The Skill You've Never Been Taught: How to Think

The Skill You've Never Been Taught: How to Think

No skill is more valuable and harder to come by than the ability to critically think through problems. Unfortunately, schools don't teach you a method of thinking. It's something that can be learned but can't be taught. Good decisions create time, while bad ones consume it. This emphasizes the importance of developing our thinking skills.

One interesting point to note is that multitasking actually impairs our ability to think. The more people multitask, the worse they become at other mental abilities and multitasking itself. It hinders our capacity for "mental filing," which is the process of keeping information in the right conceptual boxes and being able to retrieve it quickly. So instead of trying to do multiple tasks at once, we should focus on concentrating on one thing long enough to develop an idea about it. This is where the power of thinking lies.

In fact, the best writers are known to write much more slowly than everyone else. They understand that their best thinking comes from slowing down and concentrating. By giving their brains a chance to make associations, draw connections, and take them by surprise, they arrive at original ideas. This highlights the importance of patience and concentration in thinking.

Interestingly, the busiest people are often the ones who make the worst decisions. They spend a lot of time correcting poor decisions due to their lack of focused thinking. If we want to think better, it's crucial to schedule dedicated time for thinking and to hone our understanding of the problem at hand.

Now, let's shift our focus to the world of email newsletters. Email newsletters have been around longer than the internet itself, and paid newsletters have also existed for quite some time. However, the constraints of meaningful ad revenue and the inability to make mass-market paid blogs a generalizable model have limited the success of one-writer businesses.

Enter Substack, a platform that solved the problems of publishing and charging for newsletters. It made publishing easy and charging easy, with a simple payment structure. By paying a small percentage fee, Substack handles the rest, making it convenient for writers to monetize their content.

But Substack is not just a tool; it has the potential to become a network. It can drive recommendations and discovery, creating a community of readers and writers. In a world where there is more content than anyone can look at, the challenge lies in finding the right balance. The question of whether Substack is a network or a tool becomes essential. Is Substack paying you for your content, or are you paying Substack for a tool? Understanding the dynamics and the value exchange is crucial for the long-term success of such platforms.

In conclusion, developing the skill of critical thinking is invaluable. It requires us to slow down, concentrate, and ask ourselves the right questions. By scheduling dedicated time for thinking and honing our understanding of the problem, we can make better decisions and save time in the long run.

Actionable advice:

1. Set aside dedicated time for thinking: Whether it's a few minutes each day or a longer block of time each week, prioritize thinking and allow yourself the space to concentrate and develop ideas.
2. Practice patience and concentration: Avoid the temptation to multitask and instead focus on one task at a time. Slowing down and giving your brain the chance to make associations and draw connections will lead to more original and valuable ideas.
3. Embrace platforms that facilitate thinking and community: Platforms like Substack offer the tools and network that can enhance your thinking and connect you with like-minded individuals. Explore these platforms and leverage them to grow your thinking skills and reach a wider audience.