During a recent masterclass I attended on critical thinking, as part of a virtual internship for third-year quantitative students, one of the interns asked this question in the chat: “What is the difference between thinking critically and overthinking?” As someone who identifies personally as an overthinker, I thought it would be interesting to explore how we think about these two ways of thinking. What do we really mean by them, and how do they impact us as we navigate a world that is increasingly driven by (mis)information, data, and knowledge work?
Tag: future skills
Stay “Soft”: Openness and vulnerability in the service of lifelong learning
My reflections on the value of staying open and vulnerable in order to stay flexible and adaptable - in short, to be a lifelong learner. This was inspired by participating in a virtual internship for a group of just under 200 South African third-year university students in the quantitative fields, which introduced them to careers in financial services but also to the Four C's of 21st Century Learning.
Being Mindfully Curious
Curiosity says we should place greater value on questions than answers; on seeking understanding rather than making assumptions; and on challenging the things we take for granted every day. But equally importantly, I think, curiosity is about a quality of attention rather than a sure-fire technique to get to solutions or closure. There is a difference between wanting to understand something and needing to have certainty about it. What are some things we can do to incorporate curiosity in a mindful way, to suspend our habitual responding?
All & None of the Above 