Are You a Critical Thinker or Do You Think Critically?

Are you a critical thinker?

Do you have an insatiable appetite to learn, understand, ponder..... are you curious?  There are many definitions of critical thinking.  I like "thinking about one's thinking in a manner designed to organize and clarify, raise the efficiency of, and recognize errors and biases in one's own thinking."

My feeble attempt to define critical thinking for me is a continuous awareness of one's thinking with the purpose to remain open to unconventional answers in seemingly conventional situations. 

Critical thinkers typically look for why things are the way they are or even look for ways things can be accomplished.  The similarly sounding, but very different thinker is the one who thinks critically.  This is one who looks for why things can not be done or is always looking for what's wrong with individuals and the world.

Be a critical thinker, but don't think critically.

YOU Matter!!

Curiosity Kills Ignorance

How often are you curious?

Curiosity can build connection with others.
When is the last time you asked someone to tell you about themselves?  I'm not talking about, "What do you do?"  When have you taken the time to show real interest in someone by asking them to tell you their story?

Curiosity can spur you personal growth.
When is the last time you asked yourself reflective questions?  One of my mentors, Scott Fay, always asks four reflective questions at the end of each day:

1. What should I start doing?
2. What should I stop doing?
3. What should I do more of in my day?
4. What should I do less of in my day?

Are you curious?
Questions require curiosity.  Curiosity unlocks possibilities where there seemed to be impossibilities. BUT, you must stay in an inquisitive / curious state.  The problem is that many do not stay curious long enough and will just accept the first set of answers that they receive.  Instead you need to stay in a mode of questioning until you have sufficiently fleshed it out.  THEN, end with the question, "What are we missing" or "What am I missing?"

I've heard somewhere that "Curiosity killed the cat, but for humans, curiosity kills ignorance."

Stay curious..... ask questions of others and yourself.

Try it today.

YOU Matter!!