We’re told to think for ourselves. I’ve said it and encouraged it in my speeches and writing. It is essential to a life well lived.

It just isn’t that easy.

To begin with, we’re not often taught to think for ourselves. We’re taught to memorize what others have determined needs to be thought.

Ever take a critical thinking class? Probably not unless you were a philosophy major.

Oddly, if you want to think for yourself you’ll probably need to teach yourself. That is the art of the autodidact. (Here is a link to help you get started.)

What is involved in thinking for oneself? Observing, studying, reading, listening, analyzing, verifying, reflecting and forming an informed viewpoint. It isn’t an exhaustive list (although quite exhausting).

Any of the above mentioned skills could consume an entire class or course.

I share this not to discourage but to challenge you. One of the reason people don’t live well is that they don’t invest the time and effort necessary.

Thinking for yourself isn’t that easy, but with the right approach and effort it can and should be done.