THINKING

Of all the skills I have tried to master, this is the most difficult. The second most difficult skill(s) for me to master is a tie between writing and public speaking .

How well you think can be measured by how much sense you make when you talk and write.

And if you hear so many different voices inside yourself talking, it can be impossible to tell which voice makes the most sense at the time.

To stimulate and maintain my interest in thinking, I have tried a variety of methods. I have read many question-and-answer books written by columnists such as Marilyn vos Savant. And I have read books full of questions such as "Book of Questions" by Gregory Stock. I have worked on the exercises in a few IQ challenge type books. I listen to question-and-answer radio talk shows such as Dr Laura Schlessinger www.drlaura.com . I watch and write down thought provoking lines in Ally McBeal and The Practice television shows written by David E. Kelley.

Whenever I come across a thought provoking idea or sentence or well written words in something that I read or hear, I write it down or keep a copy.

I also go to public speaking clubs to learn how to give impromptu speeches.

Now one of my latest hobbies is to collect books on critical thinking. One of my favorite books on thinking is "Asking the right questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking" by M. Neil Browne and Stuart M. Keeley.

All of these methods together have helped making thinking a fun task to do.

If you are like me when I was a teenager, you do not do enough thinking. You say things you don't mean. You are impulsive. People don't pay attention to what you say because you know that what you said didn't make much sense.

You do not have confidence in your own judgment because you have been led to believe your overprotective parent/guardian knows what is best for you.

Right now, it is very hard for you to trust your instinct. Your overprotective parent/guardian's decision normally override any input you come up with in day to day decisions that concern your life.

You have effectively been prevented to learn how to rely on your instinct and listening to yourself.

Your overprotective parent/guardian does not allow you much opportunity to make decisions for yourself. You do not get enough chance to make decisions and then learn from the consequences.

What you need to do now is to learn to have more confidence in yourself. You need to find yourself. You need to break free of this you-are-useless mentality.