should be encouraged, but aggression is the opposite of helpful discussion. 

Employ this rousing strategy, and your child will be well on their way to developing strong critical thinking skills!

2. Encourage Questions

A mind that questions is a mind that evaluates and analyzes. Encourage your child to ask questions and always put effort into your reply. When children feel like they’re bothering you or that their question is lacking, they’ll be less likely to ask a question in the future. 

There are no stupid questions if the asker is sincere and curious!

“As exhausting as it can be at times to answer a constant barrage of questions, it’s important that you encourage your child to question things. Asking questions is the basis of critical thinking, and the time you invest in answering your child’s questions—or finding the answers together— will pay off in the end.”

This quote from VeryWellFamily highlights the beauty of encouraging your child to question everything. From childhood to adulthood, a curious mind trained correctly will benefit not only your child’s personal life, but also society as a whole. 

3. Encourage Planning Ahead

Some children are spontaneous and bound from one idea to the next without serious consideration or forethought. While you can direct this trait into a more positive version of itself, you can also help your child curtail it to a certain degree. Planning ahead and examining all sides of a situation is a valuable skill that can often save a lot of time, frustration, and even money. 

Encouraging your child to think before acting engages their critical thinking skills. The Family Learning Center notes , “Planning ahead is an important strategy because it allows children to slow down and think about how to approach a task before attempting it. Everyone at home can practice this essential ability.”

Being able to form a plan, calculate any necessary preparations, and foresee possible outcomes will be an invaluable asset to your child throughout their life. 

4. Encourage Problem Solving

“When dealing with problems or conflicts, it is necessary to use critical thinking skills to understand the problem and come up with possible solutions, so teach them the steps of problem-solving , and they will use critical thinking in the process of finding solutions to problems.”

This suggestion from Michigan State University points out a practical way for children to use their current critical thinking skills and expand them at the same time. Children are naturally curious and often use a trial-and-error approach to discovering the solution to a problem. As they develop their critical thinking, they will employ trial-and-error less often and begin to think through the problem logically. 

As a parent, you can teach your kids to do this by breaking the problem into smaller, manageable-sized pieces. Fragment the question and let a logical line of thinking put it back together to find the answer. Encourage them to break a task into several steps to accomplish the goal. Show them various practical strategies for avoiding inevitable mistakes and encourage them to use these strategies independently in the future. 

But wait! Parents are often tempted to step in right away and help when their offspring faces a difficult challenge. Try taking a step back and allowing your kid to struggle for a bit to engage those critical thinking abilities. Many parents are surprised when they don’t intervene, and their child finds a satisfying solution on their own! 

5. Encourage a Thinking Habit

Critical thinking can become an everyday lifestyle, from analyzing the lyrics in a song to comparing prices at the grocery store. Practice strengthens this habit, so parents can start by modeling it in their own lives and sharing their thought process moment by moment with their kids. 

According to TeachThought, children’s everyday environments offer terrific real-life opportunities for developing this critical thinking habit. They suggest a few places to start: 

• Local or national news
• Video games
• Personal communication with others
• Social media interactions 

Critical thinking can help dispel the fog and clarify problems or situations. When critical thinking is a habit, life can be much easier to navigate. 

6. Encourage Reading

Reading improves critical thinking skills. Many students use book clubs to prepare themselves for college life and cultivate reasoning abilities. 

“Reading improves vocabulary, organizational skills, and the ability to read, comprehend, and analyze text,” Idaho Ed News reports. “Plus, it can provide people with important historical perspectives, encourage sympathy for other human beings, and promote appreciation for diversity and understanding of other cultures. Moreover, literature can help students develop the critical-thinking skills many employers think are lacking in today’s college graduates before they even get to college.”

Encourage your child to read a wide variety of literature. From history and mathematics to current events and opinion pieces, extensive reading exposes the mind to a stimulating variety of ideas.

A Worthy Pursuit 

As Kars4Kids points out , “Critical thinking is about questioning: is this all there is to this story? Is there another side? Am I being manipulated? Will a given product fulfill the promise, the claim of the packaging and advertising?” This excellent summary highlights the necessity of critical thinking skills in everyday life. 

Parents have a huge responsibility to equip their children to march into life and confidently influence their world. Teaching critical thinking skills at home is one of the most challenging and beneficial ways to accomplish this goal. Thankfully, logical skills are as necessary as they are useful, and opportunities to practice and develop them lurk behind every question, task, and social media post. 

My family employed these strategies in our everyday family life to encourage us kids to expand and grow—and you can, too. The techniques presented in this article are just the beginning. There are many ways to engage your child’s critical thinking abilities, but it’s your job to jumpstart this amazing journey. 

Do the hard work of instilling these habits, and you’ll experience the joy of watching your child mature before your eyes!

[…] says learning is just for school time? At home, you can foster curiosity and help your child develop an appreciation for learning. Read to your children, and provide them with books for their own reading adventures. (A weekly […]

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[…] allow for a healthy exchange of ideas and exploration of concepts. Encourage the development of critical thinking skills. Teach them how to think for themselves and use logic to do so. Challenge their preconceptions (and […]

[…] Critical thinking is a life skill that enhances every area of life, including work life. To remain a valuable employee and succeed in a variety of ways, your child must establish the skill of critical thinking.  […]

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How to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Traditional tools and new technologies..

Posted September 29, 2023 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

Technology provides access to vast information and makes daily life easier. Yet, too much reliance on technology potentially interferes with the acquisition and maintenance of critical thinking skills in several ways:

1. Information Overload : The constant influx of data can discourage deep critical thinking as we may come to rely on quick, surface-level information rather than delving deeply into a subject.

2. Shortened Attention Span: Frequent digital distractions can disrupt our ability for the sustained focus and concentration required for critical thinking.

3. Confirmatory Bias and Echo Chambers: Technology, including social media and personalized content algorithms, can reinforce confirmation bias . People are often exposed to information that aligns with their beliefs and opinions, making them less likely to encounter diverse perspectives and engage in critical thinking about opposing views.

4. Reduced Problem-Solving Opportunities: Technology often provides quick solutions to problems. While this benefits efficiency, it may discourage individuals from engaging in complex problem-solving, a fundamental aspect of critical thinking.

5. Loss of Research Skills: The ease of accessing information online can diminish traditional research skills, such as library research or in-depth reading. These skills are essential for critical thinking, as they involve evaluating sources, synthesizing information, and analyzing complex texts.

While technology can pose challenges to developing critical thinking skills, it's important to note that technology can also be a valuable tool for learning and skill development. It can provide access to educational resources, facilitate collaboration , and support critical thinking when used thoughtfully and intentionally. Balancing technology use with activities that encourage deep thinking and analysis is vital to lessening its potential adverse effects on critical thinking.

Writing is a traditional and powerful tool to exercise and improve your critical thinking skills. Consider these ways writing can help enhance critical thinking:

1. Clarity of Thought: Writing requires that you articulate your thoughts clearly and coherently. When you need to put your ideas on paper, you must organize them logically, which requires a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

2. Analysis and Evaluation: Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information. When you write, you often need to assess the validity and relevance of different sources, arguments, or pieces of evidence, which hone your critical thinking skills.

3. Problem-Solving: Writing can be a problem-solving exercise in itself. Whether crafting an argument, developing a thesis, or finding the right words to express your ideas, writing requires thinking critically about approaching these challenges effectively.

4. Research Skills: Good writing often involves research, and research requires critical thinking. You need to assess the credibility of sources, synthesize information, and draw conclusions based on the evidence you gather.

5. Argumentation: Constructing a persuasive argument in writing is a complex process requiring critical thinking. You must anticipate counterarguments, provide evidence to support your claims, and address potential weaknesses in your reasoning.

6. Revision and Editing: To be an influential writer, you must learn to read your work critically. Editing and revising requires evaluating your writing objectively, identifying areas that need improvement, and refining your ideas and arguments.

7. Problem Identification: In some cases, writing can help you identify problems or gaps in your thinking. As you write, you might realize that your arguments are not as strong as you initially thought or that you need more information to support your claims. This recognition of limitations is a crucial aspect of critical thinking.

Writing is a dynamic process that engages multiple facets of critical thinking. It has been a valuable tool used in education , business, and personal development for centuries.

Yet, this traditional approach of self-generated written thoughts is rapidly being supplanted by AI -generated writing tools like Chat GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer. With over 100 million users of Chat GPT alone, we cannot ignore its potential impact. How might the increasing reliance on AI-generated writing tools influence our critical thinking skills? The impact can vary depending on how the tools are used and the context in which they are employed.

Critical thinking involves evaluating information sources for credibility, relevance, and bias. If individuals consistently trust the information provided by chatbots without critically assessing its quality, it can hinder their development of critical thinking skills. This is especially true if they depend on the chatbot to provide answers without questioning or verifying the information. Relying solely on chatbots for answers may also reduce people's effort in problem-solving. Critical thinking often requires wrestling with complex problems, considering multiple perspectives, and generating creative solutions. If we default to chatbots for quick answers, we may miss opportunities to develop these skills.

However, it's essential to note that the impact of chatbots on critical thinking skills may not be entirely negative. These tools can also have positive effects:

1. Chatbots provide quick access to vast information, which can benefit research and problem-solving. When used as a supplement to critical thinking, they can enhance the efficiency of information retrieval.

2. Chatbots can sometimes assist in complex tasks by providing relevant data or suggestions. When individuals critically evaluate and integrate this information into their decision-making process, it can enhance their critical thinking.

3. Chatbots can be used as learning aids. They can provide explanations, examples, and guidance, which can support skill development and, when used effectively, encourage critical thinking.

In summary, the impact of chatbots on critical thinking skills depends on how we use them. The effect will be harmful if they become a crutch to avoid independent thought or analysis. However, they can be valuable resources when used as tools to facilitate and augment critical thinking and writing processes. Individuals must balance leveraging the convenience of chatbots and actively engaging in independent critical thinking and problem-solving to maintain and enhance their cognitive abilities. You can do that effectively through writing regularly.

Copyright 2023 Tara Well, PhD

Tara Well, Ph.D. , is a professor in the department of psychology at Barnard College of Columbia University.

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Thinking and Analysis

Critical thinking skills.

The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks. —Christopher Hitchens, author and journalist

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Define critical thinking
• Describe the role that logic plays in critical thinking
• Describe how critical thinking skills can be used to problem-solve
• Describe how critical thinking skills can be used to evaluate information
• Identify strategies for developing yourself as a critical thinker

Critical Thinking

Thinking comes naturally. You don’t have to make it happen—it just does. But you can make it happen in different ways. For example, you can think positively or negatively. You can think with “heart” and you can think with rational judgment. You can also think strategically and analytically, and mathematically and scientifically. These are a few of multiple ways in which the mind can process thought.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is clear, reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do. It means asking probing questions like, “How do we know?” or “Is this true in every case or just in this instance?” It involves being skeptical and challenging assumptions, rather than simply memorizing facts or blindly accepting what you hear or read.

Imagine, for example, that you’re reading a history textbook. You wonder who wrote it and why, because you detect certain biases in the writing. You find that the author has a limited scope of research focused only on a particular group within a population. In this case, your critical thinking reveals that there are “other sides to the story.”

What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is asking about the evidence for claims you hear and read and asking about the reasonableness of the inferences you make and others make. Critical thinking includes asking pertinent questions, evaluating statements and arguments, and distinguishing the kind of evidence needed to support different kinds of claims. Critical thinking means examining your own beliefs, admitting that you lack knowledge when you don’t know, and seeking to deepen your understanding. Critical thinking means an openness to changing your mind when you discover good reasons for doing so.

This may well be you!

No matter where you are on the road to being a critical thinker, you can always more fully develop and finely tune your skills. Doing so will help you develop more balanced arguments, express yourself clearly, read critically, and glean important information efficiently. Critical thinking skills will help you in any profession or any circumstance of life, from science to art to business to teaching. With critical thinking, you become a clearer thinker and problem solver.

The following video, from Lawrence Bland, presents the major concepts and benefits of critical thinking.

Activity: Self-Assess Your Critical Thinking Strategies

• Assess your basic understanding of the skills involved in critical thinking.
• Visit the Quia Critical Thinking Quiz page and click on Start Now (you don’t need to enter your name). Select the best answer for each question, and then click on Submit Answers. A score of 70 percent or better on this quiz is considering passing.
• Based on the content of the questions, do you feel you use good critical thinking strategies in college? In what ways might you improve as a critical thinker?

Critical Thinking and Logic

Critical thinking is fundamentally a process of questioning information and data. You may question the information you read in a textbook, or you may question what a politician or a professor or a classmate says. You can also question a commonly-held belief or a new idea. With critical thinking, anything and everything is subject to question and examination for the purpose of logically constructing reasoned perspectives.

What Is Logic, and Why Is It Important in Critical Thinking?

The word logic comes from the Ancient Greek logike , referring to the science or art of reasoning. Using logic, a person evaluates arguments and reasoning and strives to distinguish between good and bad reasoning, or between truth and falsehood. Using logic, you can evaluate ideas or claims people make, make good decisions, and form sound beliefs about the world. [1]

Questions of Logic in Critical Thinking

Let’s use a simple example of applying logic to a critical-thinking situation. In this hypothetical scenario, a man has a PhD in political science, and he works as a professor at a local college. His wife works at the college, too. They have three young children in the local school system, and their family is well known in the community. The man is now running for political office. Are his credentials and experience sufficient for entering public office? Will he be effective in the political office? Some voters might believe that his personal life and current job, on the surface, suggest he will do well in the position, and they will vote for him. In truth, the characteristics described don’t guarantee that the man will do a good job. The information is somewhat irrelevant. What else might you want to know? How about whether the man had already held a political office and done a good job? In this case, we want to ask, How much information is adequate in order to make a decision based on logic instead of assumptions?

The following questions, presented in Figure 1, below, are ones you may apply to formulating a logical, reasoned perspective in the above scenario or any other situation:

• What’s happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions.
• Why is it important? Ask yourself why it’s significant and whether or not you agree.
• What don’t I see? Is there anything important missing?
• How do I know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was constructed.
• Who is saying it? What’s the position of the speaker and what is influencing them?
• What else? What if? What other ideas exist and are there other possibilities?

Problem-Solving with Critical Thinking

For most people, a typical day is filled with critical thinking and problem-solving challenges. In fact, critical thinking and problem-solving go hand-in-hand. They both refer to using knowledge, facts, and data to solve problems effectively. But with problem-solving, you are specifically identifying, selecting, and defending your solution. Below are some examples of using critical thinking to problem-solve:

• Your roommate was upset and said some unkind words to you, which put a crimp in the relationship. You try to see through the angry behaviors to determine how you might best support the roommate and help bring the relationship back to a comfortable spot.
• Your campus club has been languishing on account of lack of participation and funds. The new club president, though, is a marketing major and has identified some strategies to interest students in joining and supporting the club. Implementation is forthcoming.
• Your final art class project challenges you to conceptualize form in new ways. On the last day of class when students present their projects, you describe the techniques you used to fulfill the assignment. You explain why and how you selected that approach.
• Your math teacher sees that the class is not quite grasping a concept. She uses clever questioning to dispel anxiety and guide you to new understanding of the concept.
• You have a job interview for a position that you feel you are only partially qualified for, although you really want the job and you are excited about the prospects. You analyze how you will explain your skills and experiences in a way to show that you are a good match for the prospective employer.
• You are doing well in college, and most of your college and living expenses are covered. But there are some gaps between what you want and what you feel you can afford. You analyze your income, savings, and budget to better calculate what you will need to stay in college and maintain your desired level of spending.

Problem-Solving Action Checklist

Problem-solving can be an efficient and rewarding process, especially if you are organized and mindful of critical steps and strategies. Remember, too, to assume the attributes of a good critical thinker. If you are curious, reflective, knowledge-seeking, open to change, probing, organized, and ethical, your challenge or problem will be less of a hurdle, and you’ll be in a good position to find intelligent solutions.

Evaluating Information with Critical Thinking

Evaluating information can be one of the most complex tasks you will be faced with in college. But if you utilize the following four strategies, you will be well on your way to success:

• Read for understanding by using text coding
• Examine arguments
• Clarify thinking
• Cultivate “habits of mind”

Read for Understanding Using Text Coding

When you read and take notes, use the text coding strategy . Text coding is a way of tracking your thinking while reading. It entails marking the text and recording what you are thinking either in the margins or perhaps on Post-it notes. As you make connections and ask questions in response to what you read,  you monitor your comprehension and enhance your long-term understanding of the material.

With text coding, mark important arguments and key facts. Indicate where you agree and disagree or have further questions. You don’t necessarily need to read every word, but make sure you understand the concepts or the intentions behind what is written. Feel free to develop your own shorthand style when reading or taking notes. The following are a few options to consider using while coding text.

See more text coding from PBWorks and Collaborative for Teaching and Learning .

Examine Arguments

When you examine arguments or claims that an author, speaker, or other source is making, your goal is to identify and examine the hard facts. You can use the spectrum of authority strategy for this purpose. The spectrum of authority strategy assists you in identifying the “hot” end of an argument—feelings, beliefs, cultural influences, and societal influences—and the “cold” end of an argument—scientific influences. The following video explains this strategy.

Clarify Thinking

When you use critical thinking to evaluate information, you need to clarify your thinking to yourself and likely to others. Doing this well is mainly a process of asking and answering probing questions, such as the logic questions discussed earlier. Design your questions to fit your needs, but be sure to cover adequate ground. What is the purpose? What question are we trying to answer? What point of view is being expressed? What assumptions are we or others making? What are the facts and data we know, and how do we know them? What are the concepts we’re working with? What are the conclusions, and do they make sense? What are the implications?

Cultivate “Habits of Mind”

“Habits of mind” are the personal commitments, values, and standards you have about the principle of good thinking. Consider your intellectual commitments, values, and standards. Do you approach problems with an open mind, a respect for truth, and an inquiring attitude? Some good habits to have when thinking critically are being receptive to having your opinions changed, having respect for others, being independent and not accepting something is true until you’ve had the time to examine the available evidence, being fair-minded, having respect for a reason, having an inquiring mind, not making assumptions, and always, especially, questioning your own conclusions—in other words, developing an intellectual work ethic. Try to work these qualities into your daily life.

Developing Yourself As a Critical Thinker

Critical thinking is a desire to seek, patience to doubt, fondness to meditate, slowness to assert, readiness to consider, carefulness to dispose and set in order; and hatred for every kind of imposture. —Francis Bacon, philosopher

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for college students, but it should also be a lifelong pursuit. Below are additional strategies to develop yourself as a critical thinker in college and in everyday life:

• Reflect and practice : Always reflect on what you’ve learned. Is it true all the time? How did you arrive at your conclusions?
• Use wasted time : It’s certainly important to make time for relaxing, but if you find you are indulging in too much of a good thing, think about using your time more constructively. Determine when you do your best thinking and try to learn something new during that part of the day.
• Redefine the way you see things : It can be very uninteresting to always think the same way. Challenge yourself to see familiar things in new ways. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and consider things from a different angle or perspective.  If you’re trying to solve a problem, list all your concerns: what you need in order to solve it, who can help, what some possible barriers might be, etc. It’s often possible to reframe a problem as an opportunity. Try to find a solution where there seems to be none.
• Analyze the influences on your thinking and in your life : Why do you think or feel the way you do? Analyze your influences. Think about who in your life influences you. Do you feel or react a certain way because of social convention, or because you believe it is what is expected of you? Try to break out of any molds that may be constricting you.
• Express yourself : Critical thinking also involves being able to express yourself clearly. Most important in expressing yourself clearly is stating one point at a time. You might be inclined to argue every thought, but you might have greater impact if you focus just on your main arguments. This will help others to follow your thinking clearly. For more abstract ideas, assume that your audience may not understand. Provide examples, analogies, or metaphors where you can.
• Enhance your wellness : It’s easier to think critically when you take care of your mental and physical health. Try taking 10-minute activity breaks to reach 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity each day . Try taking a break between classes and walk to the coffee shop that’s farthest away. Scheduling physical activity into your day can help lower stress and increase mental alertness. Also, do your most difficult work when you have the most energy . Think about the time of day you are most effective and have the most energy. Plan to do your most difficult work during these times. And be sure to reach out for help . If you feel you need assistance with your mental or physical health, talk to a counselor or visit a doctor.

Activity: Reflect on Critical Thinking

• Apply critical thinking strategies to your life

Directions:

• Think about someone you consider to be a critical thinker (friend, professor, historical figure, etc). What qualities does he/she have?
• Review some of the critical thinking strategies discussed on this page. Pick one strategy that makes sense to you. How can you apply this critical thinking technique to your academic work?
• Habits of mind are attitudes and beliefs that influence how you approach the world (i.e., inquiring attitude, open mind, respect for truth, etc). What is one habit of mind you would like to actively develop over the next year? How will you develop a daily practice to cultivate this habit?
• Write your responses in journal form, and submit according to your instructor’s guidelines.

The following text is an excerpt from an essay by Dr. Andrew Robert Baker, “Thinking Critically and Creatively.” In these paragraphs, Dr. Baker underscores the importance of critical thinking—the imperative of critical thinking, really—to improving as students, teachers, and researchers. The follow-up portion of this essay appears in the Creative Thinking section of this course.

Thinking Critically and Creatively

Critical thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems. You use them every day, and you can continue improving them.

The ability to think critically about a matter—to analyze a question, situation, or problem down to its most basic parts—is what helps us evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of statements, claims, and information we read and hear. It is the sharp knife that, when honed, separates fact from fiction, honesty from lies, and the accurate from the misleading. We all use this skill to one degree or another almost every day. For example, we use critical thinking every day as we consider the latest consumer products and why one particular product is the best among its peers. Is it a quality product because a celebrity endorses it? Because a lot of other people may have used it? Because it is made by one company versus another? Or perhaps because it is made in one country or another? These are questions representative of critical thinking.

The academic setting demands more of us in terms of critical thinking than everyday life. It demands that we evaluate information and analyze myriad issues. It is the environment where our critical thinking skills can be the difference between success and failure. In this environment we must consider information in an analytical, critical manner. We must ask questions—What is the source of this information? Is this source an expert one and what makes it so? Are there multiple perspectives to consider on an issue? Do multiple sources agree or disagree on an issue? Does quality research substantiate information or opinion? Do I have any personal biases that may affect my consideration of this information?

It is only through purposeful, frequent, intentional questioning such as this that we can sharpen our critical thinking skills and improve as students, learners and researchers.

—Dr. Andrew Robert Baker,  Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom

Resources for Critical Thinking

• Glossary of Critical Thinking Terms
• Critical Thinking Self-Assessment
• Logical Fallacies Jeopardy Template
• Fallacies Files—Home
• Thinking Critically | Learning Commons
• Foundation for Critical Thinking
• To Analyze Thinking We Must Identify and Question Its Elemental Structures
• Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
• "logike." Wordnik. n.d. Web. 16 Feb 2016. ↵
• "Student Success-Thinking Critically In Class and Online."  Critical Thinking Gateway . St Petersburg College, n.d. Web. 16 Feb 2016. ↵
• Critical Thinking Skills. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• text: what critical thinking is. Authored by : rmuhlnickel. Provided by : mcc. License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
• Image of three students. Authored by : PopTech. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/8tXtQp . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Critical Thinking. Provided by : Critical and Creative Thinking Program. Located at : http://cct.wikispaces.umb.edu/Critical+Thinking . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Thinking Critically. Authored by : UBC Learning Commons. Provided by : The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus. Located at : http://www.oercommons.org/courses/learning-toolkit-critical-thinking/view . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Critical Thinking 101: Spectrum of Authority. Authored by : UBC Leap. Located at : https://youtu.be/9G5xooMN2_c . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Image of students putting post-its on wall. Authored by : Hector Alejandro. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/7b2Ax2 . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Foundations of Academic Success. Authored by : Thomas C. Priester, editor. Provided by : Open SUNY Textbooks. Located at : http://textbooks.opensuny.org/foundations-of-academic-success/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Critical Thinking.wmv. Authored by : Lawrence Bland. Located at : https://youtu.be/WiSklIGUblo . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License