How to Think for Yourself

Practicing Critical Thinking

Tackle one problem each day. Everyone faces problems or issues in their day-to-day lives, whether it's who to vote for, what job offer to accept, or how to deal with a family member. Each day, break one of these problems down in your free time. Identify the problem and decide whether or not it's something you have control over, like what job offer you accept or your aunt refusing to get help for a medical issue. If you can't control it, don't dwell on it. Gather the information you need to make a decision. For example, if you got multiple job offers, consider your salary, benefits package, and the work environment. Use the gathered information to make a decision. For example, if one job has better pay and benefits, you might consider accepting that position. Follow through on your course of action, while being aware that your strategy might have to change as you get new information.

Keep an Intellectual Journal. Begin by describing a situation that is emotionally significant to you. Next, write in detail how you responded to the situation. Analyze what the reaction might say about you and how you might have been feeling below the surface. Then, write down how you could have responded differently, or how you might respond differently in the future. Make sure that all of your entries follow the same format. Keep it consistent.

Reexamine what you think and why. You might be surprised by how many of your views on things have been shaped by the family of origin, cultural group, geographic location, schools, organizations, or employers you belong to, whether they are religious or cultural. Write down a list of things you are required to believe (or not) as a member of that group. And then decide whether you truly believe those things or not. For example, some religions forbid abortion. Consider your views on abortion and whether or not you agree with it. You can come to the same conclusion as your religion does, but make sure it's because what you truly believe.

Question everything. One of the best ways to think for yourself is to get information yourself, rather than relying on others. Ask lots of questions, particularly in situations that affect you directly, like voting to put people in office or which school you’re going to go to. Don’t just let people tell you what you should do. Make sure that you use reliable sources when you are conducting research.

Keep trying. If you’ve had a hard time thinking for yourself before, you might find that you’re swayed by other people the first few times you try to think for yourself. That’s okay! Changing habits of thoughts are some of that hardest habits to change. Give yourself time to learn how to resist other people’s opinions and think for yourself.

Staying True to Your Beliefs

Write down your values. In order to stay true to your beliefs and values, you need to know what they are. Write a list of the values and things that are most important to you. Refer to that list whenever you're feeling uncertain about how you feel about things. Some common values are authenticity (being as genuine a person as you can), faith, kindness, justice, love, and respect.

Act according to your values. Learning to think for yourself isn’t going to have much of an impact if you don’t act on those thoughts. Once you’ve had time to think about things, make a decision about how you’ll act, and stick to it. For example, if you’re trying to decide who to vote for, research to see how the candidates live up to your values. If you believe in authenticity, kindness, and respect, but one of the candidates goes against all that, he's probably not someone you want to vote for! When you are setting goals for yourself, make sure that your goals match up with your values.

Resist peer pressure. If you’re asking a friend questions about a certain issue, or if you’re asking them for evidence to support their point of view, they might try to pressure you into seeing things their way. Resist giving in to that peer pressure – especially if you have a lot of friends saying the same thing. Sometimes it’s best to just not respond, because the more you do, the more others might try to convince you of their point of view. For example, if your friend says that vaccines are bad, you should ask them to support their claims. If they refuse, don't listen to them and do your own research. It's okay to respectfully disagree with people. For example, after stating your opinion, you could say: "You're entitled to your opinion and I appreciate you respecting mine.”

Trust your instincts. If you’re making a decision or discussing something, and you just feel like something’s not right, listen to yourself! You often know what’s best for you and your life, as well as how you actually feel deep down about certain things. Don’t discount that little voice. Listen to it more often and it could help you to think for yourself. For example, when choosing between two job offers, you might be pressured to take the higher-paying one, but your instincts might tell you to take the job where you'll be happier. Pick your battles as well. If you feel that the person you're talking to won't respond well to your opinion, you might want to keep your opinion to yourself. Malcolm Gladwell Malcolm Gladwell, Writer Trust your intuition. "Truly successful decision-making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking."

Developing an Informed Opinion

Gather reliable information. In some situations, it just doesn’t make sense to “think for yourself.” If you’re in a situation where you know that there are experts in the field who know more than you possibly could, trust their research and judgment. In that case, it’s okay to listen to what other people think. For example, if your doctor tells you that you have an illness, and there are certain medications you need to take, then it is usually best to follow their recommendations. If your source is less reliable, do some extra research. For example, if you read an article about the efficacy of certain medical treatments, research those treatments, paying special attention to reputable sources like the Cleveland or Mayo Clinic websites.

Examine opposing viewpoints. One good way to form your own opinion is to make sure you’re getting input from a lot of different viewpoints. If you’re only listening to one person, with one opinion, even thinking for yourself will be influenced by that person’s view or the evidence they give you. Make sure you get input or evidence from opposing sides, and give yourself the chance to sort through it all. Then make your own decision.

Ask for evidence. If someone is trying to convince you of something, ask for evidence. The evidence might be different depending on the situation, demand to be convinced of something. Then take the time to examine the evidence they give you. Does it seem convincing? Are the sources reliable sources like serious news organizations or professional websites? For example, if someone's trying to convince you to switch the type of cell phone you have, ask them why, then weight their answer against your needs.