<p> <span>60+ Tips for Mastering First Principles & Socratic Thinking to BE A GREAT STRATEGIC THINKER</span></p><p>In this article, you will learn the following</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">60+ Tips to Sharpen & Strengthen Ability to Think Strategically and Objectively</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">12 Types of Critical Thinking Questions You need to learn, practice, and master to be able to become an objective & strategic thinker</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">22 Ways How to Practice First Principles & Socratic Thinking</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">7 benefits of strategic & critical thinking rules for correcting and reframing your un-resourceful thinking pattern</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Highly successful and accomplished great leaders In this world</b> – can<b data-redactor-tag="b"> sift through large big data and identify the most relevant information</b> - BASED only on - EVIDENCE, FACTS, AND DATA.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">If you want to be Smart, Intelligent, Wise, and SANE – you must develop, nurture, strengthen, and sharpen your</b></p> <p><span>A.Ability to strategize<br></span><span>B.Ability to think objectively<br></span><span>C. </span><b data-redactor-tag="b">Ability to discern between the truth and</b><span> [all of these] – Fake News</span><b data-redactor-tag="b">, Propaganda, Grandstanding, Hypocrisy, Projection & Religious Myths peddled as Truth.</b></p> <p><b data-redactor-tag="b">When your skills of observing and discerning become highly sharpened – you will also be able to identify emerging future trends </b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">You might also be able to create a great sensible business</b> out of it – subject to your meeting the basic business success criteria.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Strategic thinking is a MUST for being a great leader. Without this, you would remain a blind non-thinking follower</b>.</p><p>All Great leaders - think critically, challenge assumptions, and demand evidence and <b data-redactor-tag="b">justification</b> for the decisions that impact the lives of people they are responsible for – irrespective of whether in business, nations, or in societies & communities.</p><p>In this article – <b data-redactor-tag="b">I have given effortless ways to teach this immensely useful and helpful life-skill</b>.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">It is not yet clear [Post-2024 General elections Results in India]</b> - HOW this same government will behave – <b data-redactor-tag="b">as they are most likely to continue albeit through coalition partners because they are not in majority on their own</b> [ THIS IS AS on the 3rd-day post announcement of election results].</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">This regime's last 10 years' major FOCUS WAS to suppress</b> <b data-redactor-tag="b">– all the dissent – that is all those who questioned</b> - their unethical anti-people, anti-humanity, anti-women, anti-education, anti-development, anti-democracy, anti-poor, etc. POLICIES.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">They used various very highly effective methods of psychological and mental-physical-financial tortures</b> – to make people STOP asking questions and to quash any dissent or questioning of their dogma.</p><p>They also used this technique to impose - <b data-redactor-tag="b">their narrow and TOXIC ideology UNDER the guise of "nationalism" and "tradition" & how we were great thousand years back – ALTHOUGH NOTHING ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CURRENT POPULATION.</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">They were trying to promote - a most alarming and seriously damaging culture</b> - and they succeeded up to a certain extent.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">They were supported in a big way by the majority of</b> – <b data-redactor-tag="b">the Judiciary, the Bureaucrats [senior to juniors], all the regulatory and supposedly independent institutions, greedy & corrupt businessmen, shameful Ass-licking media</b>, AND many-many people with qualifications from premier institutes & having powerful positions ALONG with complete law & order machinery.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Thankfully – there are a few independent objective and intelligent thinkers – who saw through this shameful creed's deceit</b> AND kept on resisting all the falsehood and dictatorship/tyranny/authoritarian attempts of these people - <b data-redactor-tag="b">AND BECAUSE OF THEIR NOT giving up in their David's fight against Goliath [although many are still in prison on cooked charges WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE</b>] – <b data-redactor-tag="b">WE IN INDIA HAVE HOPE OF GETTING BACK OUR DEMOCRACY </b>as well as democratic rights, freedom and advantages.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">This is the type of thinking YOU MUST RESIST.</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">You can inculcate this life skill -</b> <b data-redactor-tag="b">by developing the ability to see through and by dismantling the false narratives and hollow posturing that characterize so much of today's India</b> – especially if you want to remain sane and leave a country for your children and future generations -which is conducive for the happiness, growth, and peace. </p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Only then can we hope to preserve the hard-won liberal democratic values that are so fragile in the face of authoritarian overreach</b>. </p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">The future of our nation depends on our willingness to think for ourselves - rather than meekly surrendering</b> to those who claim the mantle of absolute authority.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">I hope for the citizens of India – this situation CHANGES for the better [especially for the majority segment</b>].</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Because of being brainwashed through religious divide and hatemongering & FAKE-FALSE-FAÇADE CREATION</b>– most of the majority think <b data-redactor-tag="b">THAT this regime is Majority-Friendly and is GOOD FOR THE HINDUS – NOTHING COULD BE FARTHEST FROM THE TRUTH</b>.</p><p>It is like that story - <b data-redactor-tag="b">WHEN THE TREES WERE being CUT – the trees kept supporting the AXE</b> – because it had a wooden handle – TILL THERE WAS NO TREE LEFT – OR – another story that was about – <b data-redactor-tag="b">SHEEP SPENDING ENTIRE LIFE BEING SCARED OF EATEN BY THE WOLF & in the end eaten by the Shepherd.</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Once you understand this – You will be able to see through all the Wolves in sheep's attire OR Rats in Lion's camouflage.</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">7 benefits of strategic & critical thinking rules for correcting and reframing your un-resourceful thinking pattern </b>– read my blog on Self-CBT. CBT or Cognitive Behavior Therapy has the following uses</p> <p><span>1. </span><span>To define problems<br></span><span>2. Identify the impact of your beliefs and thoughts<br></span><span>3. </span><span>Examine the meaning of any events, situation, or what has been said<br></span><span>4. To become aware of and modify processes that perpetuate negative and un-resourceful thinking<br></span><span>5. </span><span>To identify the resourceful thinking habits<br></span><span>6. </span><span>To create insight and explore alternative action<br></span><span>7. </span><span>To be used as non-confrontational - guided discovery - through an open, and engaging manner - leading to enlightenment and insight</span></p> <p><b data-redactor-tag="b">12 Types of Critical Thinking Questions You need to learn, practice, and master to be able to become an objective & strategic thinker</b> – read my blog on the art of asking powerful questions</p> <p><span>1. Questions to Understand the problem, issue, and situation – to its core, fundamental and basic<br></span><span>2. Questions to Identify the root cause<br></span><span>3. Questions to clarify and communicate Your take – to others<br></span><span>4. Questions to Probe Assumptions – yours as well as others<br></span><span>5. Questions to Identify all the obvious as well as hidden – possibilities, options and choices<br></span><span>6. Questions to identify – many-many different solutions – based on different perspectives<br></span><span>7. Questions to create the best possible combination of solutions and answers<br></span><span>8. Questions to understand the challenges, threats, weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities<br></span><span>9. Questions to understand the worst-case scenarios and the consequences of your decisions and action<br></span><span>10. Questions to involve and elicit & solicit – responses, solutions, ideas, and points of view from your team or target segment<br></span><span>11. Questions to create buy-in from your target audience<br></span><span>12. Question</span><span>s to challenge – the experts, the existing wisdom, the conventional norms and rules and practices</span></p> <p><b data-redactor-tag="b">60+ Tips to Sharpen & Strengthen Ability to Think Strategically and Objectively</b></p> <p><span>1. Develop the ability to NOT accept whatever – ANY FIGURE IN AUTHORITY OR IN POWER Tell you<br></span><span>2. You must persistently probe, question, and reason your way toward deeper truths<br></span><span>3. You must also develop the courage to - be unafraid to challenge, to demand accountability<br></span><span>4. Your focus must seek genuine understanding rather than shallow dogma<br></span><span>5. Critically examine the assumptions underlying any situation, your understanding as well as other's position and stand<br></span><span>6. Clarify your own thinking and the origins of the ideas that you have<br></span><span>7. Train your brain to make decisions PURELY based on solid evidence and facts<br></span><span>8. Learn to recognize empty rhetoric<br></span><span>9. Learn to identify alternative perspectives and worldviews<br></span><span>10. Make it a practice to fact-check from multiple trusted sources<br></span><span>11. Always test or pilot-run your hypothesis, theories, decisions, choices, solutions, and conclusions<br></span><span>12. Analyze the potential consequences of all your choices, decisions, and actions<br></span><span>13. Create solutions for a worst-case scenario<br></span><span>14. Create a naturally progressing list of open-ended questions – which are Concise, direct, neutral, clear, structured, and focused – to challenge yourself as well as others – READ MY BLOG ON THE ART OF ASKING POWERFUL QUESTIONS<br></span><span>15. Never suggest a specific method as being the correct or the best or the only way<br></span><span>16. Stimulate the discussion with probing questions that follow the responses given by your audience<br></span><span>17. Allow time for the audience to respond to the questions without feeling hurried<br></span><span>18. Invite elaboration and facilitate self-discovery through questioning<br></span><span>19. Avoid or re-word questions that are vague, ambiguous, or beyond the level of the listener's understanding.<br></span><span>20. Practice being genuinely curious<br></span><span>21. Use your questions to identify and address the misconceptions and analyzing at a deeper level<br></span><span>22. Develop the habit and mindset of scheduling time slots to - logically and dispassionately review contradictions and inconsistencies<br></span><b data-redactor-tag="b">23.</b><b data-redactor-tag="b"> 5 Examples of Effective Questions to Challenge & Deep-Probing<br></b><span>I. Are there alternatives – that are of opposite perspectives YET correct points of view<br></span><span>II. What evidence we can list that supports what you are saying - give an example<br></span><span>III. What assumptions you have made while concluding and deciding on this matter<br></span><span>IV. How Can we validate that evidence -Do we have all the information we need<br></span><span>V. What are the long-term implications of this action, decision, choice<br></span><span>24. Use 5 Ws questions for understanding the scenarios -What happened When did it happen Where did it happen Why did it happen How did it happen Who all were involved What actions were taken What needs to be done now<br></span><span>25. While probing exploring or verifying - USE the 5 WHY technique – BUT FEEL FREE TO GO BEYOND the 5 WHYs<br></span><span>26. Use appropriate questions to Understand the beliefs and understand f others<br></span><span>27. Probe deeper to help them understand any discrepancies and to clarify their understanding of their position.<br></span><span>28. Ask for evidence -Ask open questions to elicit further knowledge and uncover assumptions, misconceptions, inconsistencies, and contradictions - Upon what assumption is this belief based -What evidence is there to support this argument?<br></span><span>29. Challenge their assumptions -If contradictions, inconsistencies, exceptions, or counterexamples are identified, then ask the person to either disregard the belief or restate it more precisely.<br></span><span>30. Repeat the process again, if required -Until both parties accept the restated belief, the process is repeated.<br></span><span>31. Use role-play techniques to you as though they were discussing similar experiences to a friend (or someone else they care about.)<br></span><span>32. Ask what the other person thinks the point of your questions is, or what the situation at large means to them<br></span><span>33. Break down a problem into smaller elements until you reach its root<br></span><span>34. Understand challenges by Analyzing – to find what are the possible consequences and impact of these challenges – on various important aspects and important stakeholders<br></span><span>35. Question assumptions to identify biases<br></span><b data-redactor-tag="b">36.</b><b data-redactor-tag="b"> 22 Ways How to Practice First Principles Thinking<br></b><span>I. Have a Basic Understanding of What You're Questioning -know the right questions to ask that will help you break down things to their core truths.<br></span><span>II. Remove All Assumptions -All too often we think our assumptions are simply an observation of a profound truth. Remove your opinions. Don't try to force a result<br></span><span>III. Determine why you have an assumption – explore how it originated in you<br></span><span>IV. Don't accept the assumption -Find evidence to back up your assumption, if it exists -Research other perspectives to see what other people might think -Consider what the consequences would be if your assumption is wrong.<br></span><span>V. Determine if you are correct or if you need to rethink things -Open yourself up for newer hitherto unthought-of possibilities.<br></span><span>VI. Get to the Basic Principle - ask those who know why the problem is happening and record the answers<br></span><span>VII. Be Detailed With Your Thinking - Focus on individual parts. Get down to the smallest details<br></span><span>VIII. Keep the Bigger Picture in Mind -understand the outcomes -the individual components that make up the whole are done well, too. focus on the long-term rather than the short-term<br></span><span>IX. Identify and define your current assumptions<br></span><span>X. Try not to follow the socially accepted beliefs – challenge them to get a better alternative or a better solution<br></span><span>XI. Deep dive to -Examine Every Aspect Of Your Challenge -Inspect each component -Brainstorm Innovatively - Encourage team collaboration - Devise Bespoke, Pioneering Solutions -Without any preconceived notions<br></span><span>XII. Take advantage of expertise from various fields to innovate for holistic solutions<br></span><span>XIII. Think outside the box to develop unconventional solutions to common problems - Keep pushing until you get to an answer<br></span><span>XIV. Design the Pilot Prototype And Validate - Create a basic version to understand its practicality - a minimum viable product (MVP).<br></span><span>XV. Use early user feedback to shape your solution and refine your value proposition to all the stakeholders Deploy, Assess, And Fine-Tune – Execute -Monitor<br></span><span>XVI. Use first principle thinking - which is a basic assumption that cannot be deduced any further – it is thinking like a scientist - without assuming anything AND knowing what assumptions you are making - by digging deeper and deeper until you are left with only the foundational truths of a situation<br></span><span>XVII. Using First Principle Thinking Method to Drive Innovation -Many of the most groundbreaking ideas in history have been a result of boiling things down to the first principles and then substituting a more effective solution for one of the key parts – Biomimicry is the most profound ways to demonstrate the effectiveness of this situation READ MY BLOG ON THIS<br></span><span>XVIII. Viagra came while researching medicine for increasing blood flow to the heart printing far more efficiently. The result was a world-changing innovation and the widespread distribution of information for the first time in history combined the technology of a screw press—a device used for making wine—with movable type, paper, and ink to create the printing press Movable type had been used for centuries.<br></span><span>XIX. Consider the constituent parts of the proven process and adapt technology from an entirely different field to make your existing results more effective in transformational ways NOT incremental improvement<br></span><span>XX. Use the Cartesian method of doubt - to move from subjective reality to objective reality and know things clearly and distinctly<br></span><span>XXI. Chefs, Musicians, and painters are the first principles thinkers<br></span><span>XXII. Cartesian method of doubt is a method - to doubt all the information and assumptions – to help build a foundation for knowledge that is certain, the knowledge that is different from any preconceived notions, assumptions, hearsay, or beliefs – in problem-solving you break down the problems into individual steps and question the validity of each step</span></p> <p>#strategicthinking, #powerfulcriticalthinkingquestions, #firstprinciplesthinking, #Socraticthinkingmethod, #objectivedecisionmaking, #strategicexecution, #highperformancethinking, #firstprinciplesthinkingtechniques, #howtoimprovestrategicthinkingskills, #Socraticmethodofquestioning, #BECOMEAGREATSTRATEGICTHINKER, #ThinkingObjectively, #DevelopingStrategicDecisionmaking, #developAbilitytostrategize, #developAbilitytothinkobjectively, #developAbilitytodiscernbetweentruthANDfake, #developAbilitytothinkindependently </p><p>Unlock the Power of First Principles Thinking & Socratic Questioning (Become a Strategic Mastermind)</p><p>60+ Strategies for Sharper Strategic Thinking & Objectivity</p><p>The Power of 12 Critical Thinking Questions</p><p>Mastering First Principles & Socratic Thinking: 22 Actionable Steps</p><p>7 Superpowers of Strategic Thinkers: Reframing Your Thought Patterns for Peak Performance</p><p>Unleash Your Inner Strategist: 60+ Hacks for Flawless Thinking & Peak Performance </p><p>From Foggy to Focused: Master First Principles & Socratic Thinking in 22 Steps</p><p>Ditch Decision Paralysis: 12 Critical Thinking Questions for Strategic Success</p><p>7 Superpowers of Strategic Thinkers: How to Objectively Analyze & Execute </p><p>Unleash Your Inner Strategist: 60+ Tips for Mastering First Principles & Socratic Thinking </p><p>Think Like a Titan: The First Principles & Socratic Method for Strategic Decision-Making </p><p>Cut Through the Noise: Debunking Biases & Mastering Objectivity with Critical Thinking </p><p>From Beginner to Boardroom: A Practical Guide to Strategic Thinking & Execution </p><p>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Thinkers: Sharpen Your Strategic Mind & Achieve Peak Performance</p><p>Meta Description </p><p>Become a strategic powerhouse! Learn first principles, master the Socratic method, and unlock 60+ tips for objective decision-making, flawless execution, and peak performance</p><p>Master the art of strategic thinking with First Principles & Socratic questioning. Discover 60+ tips, 12 critical thinking questions, and 22 ways to hone your skills. Unleash peak performance and objective decision-making</p><p>Struggle with strategic planning? Master the first principles and Socratic method to unlock powerful thinking, make objective decisions, and achieve peak performance. Discover 60+ actionable tips and practical frameworks!</p>