Critical thinking may be your most valuable skill
Recognizing problems and solving them.
Critical thinking is the skill of stepping back. It’s looking at a situation from more than one angle before reacting.
It’s about slowing down, asking good questions, and seeing things clearly when emotions or outside noise try to cloud your judgment.
It means thinking about your thinking before you act on it.
It’s not just being smart. It’s being thoughtful.
I believe it matters now more than ever. Because misinformation is everywhere.
We live in a time when opinions spread faster than facts.
We have instant access to information. And opinions can go viral without any fact checking at all.
I’ve personally had opinions start long threads with thousands of people, and after engaging and learning more, I’ve changed my opinion!
Some might call you a hypocrite for changing your mind. I think it’s a sign of growth.
So how can we become better critical thinkers?
It starts with clear thinking.
Clear thinking isn’t just a mental skill. It’s a nervous system skill.
When your body is calm, your thinking gets clearer. That’s why regulating your breath and body is the foundation of clear thinking.
It’s hard to problem-solve when your system feels like it’s in danger.
A quick reflection practice
Next time you feel reactive or overwhelmed, try this:
Pause. Take one full breath in and out.
Ask yourself: What’s really happening here? What else might be true?
Wait it out: take action from a calm place, not a charged one.
That moment of space might be the most powerful choice you make during your day.
A moment now can save you many headaches later.
- Jake Twomey