3 Shortcuts to High-Level Thinking

With time, our brains develop clever artifices to help solve common problems. These repeated concepts are called heuristics: algorithms, procedures or rules of thumb that simplify decision making.

When we rely on heuristics for making decisions and solving problems, we save mental energy for complex or high-level decisions.

The problem with using this appears we rely too much on using our existing heuristic patterns without modifying them, because that can create a state of mental stagnation.

Mental operations are affected by mistakes such as cognitive biases, if we are not careful.

We like to be right. And to protect our desire to be right, we look for evidence that supports our ideas and ignore evidence that contradicts them.

But to construct a holistic view about anything, we have to aim to understand the big picture and be particularly critical of sources that support our beliefs.

In the long-term, comfort is bad for your brain.

Seeking new experiences, learning new skills, and opening the door to new ideas inspire us and educate us in a way that improves mental clarity.

“It’s the willingness to leave the comfort zone that is the key to keeping the brain new.”

Curiosity is the force that activates and sustains lifelong learning.

A naturally curious mind takes interest in a wide range of subjects to find connections to help solve everyday problems better.