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4 tips on how to think for yourself

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With the advent of the Internet and social media, we are under so many external influences that it can be difficult to know when we are thinking for ourselves. Unless you are a very aware person, you most likely may not even know when your thinking is not your own. Being unable to think for yourself can make you miserable or a puppet of someone else’s dictates.

See a few tips on how to think for yourself:

Develop a strong sense of self. Know who you are, what you want and what is best for you. Do not let others tell you how you should look, feel and act. Do what is best for you. Cultivate your own tastes and enjoy your preferences. You attain a greater sense of accomplishment when you think for yourself.

 

Be well-informed. Gather as much information about a subject as possible before forming an opinion. Build your mental resources by reading, observing, and listening for yourself. Then take time to reflect and evaluate. This way, you expand your mind and boost your brain power.

 

Be flexible. Look for solutions and outcomes to a situation from as many perspectives as you can. Determine the pros and cons. Are there other possibilities? Whom might it harm/benefit? What are the potential consequences?

 

Identify possible biases. Many times we make poor decisions because we begin with the wrong premise. If we take time to evaluate and judge based upon what we observe first hand rather than what we have been led to believe, we can arrive at a more appropriate and practical conclusion.

 

Do not entertain pressure, fear, or guilt. Have the courage to stand up for what you really believe and have deduced yourself. If you go along with the crowd for the sake of keeping peace, avoiding confrontation, or fear of failure, you do everyone a disservice, especially yourself.  When you think for yourself, you are more interesting to others by expanding their thinking and options

 

See signs that you are NOT thinking for yourself;

  •  You let others, the media, or convention sway you from doing what’s right for you.
  •  You do something because it has always been done that way even if it no longer works.
  •  You don’t take time to think things through carefully and fully.

 

 

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