Using Creative And Critical Thinking

Written By Colēgia

Being able to adapt and use different types of thinking is a skill that provides a lot of value. Two of the most common types of this are creative and critical thinking. Today we want to take a look at what these are and how we can apply them in a balanced manner.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking can be defined as “the mental processes leading to a new invention, solution, or synthesis in any area.” Simply put, creative thinking lets you use your thought to work on things in unique ways. Sometimes the solution to something may be abstract and not have a clear-cut answer. This is where this type of thought helps us as it focuses on using distinct forms of expression and unique routes to get there. Having an open mind goes hand in hand with this since being able to embrace new perspectives can show other opportunities available. We can apply creative thinking by doing things such as brainstorming or writing out all of our ideas. This is good because it allows you to see all the different possibilities available and even use a combination of the ones that may work better for each situation.

“Simply put, creative thinking lets you use your thought to work on things in unique ways.”

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is defined as “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.” This form of thinking is more rooted in facts and logistics rather than necessarily requiring creativity. It uses rational thought in order to achieve the best desired result along with research and other methods associated with this. Critical thinking is extremely useful when it comes to analyzing patterns or even a character within fiction. Sometimes the answer isn't always so clear but being able to zoom in to what the issue is can give us a newfound sense of clarity. Analyzing a character for example applies things such as psychology and philosophy to help deconstruct and break down what their world view is. Similar to creative thinking, it seeks to promote an understanding of the elements around us albeit requiring more rationality rather than innovation.

“This form of thinking is more rooted in facts and logistics rather than necessarily requiring creativity.”

Using Both

What if we told you that both of these lines of thinking could be used harmoniously? Creative and critical thinking, while strong on their own are often used in tandem much more than we think. In many instances, we will need to use a combination of both to achieve the best possible result. A good example of this is using elements of creative thinking in an analytical environment. Brainstorming for example and trying to see things outside of the box can enlighten us to different ways of seeing the same problem. This in turn allows us to find a solution that can be applied at an individual level such as self-care. Likewise applying critical thinking to a creative problem can give us a much-needed amount of structure and organization to a problem. This can keep us on track to succeed and add the right amount of rationality. Using our thoughts efficiently is the key to maximizing our potential and succeeding both in school and in life.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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