As you can see: such a brain feature is not just some skill from the collection of Soft skills that almost every good employee of a firm or job seeker possesses. If you:
- can think analytically;
- you don't take anything on faith, and you question every assertion;
- you look at every situation from every angle.
Congratulations! You are the owner of a rather rare and highly valued quality - critical thinking. In today's world, it will be easy for you to get a prestigious job and increase your income.
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What do you need critical thinking for?
With this ability, you will never be lost in an environment saturated with information whirlwinds. It will be impossible to lure you into any manipulative networks. When negotiating, you will always be able to defend your own point of view, backing it up with logical arguments.
It is important to realize that the world is not what we think it is. Sometimes even our eyes can deceive us. Our perception is based on our reflection in the inner mirror.
Without realizing it, we make irrational decisions all the time. Many of our memories are false. We are sure that we witnessed events that didn't even exist or we didn't even participate in them, but we still make up details, truly believing in the whole fantasy. These are called cognitive distortions, and here are a few examples of them:
- You describe your character in general definitions that fit anyone - the Barnum effect. This tool is used by astrologers and fortune-tellers.
- Self-realization of prophecy. Events are happening in your life that you have come to believe in - the Pygmalion effect.
- You do not recognise the value and significance of other people's work and achievements, believing that your merit is far superior - NIH syndrome.
What is critical thinking: principles of the phenomenon
It is characterised by a number of specific qualities. People endowed with the quality of thinking critically are different:
- Awareness in inferences, actions and behaviors.
- Reflexivity - the ability to self-analyze.
- Purposefulness. They know what they want to achieve and understand what they need to do to achieve it.
- Controllability. They control themselves at all levels of thought activity.
- Self-organisation. Such people exhibit powerful internal discipline.
Who can develop critical thinking?
This property of the human mind is not an innate tool for objective assessment of ourselves and the world around us. Thus, each of us is subject to reflex mechanisms that do not allow us to adequately perceive reality and make optimal decisions.
This quality needs to be developed and anyone who recognizes the importance of this mechanism not only in their career, but also in life in general, can succeed. If you want to understand how to earn more, you can't do without mastering critical thinking.
This thinking tool is used in all spheres of human life without exception - science, creativity, innovative technologies. Not to mention the fact that human resources specialists in all leading companies around the world are primarily trying to find out whether a job applicant can think critically.
If you have developed this skill, you:
- See the existence of logical and causal relationships that always exist between concepts, events, ideas, consequences of these concepts.
- Possess the ability to perform operational analysis of the judgements of others and evaluate them accordingly.
- Become a master at competently constructing a reasoned evidence base and communicating your arguments to your opponents.
- You easily spot inconsistencies in other people's inferences and logic. You know that they perceive the world only through their own reflection in it.
- See how important and relevant ideas are presented to you in relation to the overall context.
- Are able to make a reflective assessment of their own opinions, beliefs and convictions.
How can critical thinking help you earn more?
Whichever IT career you choose for yourself, this skill will help you earn trust and respect, and of course, it's all directly linked to increased financial well-being. Rational thinking:
- In demand in any IT industry. You always make only optimal decisions, which means that your work on tasks will always be efficient.
- Allows you to adapt to the situation in the shortest possible time. You do not lose your effectiveness even if conditions suddenly change. Your value as an adaptive, sober-minded employee increases many times over, which, of course, gives you the opportunity to increase your income.
- Opens wide horizons for self-expression. You are able to cope not only with those tasks that are directly related to work, business, but also to manifest yourself comprehensively in the social environment. In any atmosphere you do not lose the ability to react appropriately. You never overestimate yourself, nor do you suffer from underestimation of your capabilities.
- Allows your creativity to flow freely. You are always open to the perception of something new - non-standard ideas and solutions. You clearly see the line between stereotypes, generally recognized norms and the flight of thought and fantasy. You know when and why this boundary needs to be crossed.
- Gives you the opportunity to save time. You know how to prioritize, manage time, and spend resources sparingly. You are the antithesis of a perfectionist. You do not strive to do everything perfectly, to manage everywhere, spending a lot of effort where all this will be useless. You will look for the most economical and promising way.
- Allows you to quickly change your approach if the previous one does not produce the desired results. You become more active and effective. As soon as you find out that the chosen scheme is not working, you instantly create and switch to a new approach. You do not regret if you have to abandon outdated practices, established relationships and algorithms. In a difficult situation, you will always find and apply something effective.
- Guarantees personalized professional development. With the ability to think critically, you are always moving forward, rather than treading water, because you are able to assess yourself appropriately at each individual point in time. The greatest asset of any IT company is employees with a flexible mind and a mobile consciousness who can think rationally.
Among the celebrities who have made it to the top because of their ability to think critically:
"Thinking is the hardest work; that's probably why so few people do it."
"It's important not to stop asking questions. Curiosity is not given to man by chance
"Too often we ... enjoy an opinion without the discomfort of thought."
"Critical thinking is the most important factor in chess. Just like in life, you need to think before you make a decision"
"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."
Read about how to develop the ability to think critically to earn more in our next article.
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