The thing about good thinkers everywhere is that they habitually challenge status quo and facilitate change, lubing the engines of progress.
Psychological studies have revealed some of the traits that are common to good thinkers across all hierarchies and industries globally. They uphold the same standards of treatment to all aspects of their lives, and it shows in their systematic ways of approaching any given problem.
#1 Keeping Safe Distance from Cognitive Biases
A cognitive bias refers to a pattern of deviation from rationality in judgment, whereby a person draws inferences about other people and situations illogically. These biases limit a person from thinking sensibly as they create their own subjective realities.
Good thinkers regularly discern and work actively on their cognitive biases, they always see things objectively, and are open to curb any kind of biases they may have adapted in a course of time.
In order to get rid of biases, one should be aware of all of them, instead of staying in oblivion. Here’s the list.
#2 Staying Inquisitive
Good thinkers are intrigued by everything. Whether it be science, research, stock markets, sports, or geopolitics, they never cease to learn or stay updated on what is happening around the world.
Their burning curiosity and inquisitiveness enables them to see the patterns that lead to any significant occurrences. Apart from being voracious readers, they also stay in sync with the changing times. Websites like producthunt.com and apps like futurism bring the global breakthroughs in these medium straight to the palm.
#3 Rationalizing ThroughEmpirical Evidence
Good thinkers have immense command over their thought processes. They seldom conform to hearsay, and always go the extra mile to question the ambiguous.
Another overarching character of theirs is to remain confident by showing willingness and flexibility to consider other opinions. They are not hasty to shove their view on anyone and assess the evidence and facts in hand before drawing a conclusion.
#4 Remaining Dispassionate About Decision Making
Good thinkers are fair-minded people, working beyond the realms of their interests. They can admit to inconsistencies and discrepancies that arise from their studies. They respect the intellectual integrity and abide by a framework, despite holding autonomy over their thoughts and decisions.
Good thinkers have the capacity to remain objective in the face of adversity. They can validate circumstances impartially and possess the dexterity to come up with solutions that stem from rational reasoning, and not emotion.
Good decision making is also cultivated as a habit; that way, “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg is a well-rounded book everyone digs.
#5 The Knack Of Communicating Precisely
Words are the instrument of thoughts. Apt usage of words contributes heavily in harnessing a desired flow of thought. Expanding the glossary opens new avenues and scope of reasoning.
Good thinkers and experienced leaders have a wider range of vocabulary and a good grasp of the language they address in. This ability gives them the edge of articulating their train of thoughts more clinically.
Amidst a number of other ways to enrich vocabulary, there are apps like Buzinga that can improve the process of thinking while effectively aiding better communication.
(Sriram Muralidharan: The author is an independent screenwriter and filmmaker from Bangalore. On days when he is not on the road going full retard on a motorcycle, he’s either writing screenplays for films, or busy tinkering around with other forms of content creation.)