Since we started at school and evolved up the levels and grades, we have been familiar with a certain way of thinking. This way of thinking is called “critical” thinking and it emphasizes the skills of analysis rather than creative thinking and creative problem solving. Our formal education systems are using teaching models that are focused on how to understand claims, follow logical arguments, figure out the answer, eliminate the incorrect paths and finally finding the correct ones.
There is however, another type of thinking, which is much more focused on exploring ideas, which has the possibility of searching for and generating several great answers rather than just one. This is the creative way of thinking. Both of these ways of thinking are crucial to a successful career or working life, relationship issues and self improvement. The strange thing is that the latter tends to be ignored and neglected in the education system; the system that should prepare us for the real life.
What distinguises the Creative way of thinking from the critical way?
While the critical way of thinking...
- is analytic by nature
- aims to provide you 'the answer'
- is convergent, fact or standard oriented
- is stricktly focused
- is validated by judgment
- belongs to the left side of the brain
- consists of a line of deductions
- has an objective nature
- empazises probability - which can be quantified
- is based upon reasoning
- is verbal
the creative way of thinking ...
- is more generative; it's purpose is to generate new answers for already known problems.
- is aimed to give you one or more possible answers among a set
- is divergent, which is the opposite of the former
- is more diffused
- only functions when judgment is suspended
- belongs to the right side of the brain
- is more associative which means it can make ideas by associating other ideas
- is much more subjective
- is more focused on what is possible whether it can be quantified or not.
- is based upon richness and novelty
- is visual
When we try to solve problems, both ways of thinking are required. The process of problem solving utilizes an alternation between the creative and critical way of thinking. - they operate together. Another good thing about our fantastic brains are that we don't have to think too hard about when to use which method – the brain takes care of it automatically.
