Rational thinking is the ability to think out of the box. It is the ability to think critically, to produce “good quality of thoughts” to arrive at a rational decision. Today in the modern world and with the overflow of knowledge and technology, our society demands from all of the decision-makers and others to bring qualitative improvement in thinking in the daily affairs of life. All of us, either political elites or ordinary citizens, put efforts into creating productive and creative solutions to the pressing problems.
Statistics claim that on average, students memorize the facts but they do not apply them.
And if they apply them, that is what we call rational thinking.
Who are rational thinkers?
Rational thinkers are ones who question everything. Moreover, these logical people are always curious about the world. They frequently ask the “why” question.
Does rational thinking make a difference?
Yes. It absolutely does make a difference. It is not that people lack thinking. People do think, but what they think is incomplete.
And by having incomplete or flawed thinking, they make poor decisions.
Whereas good decisions are always a result of complete rational thinking.
Not everyone has the ability to think in a rational manner.
Most people are limited to typical thinking i.e. they think within their domain.
While some serious political leaders, as well as decision-makers, are able to think rationally to arrive at a sound conclusion whenever being encountered with national as well as international issues and that is the reason they are so successful today.
Rational thinking leads to rational action:
Since every output requires an input so there is no point in only thinking rationally but to not act on it.
It is believed that thinking in a rational manner helps us to arrive at a conclusion so that we become able to do something i.e. rational action.
How is it possible?
It is possible if we involve ourselves in a process – a process that includes a series of repeatable steps and to perform those steps to achieve a wanted goal.
In order to arrive at a rational decision, we need to think rationally first.
For example:
– A cake involves a “series of steps” before it is to be baked in the oven. – A complete official essay needs to be written by following some “prerequisite steps”. – The changing of a tire of the car also involves some steps to be performed by the mechanic.
So that is how it works. Always.
Remember, the series of actionable steps in rational thinking is necessary and essential to producing the desired outcome.
The entire process of rational thinking is productive and meaningful.
Mathematically, this process works like this:
Input + Process = Output
In this equation, the process is referred to as the process of rational thinking. And the output is the desired outcome of the entire process.
What are those repeatable steps to be performed in order to think rationally?
We can derive many benefits from these steps given below only if we treat rational thinking as a complete process.
Here are some of them:
1) Break the process into individual steps to make them visible:
We cannot know how we arrived at a definite conclusion unless we look into the individual steps that were being performed unless we know how the results took place.
For example:
Being a teacher, you assigned a mathematical equation to your students. On the completion, you only evaluate whether the answer (the mathematical value) is correct or incorrect.
In the situation of an incorrect answer, the teacher should look where the student has gone wrong?
Did the student miss any step or mathematical formula or wrote it mistakenly?
At which step the student should pay extra attention?
Does this situation demand to retouch?
2) Apply the process of thinking in unusual situations:
To become totally aware of the process of rational thinking and its process. One must learn all the required steps and then apply them to new or different situations.
This would reciprocate to not only help you in making good decisions but also help you in gathering the relevant data and information.
3) Help others in improving their thinking abilities
Helping others to improve their thinking abilities often strengthens our own.
Just as cricket players are taught to work on their performance step by step like to work on their swing, pitches, etc.
Similarly, we can teach and help others to improve their thinking in various steps.
4) Teachers must revise the syllabus for students:
The best way to rational thinking is that the school must add some basic steps in the syllabus of students. to make them learn how to think rationally in every aspect of their life.
The basic steps like:
– Encourage them to choose a career for themselves
– Develop better learning habits
– Provide strategies to cope with difficult situations
These steps would make the students efficient in decision-making and problem-solving activities.
5) Engage in puzzles and problem-solving activities
As a teacher, you should involve your students in problem-solving activities. So that they become able to think and understand the whole situation and learn to successfully solve the situation.
For example, You may distribute problem-solving MCQ’s to the entire class within the lecture. And then ask them to complete it in given time.
6) Comprehend
Comprehension is a very good and practical step to rational thinking. The demand is to comprehend the material you are provided with.
Which means to understand the material and then relate it the knowledge you already know?
Comprehending helps you to give the material your own significance and improves thinking. People who are able to think rationally are emotionally strong. There’s a saying.
Nothing can dull your light when you shine from within.
There are all sorts of days. Sometimes life seems so insolent and then there are days when it seems one of the best things that could have ever happened to you.
You cannot help yourself when you feel broken and you don’t find yourself in the right position. Some things break you and you do feel stranded.
Then there are days when you look up at the sky, see the stars shining and motivation swipes up and down within you.
Does it vary from situation to situation?
Yes, it does, but in the end, motivation is what we all need to have rational thinking.
A rationally strong person does not mean to not weep, not love or not care about anything in this world.
It is all about having a balance amongst all the emotions and do face all the phases with strength.
Rational Thinkers are emotionally strong
Motivation is the Fuel
If you are trying to start the car, it needs to have enough fuel so that you can drag it till the pump and get it filled till the top, right?
Just like that, if you have to become emotionally strong, you need motivation.
Helpless people are the hardest to deal with and they find dealing with their own personal life’s equally hard. They might have an issue but they usually aren’t willing to find a solution for it.
Therefore, if you want to be strong, emotionally; then you need to be motivated because this will take a lot of your mind, heart, and soul!
Meditation makes one Rational
Meditation is really essential. You need to sit back every day for at least 20 minutes and peek within yourself.
This helps you look into your own weaknesses and strengths.
Forget about all the social media platforms you could utilize in that half-hour break. Instead, think of how you can avail those 20 minutes to become stronger. Mediation has various ways;
- You can write a journal about whatever you are thinking about. This is will aid you in setting the wrongs right as you will have it all jotted down somewhere.
- If you are a yoga lover; nothing beats that, does it?
- You can walk swiftly; don’t go for lazy walking as it increases your thighs and you wouldn’t want that!
- Or you can just sit outside and focus on your breathing; it helps a lot.
Learning to embrace loneliness
I get it; till we are in high school, we are usually indulged in our friends and nothing beats our ultimate squad goals or that one best friend who girls usually term as “bae”.
But once you are out of all such: false fantasies”; real life hits you. Know that people will ditch you and they will lie to you and at the end, you will helplessly and hopelessly walk back home.
Be sure that you know how to love being alone and enjoy your own company. Be positive and radiate from within you! Don’t let anyone dull your spark. Shine on your own, for your own!
Talk to yourself
People who talk to themselves are usually termed “mad” and I am proudly one of the maddest people I know.
Well, there is nothing better than self-therapy and it brings mental strength to you.
Talk your issues out with yourself, rather than talking them out with anyone.
Don’t trust people with your problems; the best solution will come from within you and your mind because you know how to handle yourself in the best way possible.
Comfort your own self because trust me; no one will do it without any personal reasons!
If you have a moment where you need reassurance, be there to reassure yourself; don’t really on anyone and that makes you headstrong and emotionally robust as well.
Being emotionally strong can be hard.
It seems that life is hitting you back with situations you can’t handle and you wish you could block all your emotions in a box and let them go away.
But you need to face them. Trust no one with your problems and be your own hero.
Take your own responsibility because you are your own concern. Be grateful for your life and be happy with whatever you have.
In order to be a more rational thinking person, stop complaining and whining about things that don’t matter as much as you think they do!
All of these small baby steps will lead you to become a strong person inside out.
Rational Thinking requires Self-Discipline
A number of qualities are required in order to achieve more in life and to live our dreams to the fullest. Whether it is a job, a relationship, fitness or any other important aspect of life, the most sustainable trait needed is self-discipline which contributes to a person’s achievements and well-being. All can be found if you learn self-discipline.
Self-discipline in return leads to a healthy, happy, and fulfilled life. Many studies have proven that people who are more self-disciplined are more likely to achieve success and they tend to be happier than others in their life. I agree with such study because self-disciplined people have to deal with difficult life goals and it is self-discipline which makes them get through their toughest times.
Self-discipline teaches you how to be consistent and productive in life, how to achieve rational thinking, and how to make decisions realistically.
Self-discipline is so important because it lets you live your life productively and gives you the right motivation to Just Do It’.
Not everyone you see around us is self-disciplined as I myself was not self-disciplined once.
This is a completely learned behavior. I learned it through experience and practice.
Self-discipline is such a great trait that once you learn it, your life will no longer consist of bad habits.
You will be living in peace and feel freedom.
One misconception regarding self-discipline is that people think they lose freedom if they adopt certain disciplines of life and it gives you a very hard time.
This is in all respects not true. It is indeed a misconception which needs correction. I believe that once we are aware of the self-disciplinary rule and adopt this trait in our life on a regular basis, we gain more freedom than before.
We gain self-awareness and that is a good sign. With self-discipline, we are also able to make choices for our own life.
The choices are healthy, which leads to a happy life.
There may have been a number of times when you have been disappointed by your decisions and would have led you to say this sentence to yourself “Enough, I really need to be self-disciplined now”. And then you blame yourself for not being self-disciplined, for not being a good person.
You even sometimes beat up yourself for a lack of self-discipline. You know that you want to learn it but you don’t know-how:
Be purposive:
One of the most important and active hack to learn self-discipline is to have a direction in life. When you have a direction you have a rational thinking mindset.
Having a clear cut goal in life saves you from a tough time and extra work. In order to be self-disciplined, you need to set a specific goal and then work in the following direction to get it.
Having a purposive life makes your life much easier and meaningful.
When you are aware of your goal and when you know where you are going in your life, just know that you have attained the highest level of self-discipline in your life.
Being purposive and having a direction in your life aligns yours wants with your needs.
Be bold:
Another hack to learn rational thinking is to be brave enough to face the difficult things in life.
Most of the people, when encountered with difficulties, turn their back because they fear the responsibilities and duties. They urge for the rapid gratification of things.
With such a lifestyle, one cannot learn to be self-disciplined and cannot achieve greater things in life since greater things require hard work and courage.
Therefore, learn to be brave to handle difficult things in life.
Force yourself to start.
Things are only difficult in the beginning.
Once you achieve what you strived for, you will be thanking all those difficult times which made you stronger.
Bravery builds a good character too.
Let go of negativity:
Negative thoughts may distract you from your work. Learn to let them go and you will become closer to self-discipline.
Self-awareness is in close relation with self-discipline. You need to be aware of yourself, your thoughts and your life.
Read and engage with positive people:
The easiest of all the hacks to learn self-discipline is to feed your mind with some good motivational books and poems. Try to distance yourself from negative people and negative surroundings.
Train yourself to see the good in everything around you.
Engage with people who share positive vibes and who support you.
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Learn these hacks given above to deal with the beautiful attribute – self-discipline.
Learning self-discipline would help you achieve self-mastery in your life. It would surely help you get through your difficult times, make your life easier, and much more meaningful than ever.
Conclusion
To have rational thinking, one must adopt the above-given steps and repeat them every day.
You also need to analyze the things that surround you.
By analyzing you need to see how things are around you. How they are related to others and how they connect with other ideas.
