Teach Yourself To Think~

Teach Yourself To Think

Why?

I breathe. I walk. I talk. I think.

I do not have to think about these things, so why should I think about thinking?

Thinking is natural. You pick it up as you go along. Intelligent people can think without having to learn to think. Other people cannot think no matter what they do. What is wrong with that view?

Because...

Because thinking is the most fundamental human skill.

Because your skill in thinking will determine your happiness and your success in life.

Because you need thinking to make plans, take initiatives, solve problems, open up opportunities and design your way forward.

Because without the ability to think you are like a cork floating on a stream with no control over its destiny.

Because thinking is fun and enjoyable-if you learn how to make it so.

Because thinking and intelligence are quite separate. Intelligent is like the horsepower of a car. Thinking is like the skill of the car driver. Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers and get caught in the 'intelligence trap'. Many less intelligent people have developed a high degree of skill in thinking.

Because thinking is a skill that can be learned, practised and developed. But you have to want to develop that skill. You need to learn how to ride a bicycle or drive a car.

Because traditional education at school and university only teach one aspect of thinking.

What about feelings and values?

You may believe that feelings and values are most important things in life.

You are right.

That is why thinking is so very important.

The purpose of thinking is to deliver to you the values you seek just as the purpose of a bicycle is to get you want to go. a bicycle uses less energy, gets you there faster and allows you to enjoy your values more effectively.

You are locked in a room. You desperately want to get out. You want freedom. Your feelings are very strong. Which is the more useful, this very strong feeling or a key to the lock?

Feelings without the means to carry them out are not much good. At the same time, the key without the desire to leave the room is also not much good.

We need values, feelings amd thinking.

Feeling is no substitute for thinking.

Thinking without values is aimless.

Values and feelings are equally important but insufficient without thinking.

-Retrieved from the book 'Teach Yourself To Think'  by Edward De Bono-

Although this week I'm quite busy with my final semester exams, I managed to sneak out some time to read a book written by Edward De Bono, 'Teach Yourself To Think'. The foreword description was interesting and surprisingly, it answer some of my unanswered question about thinking. I always wonder, do people actually think in everyday life? Or people just think in certain situations? Do 'feelings' and 'values' can be included in the thinking processes while brainstorming? Those questions finally answered by this one piece of book. (^_^)