Critical thinking is the ability to strategize the use of people, resources and
equipment in order to execute a plan for reaching a specified goal.It’s being able to
identify and task the right people with the right assignments to complete a job, it’s
listening when there is no sound and speaking about unspoken topics.Critical
thinking is a display of maturity, it’s clever and defiant at the same time.
Critical thinkers have open minds and they enjoy conversations with people that
want to experience an even exchange of topics leading to intellectual
stimulation.Critical thinkers are motivators and champions of growth for the greater
good.Critical thinkers listen, they read, they inspire and they get on your nerves
sometimes.
I’m going to share my personal barrier to critical thinking.I’m a conformist by
nature.I learned at a very young age that speaking up or out was a ‘no-no’.I was not
taught to express or manage heated, uncomfortable or confusing interactions.With
growth and education, I became more aware of who I am.The toughest battle that
I’ve had thus far is how angry I am at myself whenever ‘conforming’ is present.
Have you ever behaved a certain way for a long period of time and then one day pick
up a book and discover what you do has a name?That’s how I feel about what I’ve
read.After reading about developing a rational life plan, I felt elated and
deflated.Elated because finally I have learned something useful.Deflated because I
imagine if I had know this all along, I’d be fulfilled personally and professionally.
