Smart Skills: Thinking Smartly

Thinking
Humans are thinking creatures as compared to other living organisms on this planet. Our thinking help us to stand out among others. Therefore, thinking skills are not only unique at their core, but also vary in levels among human souls. Each one of us is gifted with our own thinking capacity and level.

Thinking Smartly
Smart is a widely known term for all of us. Currently, we are using 'SMART' in reference to people who are able to think creatively and apply their creativity every day to make smart choices and take smart decisions in life.

Apparently, smart thinking is the most highly desired phenomenon in digital age environment. A person who can think and apply using his intellect, imaginative power, and creative thinking skills to any situation, he or she is considered the most expensive person in 21st century.

Role of Education in developing smart thinking skills

As humans we all possess brains to think, but unfortunately majority of the population possess average level of thinking power. Usually, large number of population is not aware of raising their thinking capacity, nor interested to ponder and understand this phenomenon.

Education is the only medium which possess the capacity to transform even a below average thinker into an enlightened thinking mind. However, this requires lot of effort, plus an effective well designed  educational system to efficiently produce critical and creative thinkers.

Presently, education systems around the world are competing from elementary to tertiary education level to produce such thinking minds possessing 'smart skills' to cater the contemporary needs of digital age.

Apparently, most of the educational systems have failed substantially to fulfill this dire need of the hour, because their systems are merely focusing on short term market/business requirements and targeting money generating thinkers only. They are unable to produce autonomous, empowered and enlightened leaders, creators, and inventors.

How to produce 'smart thinking' minds?
Thinking is a skill as well as an art. Smart thinking stimulates us to make smart choices and smart decisions. Smart thinking means to foresee the future to take precautionary measures at the right time. Tap the potential opportunities, and overcome the upcoming challenges. Plan, execute, and follow appropriate steps to reach the desired goals.

Such smart thinking minds can only be produced if we focus and target providing appropriate developmental opportunities to each individual according to their interests, capacities, and help them decide and make choices for themselves at the right time. At an early age, children should be given an opportunity to participate in decision making at family level, and elders must acknowledge their decisions, with appropriate guidance. Provide a healthy, ethical relationship environment to share, discuss, and understand each others needs.

Once a child reaches teenage, they should be entrusted with responsibilities inside and outside their family, and must be rewarded accordingly on completion. This helps boost their confidence, trust, and empowers them to think not only for themselves but for others around them as well. Such healthy steps would facilitate leadership skills in them. It would also promote independent thinking and decision making skills in them, rather becoming followers turning blind eye to reality and truth.

Role of parents in developing 'smart thinkers'
Parental guidance, and their role can play vital role in this endeavor. Parents must try their level best to not only love their children but try to understand their changing needs in the ever changing environment, but also help, support, facilitate, and create such opportunities for their children that could improve their mental capacities in diversified dimensions.

This can only be achieved if parents should trust, accept and treat each other respectfully. Love and care for each particularly in tough times, and discuss their differences behind closed doors only. Children always watch and see how their parents behave and treat each other, this impacts their personality the most.

Finally, I would add that geniuses and leaders are not born, rather they are transformed and developed through timely efforts, persistence, determination to achieve, passion to lead, and perform at their best not only for themselves but for society.