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Hello dear readers of my blog! Have you thought about your way of thinking, about the rationality of thoughts and ideas? And are you doing anything to develop these processes? I think that this topic will be of interest to everyone.
Human life, actions and decision-making methods depend on what type of thinking prevails in a person in general or at the moment. Among all types of mental activity, rational thinking is the latest to develop, which is considered as a structure that requires the participation of consciousness and logical analysis.
It is the developed logic in the decision-making process that helps not to succumb to emotions, but to act in the only right way. In this article, I consider both the very concept of rational thinking and the ways of its development.
What does «rational thinking» mean?
This type of thinking is considered rational, in which judgments follow a clear logical chain and, in compliance with all relationships, lead to a very specific result. The opposite is irrational thinking, in which the basis for guiding decision-making or analyzing the situation is emotions, and not logic, the connectedness of elements, etc.
Knowledge of the world with the help of a rational approach includes:
- lack of influence of the sensory sphere;
- priority of cognitive functions over all others;
- the possibility of an objective assessment of reality.
Thanks to these characteristics, the predominance of rationality in thinking always gives its positive aspects. But this does not mean that it is always productive. Thus, rational thinking turned on in time helps to avoid excessive emotional reactions and affective states, which saves from many mistakes made under the influence of an impulse. But at the same time, it absolutely does not take into account intuitive premonitions, inner desires, the need to survive the impressions received, and so on, which significantly impoverishes a person’s emotional life.
From this we can conclude that a rational approach is useful when it is necessary to assess the objective situation, to consider options without taking into account the emotional component. If the question concerns personal relationships, feelings, then the habitual ability to abstract can deprive a person of spontaneity, enthusiasm and creativity as such.
Structure: what does the thought process consist of?
The process of thinking about your decisions and building further activities regarding logic has a certain structure, including elements:
- A concept is the name of an object or phenomenon with which we have to interact or about which we need to make an opinion. At this stage, only the indication of the name of the object (“home”, “sister”, “sea”, etc.) or the name of the process (“flight”, “study”, “conversation”, etc.) is used. Such a presentation of the concept is necessary both for the person himself for further analysis, and for potential listeners as a designation of the problem.
- Judgment is a process of linking several objects indicated in a concept, or finding a relationship between an object and an action (“a bird flies”, “a sister studies”, “a conversation at sea”, etc.). Building relationships is usually like explaining or expanding information about a subject, which eventually leads to certain conclusions.
- Inference is the conclusions obtained during the analysis and combination of judgments (for example, the construction of a conclusion about what makes a bird fly or what a sister studies for).
These are the basics used to solve problems of any complexity. It can be used even in everyday life, when to improve the situation it is necessary to turn off emotions and focus on logic. Such abstraction takes a lot of time, requires training to develop this skill. But it is not always possible to act like this automatically even after years of practice, since often the emotional side is stronger.
Developing the skill to think rationally
Methods for developing rational thinking can include both specific exercises and a change in the daily approach to one’s own implementation. The most effective ways of development:
Stereotypes
Improving mental flexibility. It is necessary to get rid of the stereotypical perception of reality as much as possible and instead begin to independently establish logical connections. In the beginning, this can be practiced by finding additional options for the practical and useful use of familiar objects.
Then look for ways to organize your day in a more efficient, albeit non-standard way. Over time, this skill is automated, and you will evaluate any situation from the position of a logical transformation, and not a stereotypical action.
critical attitude
Formation of a critical attitude to their actions and choices. So, before you do something (buy a product on a promotion, go to a certain place, eat dessert, etc.), you need to ask yourself questions like “why am I doing this?” or “what will it bring me?”.
The answers may vary. The main thing is that you have an internal motivation to perform these actions, and not the influence of advertising, emotional manipulation of loved ones and indulgence. Analyzing the processes in society, in one’s own workplace and even in the family, it is good to periodically understand why this is happening? And also try to predict the development of the situation, if not to intervene.
The lack of influence on the social spheres of life can ultimately lead to catastrophic consequences, so at least a periodic logical reassessment is necessary.
Break
Deceleration and pause control. This is a specific technique that helps to constantly use logic and criticism. The main errors associated with irrationality arise because a person does not give himself time to recover from emotions. All promotions are built on evoking the most vivid experiences in people, so that he makes decisions guided by them, and not by logic.
Exposure to hormones and flattery can lead to a false sense of love, which then leads to serious acts that lead to the destruction of one’s entire life. In order to avoid all this, it is necessary before any action and choice to give yourself the opportunity to think everything over or simply refrain from any decisions for a certain time. The more serious the situation, the more time must elapse between the receipt of information and your reaction.
These principles can be applied to training at a clearly defined time and to solve artificial theoretical situations. The second option is to take them as the basis of a life concept and use them even when choosing morning tea or juice. The more often you use these techniques in everyday life, the more rationality will appear in your thought processes and behavior.
Recommendation
In order to effectively develop rational thinking, you must be able to properly use your emotions. I recommend you take a look wikium course on developing your emotional intelligence. With its help, you will learn to understand your emotions, effectively resolve conflicts, maintain equanimity in difficult situations, and also manage the emotions of not only yourself, but also the interlocutor.
Conclusion
Rational thinking is an integral part of a quality life. It makes it possible to avoid many rash acts, as well as to predict options for the development of situations. But it is worth remembering that by focusing only on logic when solving life problems, you yourself impoverish your life, depriving it of creative opportunities and unexpected pleasant twists. Therefore, I recommend looking for a balance in everything.
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We also recommend reading an article about methods to expand your consciousness.
See you soon!