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How to Think? 🤔 🤔 🤔

Marcus Aurelius

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We all believe we're pretty good at thinking things through. But how many of us are truly great thinkers? Here's the reality: exceptional thinkers are constantly evolving, tackling new problems and growing their understanding of the world.

Think about it. How many people around you seem stuck in a loop, facing the same challenges year after year? Great thinking starts with clarity. A clear thought is well-defined, captures the essence of an idea, and follows a logical path. Think "if-then" statements: "If I turn on the tap, then water comes out."

Clear thoughts lead to clear actions. Feeling thirsty? Your clear thought ("tap = water") motivates a clear action (turning on the tap). But the story doesn't end there. This action brings clear feedback. Does water flow? This feedback confirms (or challenges) your original thought.

Why is this feedback loop so important? Because it shapes your understanding of the world. It tells you if you're on the right track or need to adjust your thinking. The more accurate your worldview, the better equipped you are to solve problems.

Here's a historical example: Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher-king, was renowned for his exceptional leadership. But what made him such a great leader? Great thinking. And what fueled his great thinking? Clear thinking.

Aurelius, through his personal writings ("Meditations"), meticulously organized his thoughts, examining the cause-and-effect relationship between his actions and their outcomes. This practice of clear thinking is exactly what you need to do too.

So, how can you unlock the power of clear thinking?

  • Organize your thoughts. Break them down into clear, logical "if-then" statements.

  • Reduce ambiguity. Be specific and avoid vagueness.

  • Take action based on your clear thoughts.

  • Observe the results. This feedback loop is crucial for learning and improvement.

The clearer your understanding of the world, the better you'll be at solving problems. Let's say you want to create a successful YouTube channel. You might formulate a clear, logical thought: "If I publish a 'philosophy' video, it will get over 100,000 views." This sets the stage for clear action (creating the video) and clear feedback (the video's performance). This feedback loop, true or false, refines your understanding of what works on YouTube.

Remember, clear thinking is the foundation of good problem-solving. Start by turning your thoughts into clear, logical statements, and watch your problem-solving abilities soar!

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