How to improve your critical thinking ?

 Every day, a sea of decisions stretches before us. Some are small and unimportant, but others have a larger impact on our lives. For example, which politician should I vote for? Should I try the latest diet craze? Or will email make me a millionaire?

 We're bombarded with so many decisions that it's impossible to make a perfect choice every time. But there are many ways to improve our chances, and one particularly effective techniqueis critical thinking. This is a way of approaching a question that allows us to carefully deconstruct a situation, reveal its hidden issues,such as bias and manipulation, and make the best decision.

 If the critical part sounds negativethat's because in a way it is. Rather than choosing an answer because it feels right, a person who uses critical thinking subjects all available options to scrutinyand skepticism. Using the tools at their disposal, they'll eliminate everything but the mostuseful and reliable information.

 There are many different waysof approaching critical thinking, but here's one five-step process that may help you solve any number of problems. 

One: formulate your question. In other words, know what you're looking for. This isn't always as straightforward as it sounds. For example, if you're decidingwhether to try out the newest diet craze, your reasons for doing so may be obscuredby other factors, like claims that you'll see resultsin just two weeks. But if you approach the situation with a clear view of what you're actually trying to accomplish by dieting, whether that's weight loss, better nutrition, or having more energy, that'll equip you to sift through this information critically, find what you're looking for, and decide whether the new fadreally suits your needs.

 Two: gather your information. There's lots of it out there, so having a clear idea of your questionwill help you determine what's relevant. If you're trying to decide on a diet to improve your nutrition, you may ask an expert for their advice, or seek other people's testimonies. Information gathering helps youweigh different options, moving you closer to a decisionthat meets your goal. 

Three: apply the information, something you do by asking critical questions. Facing a decision, ask yourself,"What concepts are at work?" "What assumptions exist?" "Is my interpretation of the informationlogically sound?" For example, in an email that promisesyou millions, you should consider, "What is shaping my approach to this situation?" "Do I assume the sender is telling the truth?" "Based on the evidence, is it logical to assume I'll win any money?"

 Four: consider the implications. Imagine it's election time, and you've selected a politicalcandidate based on their promise to make it cheaper for driversto fill up on gas. At first glance, that seems great. But what about the long-term environmental effects? If gasoline use is less restricted by cost, this could also cause a hugesurge in air pollution, an unintended consequence that's important to think about. 

Five: explore other points of view. Ask yourself why so many people are drawn to the policies of the opposing political candidate. Even if you disagree with everything that candidate says, exploring the full spectrum of view points might explain why some policies that don'tseem valid to you appeal to others.

 This will allow you to explore alternatives, evaluate your own choices, and ultimately help you make moreinformed decisions. This five-step process is just one tool, and it certainly won't eradicate difficultdecisions from our lives. But it can help us increase the number of positive choices we make. Critical thinking can give us the toolsto sift through a sea of information and find what we're looking for. And if enough of us use it, it has the power to make the worlda more reasonable place.