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Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb enough to passively accept their situation.You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land. They own, and control the corporations. They've long since bought, and paid for the Senate, the Congress, the state houses, the city halls, they got the judges in their back pockets and they own all the big media companies, so they control just about all of the news and information you get to hear.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

Learn to use your brain power. Critical thinking is the key to creative problem solving in business.

Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.

It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.

The capacity to innovate - the ability to solve problems creatively or bring new possibilities to life - and skills like critical thinking, communication and collaboration are far more important than academic knowledge.

William James quote: A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging...

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.

The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.

Critical thinking relies on content, because you can't navigate masses of information if you have nothing to navigate to.

short critical thinking quotes

Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.

Critical thinking is what leads to the next breakthroughs in any area.

The most fundamental attack on freedom is the attack on critical thinking skills.

To every complex question there is a simple answer and it is wrong.

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

We are approaching a new age of synthesis. Knowledge cannot be merely a degree or a skill... it demands a broader vision, capabilities in critical thinking and logical deduction without which we cannot have constructive progress.

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb enough to passively accept their situation.

It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical

Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.

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The Power of Critical Thinking: 56 Critical Thinking Quotes

Critical thinking is an invaluable skill that empowers individuals to assess information, challenge assumptions, and make reasoned judgments. It is a cognitive process that goes beyond memorization and regurgitation of facts, encouraging individuals to explore different perspectives, evaluate evidence, and arrive at independent conclusions.

In today’s fast-paced and information-rich world, the ability to think critically is essential for making informed decisions, solving complex problems, and navigating the complexities of modern society. This article explores the significance of critical thinking, its benefits, and practical strategies to cultivate this skill in our lives.

Read: What Critical Thinking Skills We Require To Win At Our Careers: 5 Major Ones

The Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking serves as a compass for the mind, enabling individuals to discern between fact and fiction, identify biases, and evaluate the credibility of sources. In an era characterized by the proliferation of misinformation and the manipulation of public opinion, critical thinking provides a powerful tool to navigate through the noise and arrive at well-informed conclusions.

Moreover, critical thinking equips individuals with the ability to analyze complex problems systematically. It fosters creativity, enabling the exploration of innovative solutions by challenging conventional wisdom and exploring alternative perspectives. It also encourages open-mindedness and intellectual humility, as critical thinkers recognize the limits of their knowledge and remain receptive to new information and ideas.

Related: 10 Best Critical Thinking Movies With Interesting Endings

Benefits of Critical Thinking

Developing critical thinking skills has numerous advantages that extend beyond individual decision-making. In educational settings, critical thinking fosters a deep understanding of subjects, encourages active engagement, and prepares students for lifelong learning. It equips them with the ability to ask probing questions, engage in meaningful discussions, and evaluate information critically, rather than accepting it at face value.

In professional contexts, critical thinking is highly valued by employers. It enables employees to analyze complex situations, consider multiple variables, and make informed decisions. Critical thinkers are also more adept at problem-solving, as they approach challenges with a systematic and analytical mindset, breaking down problems into manageable components.

Furthermore, critical thinking plays a vital role in democratic societies. Citizens who think critically are more likely to question authority, hold leaders accountable, and actively participate in public discourse. They are better equipped to analyze political arguments, distinguish between valid reasoning and fallacies, and make informed choices during elections.

Recommended: Interview Questions For Critical Thinking No One Tells About

Critical Thinking Quotes

  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think for yourself and independently evaluate information, rather than simply accepting what you hear or read.” – Diane Halpern
  • “Critical thinking is a survival tool, not just for our species but for our planet.” – Carl Sagan
  • “Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking in order to make your thinking better.” – Richard W. Paul
  • “The first rule of critical thinking is to ask questions. Be willing to wonder.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is seeing things as they are, not as you want them to be.” – Unknown
  • “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
  • “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Daniel J. Boorstin
  • “The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think independently and evaluate information objectively and accurately. It is an essential skill in a world filled with quick opinions, sound bites, and misinformation.” – Edwidge Danticat
  • “I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” – Robert Frost
  • “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” – Charles Kettering
  • “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
  • “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein
  • “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” – Plutarch
  • “Wisdom is not the product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” – Albert Einstein
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas.” – Peter A. Facione
  • “The value of critical thinking is not only in the answers it produces, but also in the questions it uncovers.” – Unknown
  • “To think critically is to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity, and to be comfortable with asking challenging questions.” – Unknown
  • “A critical thinker is someone who thinks with reason and objectivity, not influenced solely by emotions or personal biases.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating information to reach informed conclusions.” – Unknown
  • “The greatest skill a critical thinker can possess is the ability to change their mind in the face of new evidence and reasoning.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is not about being right; it’s about being open to new perspectives and adjusting our beliefs accordingly.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is a process of continuous learning and improvement, honing our intellectual abilities to make sound judgments.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is like a mental muscle that needs to be exercised regularly to stay strong and agile.” – Unknown
  • “The path of critical thinking is paved with curiosity, skepticism, and a commitment to truth-seeking.” – Unknown
  • “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” – Plutarch
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think independently, solve problems creatively, and make rational decisions based on evidence and logic.” – Unknown
  • “The mark of a well-educated mind is the ability to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle
  • “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle
  • “The essence of critical thinking is suspended judgment; the essence of this suspense is inquiry to determine whether or not the judgment is well-founded.” – John Dewey
  • “Critical thinking is not just thinking, but thinking which entails self-improvement.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think independently, analyze information objectively, and make rational decisions.” – Unknown
  • “The first rule of critical thinking is to question everything.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is a skill that enables you to analyze and evaluate information objectively and make reasoned judgments.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the key to unlocking the doors of understanding and knowledge.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is a self-directed, self-monitored, and self-disciplined thinking that strives to be fair, clear, and accurate.” – Linda Elder
  • “Critical thinking is the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion.” – Unknown
  • “The role of critical thinking is to break down problems into their component parts, analyze them, and develop creative solutions.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is like a compass that guides us through the maze of information and helps us make informed choices.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the art of being able to evaluate and analyze information objectively, rather than accepting it at face value.” – Unknown
  • “The hallmark of a critical thinker is intellectual humility – the willingness to accept that one’s beliefs may be incorrect.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to ask the right questions and challenge the status quo.” – Unknown
  • “The essence of critical thinking is to suspend judgment, seek multiple perspectives, and examine the evidence before arriving at a conclusion.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is not a single skill, but a set of skills that work together to help us navigate the complexities of the world.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is not about being negative; it’s about being discerning and questioning what we are told.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the ability to think independently and make reasoned judgments based on evidence and logical reasoning.” – Unknown
  • “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.” – Stephen Hawking
  • “Critical thinking is the bridge between knowledge and wisdom.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the intellectual discipline of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information.” – Unknown
  • “The mind is like a parachute; it works best when it’s open.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the foundation of rationality and the cornerstone of progress.” – Unknown
  • “In a world of information overload, critical thinking is the key to sifting through the noise and finding the signal.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is not just about finding flaws in others’ arguments; it’s about critically examining our own beliefs and biases.” – Unknown
  • “The purpose of critical thinking is to empower individuals to think for themselves, question authority, and arrive at their own informed conclusions.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is the art of asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, and seeking evidence to support or refute claims.” – Unknown
  • “Critical thinking is not a destination; it’s a lifelong journey of intellectual growth and development.” – Unknown

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Number Dyslexia

12 Inspiring Critical Thinking Quotes For Students

A birdie flies sans inhibitions, and so must you. But first, you must know where you wish to fly. One’s moods and behaviors are both influenced by one’s thinking. Whether you’re shaping a student’s moments or a lifetime, thinking is a powerful tool. The actual fun is that you can learn to think better throughout the course of your lifetime since it is a skill.

We can learn from the age-old knowledge and the contemporary sages to improve our thinking abilities. And one of the finest ways to achieve that is using “ quotes ”. There are a lot of wise words and proverbs that get us thinking, whether they be positive thinking quotes or critical thinking quotes. Perhaps one of the most powerful thoughts on thinking is this… “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become who you are.”

Critical thinking for students – Who’s job is it?

Research reveals several essential findings. Despite widespread agreement that critical thinking is important, most individuals feel that schools do not do enough to help students develop their critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking for students

Nearly 95% of people agree that critical thinking abilities are vital in today’s world, and favor more critical thinking across nearly every demographic characteristic. Nevertheless, many individuals are concerned that our schools do not teach sophisticated ways of thinking, and nearly 80% of respondents believe that young people lack the capacity for critical thought. Only 29% of respondents claim to have categorically studied critical thinking at school.

It’s unclear when, when, and even how critical thinking instruction should take place. A little over half of the parents surveyed believe that it is their responsibility to instill critical thinking in their children. Another 41% think that educators should be in charge of imparting critical thinking skills to young people. Another 22% think that kids should be in charge of their own behavior.

Critical thinking at school

A teacher’s influence on a student extends beyond just imparting a top-notch education.

You serve as a leader, mentor, coach, advisor, and promoter of growth. Since students spend so much time in your classroom, it is up to you and your co-workers in education to create an environment where students can be themselves and accomplish their best work.

Posters with inspirational quotes are a great approach to make your classroom immediately seem more upbeat. Famous writers, innovators, and other personalities have left us with a wealth of inspiring quotations on learning and achievement. After choosing your favorite motivational sayings, you can utilize them to make your own low-cost classroom posters.

What words weigh

The proverb “actions speak louder than words” is certainly familiar to you, but it’s not always the case. Each of us has the ability to sway someone with our words.

Numerous research has revealed the advantages and disadvantages associated with particular terms. Dr. Susan Smalley, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioural sciences at UCLA, stated that “individuals [who] read words of ‘loving kindness’ showed an increase in self-compassion, improved mood, and reduced anxiety.”

If we think back to times we’ve heard inspirational words, we remember how good and motivated we felt after. To get in the habit of choosing our words wisely and with positive intent, we can put reminders around us.

Below is a rundown of some thought-provoking critical thinking quotes that are fit and fun to read for students and mentors alike:

Critical thinking quotes for students

1. “the important thing is not to stop questioning. curiosity has its own reason for existing.” — albert einstein.

Few men in history have had the critical thinking skills of Albert Einstein. One of the characteristics of extremely competent critical thinkers is their inherent curiosity. With that curiosity comes the practice of questioning to explore, discover, and reveal. This is why through using essential and herding questions in our teaching, we drive learners’ curiosity by engaging them in exploring a topic through questions that begin big and get increasingly specific as more discoveries are made. This piece of wisdom is a pearl for dyslexic and non-dyslexic students alike.

2. “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde

No, narcissism doesn’t say that. According to the saying, you must reawaken your love for yourself so that it last forever. To teach students anything , it is essential you teach them to love themselves first. Once you can do that, no one will be able to undermine your confidence and knock you down. Your own best critic would be you. The days of seeking emotional support from others and relying on them to maintain one’s mental health would be gone.

3. “You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions.” — Napoleon Hill

The ability to think independently is one of the critical thinking’s most important characteristics. Without giving anything much thought, believing or agreeing is simple. However, when we make the decision to think for ourselves, we exercise a human right and a duty we have as citizens of the world. Independent thought is labor-intensive, but the benefits are incalculable. One benefit is that it provides various viewpoints and perspectives, which can be instructive. Another benefit of independent thought is that it inspires us to stand up for what we believe in and have confidence in our capacity to make the best decisions for ourselves.

4. “If you are going through hell, keep going.” — Sir Winston Churchill

This pearl of knowledge has lasting ramifications for the lives of all learners, young and old, within and outside of the classroom. Nothing can be endured indefinitely. Everything changes at some point in time. Life is a roller coaster ride that goes through ups and downs in cycles. When difficult times hit you, as a young student, it’s normal to feel discouraged, but you need to realize that they won’t last forever and that you need to keep at it until you’re there.

Hold hands, unite, and proceed through it. And you are never alone in the larger scheme of things.

5. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” —Aristotle

According to cognition scientists, the average person has between 60,000 and 80,000 ideas per day, or a few thousand thoughts every hour. Thus, thinking critically entails evaluating ideas that have significance and tossing out or dismissing ideas that don’t. Let’s say that when you leave the house, you leave the iron on. You recall that you left it on as you’re driving out the driveway, so you go back inside to turn it off. Or does your day proceed as usual? Here is what might follow:

“That was so foolish, I could have set the house on fire.”

“What if, after preparing breakfast, I forget to turn the burner off? Children will burn their hands off!

“When my spouse or wife learns about it, what will they think?”

“Am I aging faster?”

We refer to this as “sharing our tale.” The stories we tell ourselves, however, are not the facts. The fact is you left the iron on, remembered because you’re smart, turned it off, and diverted a disaster. Additionally, now that you’ve learned from this experience, you’ll be more conscientious next time, and your family may also pick up on your good habits. That’s the path of the critical thinker.

6. “Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.” — Charles Bukowski

Life is designed to be an experimentation ground. To think critically, you must first understand that one cannot think with boundaries around them. Consider also that curiosity is like exercise for the brain, combatting boredom and stagnation by making the brain more active and energized. The student cannot and should not think amid their safe, familiar bubbles and be pushed to explore. It is only in that experimentation you realize what you are worthy of. One would then become ecstatic, ecstatic by coming to a step closer to the meaning of life. It is that ecstasy that would madden you, help you grow and it will be totally worth it.

7. “Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.” — Francis Bacon

One must be genuinely able to read anything without immediately taking it to heart because there are so many opinions and points of view in the world that are freely communicated through both online and offline means. Thus, developing analytical reading skills in our students is important. Encouraging children to think critically while they read is one thing we can do for them in this vein. The purpose for this is simple; not only does it cultivate independent critical thinking skills, but it helps students enjoy reading more. Rather than passively consuming the words they read, they are questioning and observing, looking for hidden meanings, recognizing patterns and relations to experiences they’ve had, and more.

8. “My father used to say ‘Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”— Desmond Tutu

This can occur when a person who wasn’t nearly as informed as they thought is suddenly confronted with evidence that contradicts their strongly held beliefs. This may be concerning because our opinions are significant to us and help to define who we are. As a result, this person may respond hastily and out of fear; their natural tendency is to shout louder to drown out the offensive opponent. That is not how critical thinkers operate. Instead, they come prepared to open discussions with a solid bedrock of knowledge and experience to rest on about the discussion topic. They’ll listen openly to the views of others and consider anything that another’s perspective may have to teach them, and share in any and all discussions as constructively as possible.

9. “Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” —Augustine of Hippe

In the past, or in the future, righteousness has never depended on its adherents. Even if just a small portion of a population supports it, what is right must remain right. Not everyone has the strength to follow the correct route since it is less appealing than the other one. And more people will always be drawn to what is attractive and simple. For students and for them to adhere to critical thinking, it is essential they first abide by and think about what’s right.

10. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein

It is an unavoidable fact that not everyone has potential that is similar to another person. A student’s ability is facilitated by their environment, society, and upbringing, which helps them see their value. Every student is capable of thinking, but also has his own special abilities that must be nourished, nurtured, and garnered.

11.“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” — Jimmy Johnson

Students rather are distinguished from the commonplace and be viewed as extraordinary. They must therefore ask themselves, “Have we really made that extra effort that would make us the latter?” today. When someone gives up the impulse to always take the easy route and instead makes the necessary extra effort, they become special.

12. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost

There is no way to succeed in life and climb above the rat race by adhering to it. You must possess the courage to travel the less traveled route. It is important to inculcate in the students that someday, they could be a pioneer in a field that they wouldn’t become aware of until years later. Fear keeps you from stepping into an unfamiliar environment. Once you let go of it there would be nothing holding you back.

Both you and your students deserve to hear all the uplifting and motivating things that are said.

With a bouquet of flowers, make sure to send these thoughtful quotes to a friend or family member who might or might not be a student as a way to express care and the importance of critical thinking.

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of  Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

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34 Best Learning Quotes For Critical Thinking

Post by Team FM

Last Updated: February 13, 2023

Critical thinking is the ability to make any kind of decision with the help of facts and things around you. It helps people better understand themselves and the things around them. Here are some best inspirational critical thinking quotes that will help you to know the value of critical thinking in your life.

Quotes to Know What is Critical Thinking

1. “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.” ― Ennis

2. “Critical thinking requires a lot of attention and brain function. When a critical thinking approach is applied to education, it helps the student’s brain function better and understands texts differently.” ― Ennis

Also find: Human Weakness Quotes

3. “The intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.” ― Wikipedia

4. “Disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.” ― Wikipedia

5. “Purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as an explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, soteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based.” ― Wikipedia

6. “The skill and propensity to engage in an activity with reflective skepticism.” ― Wikipedia

7. “An appraisal based on the careful analytical evaluation.” ― Wikipedia

8. “Critical thinking is a type of thinking pattern that requires people to be reflective, and pay attention to decision-making which guides their beliefs and actions. Critical thinking allows people to deduct with more logic, to process sophisticated information and look at various sides of an issue so they can produce more solid conclusions.” ― Wikipedia

9. “Critical thinking is essentially a questioning, challenging approach to knowledge and perceived wisdom. It involves ideas and information from an objective position and then questioning this information in the light of our own values, attitudes and personal philosophy.” ― Wikipedia

Best Thoughts on Critical Thinking

10. “Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking in order to make your thinking better.” ― Richard Paul

11. “Critical Thinking has the potential to be a deeply creative process.” ― Pearl Zhu

12. “Critical Thinking is not automatic thinking. It takes extra effort to think critically.” ― Pearl Zhu

13. “Critical Thinking is also called structured thinking.” ― Pearl Zhu

14. “Critical Thinking brings insight into the situation.” ― Pearl Zhu

15. “Critical thinking doesn’t mean we disparage everything; it means that we try to distinguish between claims with evidence and those without.” ― Daniel J. Levitin

16. “Critical Thinking narrows and creative thinking expands, but they must work in tandem for problem-solving and decision making.” ― Pearl Zhu

17. “We of this age have discovered a shorter and more prudent method to become scholars and wits, without the fatigue of reading or of thinking.” ― Jonathan Swift

18. “Most people do not actually know how to think for themselves, and unfortunately that prevents them from even knowing it.” ― Bryant McGill

19. “Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.” ― Adrienne Rich

20. “When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” ― Stephen King

21. “Put your foot upon the neck of the fear of criticism by reaching a decision not to worry about what other people think, do, or say.” ― Napoleon Hill

22. “Those who make conversations impossible, make escalation inevitable.” ― Stefan Molyneux

23. “Whatever negative things people think and say about you are enough to bring you down provided you believe that it carries a weight that can push you hard. Don’t agree to accept what critics say; be prepared to silence them by doing what they think you can’t do!” ― Israelmore Ayivor

24. “Truth has nothing to do with the conclusion, and everything to do with the methodology.” ― Stefan Molyneux

25. “Most people do not actually know how to think for themselves, and unfortunately that prevents them from even knowing it.” ― Bryant McGill

26. “One of the most important things one can do in life is to brutally question every single thing you are taught.” ― Bryant McGill

Critical Thinking Quotes for Students

27. “Children are rarely taught critical thinking anymore, and society has become so antirational that basic reason and evidence are the new countercultures: thought is the new punk.” ― Stefan Molyneux

28. “Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others.” ― Roy T. Bennett

29. “Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.” ― Richard Dawkins

30. “You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions.” ― Napoleon Hill

31. “The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.” ― Christopher Hitchens

32. “Do not share your thoughts with people who think that what you are thinking is not worth thinking.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson

33. “Think independently and critically, but never forget to think with understanding and love.” ― Debasish Mridha

34. “Instead of complaining, discover ways, tactics, and tricks on how to reach out to people” ― Sunday Adelaja

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Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old critical thinking quotes, critical thinking sayings, and critical thinking proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

If there was one life skill everyone on the planet needed, it was the ability to think with critical objectivity Josh Lanyon
The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks. Christopher Hitchens
The purpose of critical thinking is rethinking: that is, reviewing, evaluating, and revising thought. Jon Stratton
Critical thinking relies on content, because you can't navigate masses of information if you have nothing to navigate to. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
We seem to have trouble with critical thinking. And our political system doesn't help. Barack Obama
Most people do not have a problem with you thinking for yourself, as long as your conclusions are the same as or at least compatible with their beliefs. Mokokoma Mokhonoana
The insecure leader will interpret critical thinking as critiscism. Andy Stanley
Critical Thinking has the potential to be a deeply creative process. Pearl Zhu
You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions. Napoleon Hill
Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it. Henry Ford
We put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking. Susan Cain
No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking. Voltaire
Negative thinking creates clouds at critical decision times. John C. Maxwell
Ignorance is always ready to admire itself. Procure yourself critical friends. Nicolas Boileau
For students, the evolution-creation discussion can be a useful exercise, for it can help develop their critical thinking skills. Ken Ham
All of the common core standards stuff about critical reading and critical thinking and so on can only be positive. James W. Loewen
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you. Richard Dawkins
Believe what you like, but don't believe everything you read without questioning it. Pauline Baynes
It's sort of a mental attitude about critical thinking and curiosity. It's about mindset of looking at the world in a playful and curious and creative way. Adam Savage
You need to answer questions on where, when and what to do Sunday Adelaja
Simply disabling specific critical thinking skills is all that is necessary for the god virus to take control of a person. Darrel Ray
The most fundamental attack on freedom is the attack on critical thinking skills. Travis Nichols
To some people critical thinking means you mustn't be critical of them only others Rassool Jibraeel Snyman
There is nothing more Islamic than critical thinking. Tariq Ramadan
Instead of complaining, discover ways, tactics and tricks on how to reach out to people Sunday Adelaja
Losing your job releases you to think effectively and make rational decisions Sunday Adelaja
The ability to reflect is associated with critical thinking and reasoning ability. And the capacity to be alone is one of the highest levels of development. It's important to know how to self-soothe and be confident of other people's love even when they're not there in front of you. Laurie Helgoe
Nothing is more conductive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all. Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Critical thinking is to a liberal education as faith is to religion. ... the converse was true also - faith is to a liberal education as critical thinking is to religion, irrelevant and even damaging. Jane Smiley
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
Critical thinking is what leads to the next breakthroughs in any area. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical Boris Yeltsin
Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve. Roger Lewin
Learn to use your brain power. Critical thinking is the key to creative problem solving in business. Richard Branson
What I'm looking for in my interaction is critical thinking on the part of the person pitching to me. Brad Feld
Discourse and critical thinking are essential tools when it comes to securing progress in a democratic society. But in the end, unity and engaged participation are what make it happen. Aberjhani
To learn that it's easier to be told by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself. Neil deGrasse Tyson
In unanimity there may well be either cowardice or uncritical thinking. Donald Rumsfeld
Keeping an open mind is a virtue, but not so open that your brains fall out. Bertrand Russell
Thinking isn't to agree or disagree-that's voting. Robert Frost
Where all men think alike, no man thinks very much. Walter Lippmann
There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thomas A. Edison
Life has taught me to think, but thinking has not taught me to live. Alexander Herzen
A man thinks as well through his legs and arms as his brain. Thoreau
Our is an age which is proud of machines that think, and suspicious of the men who try to. Howard Mumford Jones
There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking. Alfred Korzybski
Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking. Goethe
Life always gives you plenty to think about, but seldom enough to think with. Evan Esar
The more we think of some people, the less we think of them. Evan Esar
For every man who is always telling you what he thinks, there is another who is always telling you what others think. Evan Esar
Many a man who thinks he is thinking, is merely digesting yesterday's newspaper. Evan Esar
Your way of thinking starts with individual thoughts, whether good, bad or ugly. John A. Andrews
I refused to let small thinking chart my course in life. John A. Andrews
If we think with a mindset of giving, we entertain abundance, and if we think with an attitude of withholding, we invite lack. As the source gives to the stream so ought the stream to impart to the ocean. John A. Andrews
Critical thinking involves first discovering the who, what, when, and how of things. Bell Hooks
Critical thinkers are clear as to the purpose at hand and the question at issue. Bell Hooks
Critical thinking is an interactive process, one that demands participation on the part of teacher and students alike. Bell Hooks
Keeping an open mind is an essential requirement of critical thinking. Bell Hooks
Critical thinking requires us to use our imagination, seeing things from perspectives other than our own and envisioning the likely consequences of our position. Bell Hooks
We all use thinking skills everyday to help us learn, make decisions, and solve problems. Ellie Weiler
Critical thinking skills are the foundation for all other types of learning. Ellie Weiler
Unlike current events, thinking skills never change. Ellie Weiler
Once thinking skills are mastered, students are able to tackle new challenges with the ability to think them through and discover solutions. Ellie Weiler
Critical thinking is essential as a tool of inquiry. Aveyard
Critical thinking is a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one's personal and civic life. Aveyard
While not synonymous with good thinking, critical thinking is a pervasive and self-rectifying human phenomenon. Aveyard
Critical thinkers are able to look for flaws in argument and resist claims that have no support. Aveyard
Critical thinkers are more likely to engage in productive and positive activity due to their continual questioning of their knowledge, assumptions and perspectives. Aveyard

7 Powerful Critical Thinking Quotes – Deconstructed

Ivaylo Durmonski

  • Self-improvement

Online, you often find yourself surrounded by extracts, maxims, carefully manufactured word combinations. Or if we can place them inside a single category: quotes. Quotes that make you feel hopeful about the future and comfortable with your past. And while reading those your mind gets pumped. When you close the browser. Open the door to life. You start making the same mistakes you ordinarily do.

The fad of sharing quotes never gets old.

I don’t know which one is more popular.

Sharing quotes of famous people like Albert Einstein or sharing cat memes. Probably something in between – an Einstein quote made like a cat meme.

What makes quotes a preferred online asset – for both consumption and creation – can be portrayed in two points:

  • Quotes provide packed wisdom and a delusional state of awe.
  • The person sharing quotes believes that he’s getting closer to smartness by the mare recitation of wisdom words.

Both of these, are heavily over-represented.

When you read a quote. While it might feel like you are collecting coins that pump your IQ. It’s just a temporary feeling of satisfaction.

You feel motivated – or smarter, or better, or all included. But this mixture of sensations completely vanishes when your finger scrolls down the page.

All of this, might make you wonder…

Why then create a whole post that talks about quotes – critical thinking quotes, as the title suggests?

Why Spend Time Pondering Critical Thinking Quotes?

The main value of words on a page is misunderstood.

We think that the actual words are the main nugget. That’s not the case.

Real gold is always under a layer of thick wrapping.

As we have to remove the packaging to get and use an item we’ve purchased. In a similar fashion, we need to unpack great quotes.

What I mean by unpacking is not just reading a strangely good word combination and then moving along. Rather, stopping to think about what the person said, why he said it, and what we can derive from these words that can make our lives less miserable.

That’s the essence of critical thinking .

You don’t just glance at something and think you understand it. No. You gently grab it. Hold it. And examine it from all sides. Look at it from the microscope of your consciousness to comprehend it. To find the real value hidden inside.

Quotes. Well-crafted words can acquire your attention.

But to leave a lasting impact on your mind. They need to be deconstructed.

That’s what we are going to do below.

I’m taking the best quotes from some of the great thinkers on critical thinking and inspecting them.

While I’m positive that you’ll be familiar with some of the citations below. I’m also sure that we’ll uncover more insights than you’ll ordinarily get when consuming words on a page.

Here we go…

7 Powerful Critical Thinking Quotes:

1. “the value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.” albert einstein.

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Albert Einstein

What’s considered important in school is unusable in real life. You are trained and optimized around remembering facts about the past that make little positive difference about your future. We are rarely taught how to think properly. How to think better .

Surely having a broad understanding of our history is beneficial. Sadly, teachers embed a belief that we should know dates of past events with surgical precious.

And not only in schools. Modern media is also trying to convince us that we should master isolated facts. That richness is in knowing random inputs about all sorts of things.

That’s a phenomenon observed in the book Amusing Ourselves To Death . Ever since the telegraph was invented, we believe that we should learn about things that have a little positive impact on our lives.

For instance, solving a crossword puzzle might seem like a worthy exercise. But how answering 50+ completely random questions will help you in life?

The value in learning. Reading books. Watching videos even online. It’s not so much about remembering the facts. But about tailoring, adjusting how you think.

When you think better. You’ll perform better.

Thinking is the particle that pushes you in the right direction. Not holding all sorts of random facts.

2. “When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons.” Anaïs Nin

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Anaïs Nin

From an early age, we are steered towards certain beliefs and value systems. Some good. Some bad. Some awfully wicked.

Some of these are intentionally promoted by our teachers and parents – i.e., religion, good manners, etc. Some simply occur by the act of living and by our biological needs – desire for money, power, appreciation.

There is no harm in automatically adopting a behavior such as helping an old lady cross the street. But for most of the other things we hold in our heads, we should know why we have them.

For instance, these days it seems natural to be online. To have a social media profile and to participate in the never-ending race of awesomeness. Who got a new car? Who got a new job? Who went on vacation?

Involvement in the social media race seems so unquestionable.

But have you recently asked yourself, “Why are you really using social media?” Is it because you want to connect with others? Because it makes you feel motivated and inspired? Or because you feel the need to be inside because others are there, too? Because you want to showcase how much cooler you are than the rest of the walking undead?

I bet is the last part.

Too often, we watch and get things because others watch them and own them. But as Anaïs Nin above said. This blind obeying makes us mere automatons. We don’t hold the steering wheel of our lives. We are simply responding to the reaction of others. Which means that we are passengers on a bus that is headed towards somewhere. Somewhere we don’t know.

3. “If chess has any relationship to film-making. It would be in the way it helps you develop patience and discipline in choosing between alternatives at a time when an impulsive decision seems very attractive.” Stanley Kubrick

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Stanley Kubrick

The only way an impulsive decision can be the best decision is when you’ve mastered a field . When you’re well-versed in a topic and extremely confident in your skills. In these situations, your intuition and tacit knowledge provide involuntarily a good answer. Plainly, you think fast.

This type of response – quick and precise – however. It’s usually only available to you in areas where you have extensive experience.

For the rest of the cases, the quote above stands.

Any activity that allows you to slow down and think before you act. That gives you room to consider the alternatives. Is an activity worth holding.

As you can’t win a chess game if you don’t pause and consider the contra moves of your opponent. You can’t win in life if you don’t pause and consider how what you do today can turn around and slap you back in the future.

4. “You do not win by struggling to the top of a caste system. You win by refusing to be trapped within one at all.” Naomi Wolf

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Naomi Wolf

As the authors of the book The Social Animal explain, we are social animals.

Our foundational particles push us towards relationships. We feel better when we are around other people.

But this comes with certain costs. When people are around other people. A natural hierarchy is formed. There is an alpha male/woman and people who want to take his/her place.

And even if you do reach the top position in your social circle. Which is also the case for any other tall structure formed by men – e.g., the corporate ladder. The battle is never over. You now have to defend your place.

A solution few are willing to accept is gently removing yourself from the modern rat race .

Take social media for example.

If you use it. You use it for validation. Every time you throw something in the endless abyss of filtered pictures, you are doing it to tell others that you are progressing in some way. But others are not sitting idle. They are, too, advancing. So the only way you can keep your position is to keep throwing status updates about how you are improving – even if you are not really improving.

This creates quite a stressful daily life. You no longer just live. Life becomes a sophisticated arena. There are no fist fights, however. The battle is for prestige – who is richer, better, smarter. Therefore, your day-to-day life becomes trying to figure out how to show to others that your life is good – even when life is bad.

The only way you can win this game is if you totally remove yourself from the equation.

You no longer share how life is treating you. Nor remain interested in how others apparently become richer and prettier. You just focus on the act of living.

5. “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.” Søren Kierkegaard

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Søren Kierkegaard

Our desire to self-express is motivated by our need to feel valued. What we say is optimized not based on thinking. But optimized towards receiving – these days – likes and comments.

All of this means that we say a lot of things, but we don’t say anything important.

We just dump out more noise in the already noisy world. Hoping, praying, that others will notice us.

For the critical thinker, silence is more than the absence of noise. It’s opening the window and taking a breath of fresh air. A refreshing change from the polluted atmosphere.

Speaking because you can doesn’t mean that you necessarily should. Thinking, however, shouldn’t follow this logic. You should always think. Which will oftentimes lead to not speaking.

6. “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Marie Curie

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Marie Curie

We fear the unknown for a simple reason. The brain is constantly trying to predict what will happen next. What the other person will do, so we can prepare the body and the mind for our reaction.

When we face an unfamiliar situation. The brain simply freezes. It doesn’t know what to do. That’s why we tend to avoid things we don’t quite understand.

Paradoxically, the only way we can advance. The only way we can get outside our comfort zone is to put ourselves in positions we are not fully prepared for – e.g., a new job, facing a new challenge, a new field altogether.

So, when you find yourself struggling to find a good solution to a problem. Or you a presented with a hard-to-digest concept. This is a sign. It means that you don’t yet know the full story. You don’t completely understand the situation. What you need to do is to go and find it.

When you understand the problem. Learn more about difficult concepts. You will clear away the fog. You will be prepared. You’ll have the courage to move forward.

7. “I don’t care that they stole my idea. I care that they don’t have any of their own.” Nikola Tesla

Pic of the critical thinking quote by Nikola Tesla

Lack of critical thinking will lead to either stealing ideas or trying to discourage others to pursue their ideas.

Ideas. Fresh perspectives that suggest a certain course of action. These are needed for better decision-making and moving further ahead.

But how to have them?

Here’s where one more quote by Nikola Tesla enters on how to produce good ideas:

“Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born.” Nikola Tesla

Some of the ideas that will emerge in your brain will be useless. That’s for sure. But that’s part of the process of generating great ideas and great thinking.

Each of us has an idea-generation style. A way to find solutions to problems. Some instantaneously generate reasonable ideas regardless of the location. Others are capable of doing this exercise only when alone.

Make things easier for yourself by figuring out how you think best. Do you have to be alone? Surrounded by others? Or a combination of both – a time around others and then taking some time away to process the information.

Some Closing Thoughts

Quotes shared online seem like a desperate attempt to capture the attention of other people.

Simply because you can quote someone doesn’t mean anything particular.

You found useful words said by someone else. Good. Now what?

To be sufficiently skillful at this critical thinking judo requires questioning and observation.

This also applies when we examine the words of great people. The people who said the things above.

One smart person saying something is as useful as finding a wrench on the street. If you don’t know how to use it. It will be of no use to you.

I hope that you found handy the deconstruction of some of the best quotes on critical thinking. But what I also hope is that the whole post provided you with a new way to approach words on a page.

Not just agreeing with what was said – regardless of who said it. But to try something new. Something different.

Take an idea. Hold it in your hand and look at it from all sides.

Then, after examining it. Ask yourself: “What’s true about this and what is not?”

Add to your critical thinking knowledge by reading the following:

  • 9 Provoking Critical Thinking Questions to Ignite Deep Reflective Discourse
  • 5 Critical Thinking Strategies To Sharpen Your Thinking
  • Critical Thinking Process (Or Acting Wisely Even If You’re Not Very Bright)
  • 7 Popular Self-Discipline Quotes Explained

Trouble Saying No to Temptations?

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Sources of Insight

Unleash Your Greatest Potential

Great Thinking Quotes

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“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”— Voltaire

Your thoughts can shape your feelings can shape your actions.

Thinking is powerful stuff whether you’re shaping your moment or shaping your lifetime.

The real beauty is that thinking is a skill, and you can develop throughout your lifetime.

To build our thinking skills, we can draw from the wisdom of the ages and modern sages.  And quotes are one of the best ways to do that.

Whether it’s positive thinking quotes, or critical thinking quotes, there are so many words of wisdom and sayings that make us think.

How Your Thoughts Shape Your Destiny

Perhaps one of the most powerful thoughts on thinking is this …

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. 

Watch your words, for they become actions. 

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” – Unknown

Now, let’s turn wisdom into action and fill your quiver with arrows of action, and fill your mental toolbox with a garden of insight in the form of pithy prose, one-liner reminders, and quotable quotes.

To make the most of these thinking quotes, see if you can find three thinking quotes that you can use in some way or at least make you think.

There are no right answers here, only growth and greatness.

Here’s to your excellence.

Top 10 Quotes on Thinking

  • “A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” — William James
  • “Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence.” — Thomas Szasz
  • “ Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” — Winnie the Pooh
  • “Few minds wear out; more rust out.” — Christian N. Bovee
  • “ It is well for people who think, to change their minds occasionally in order to keep them clean.” — Luther Burbank
  • “Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” — Benjamin Lee Whorf
  • “Misery is almost always the result of thinking.” — Joseph Joubert
  • “Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic.” — Edward de Bono
  • “Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.” —  Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “What we think, we become.” — Buddha

While that’s a useful bunch to have under your belt, and you may have heard of many of these before, now take a waltz through the garden below and be sure to stop and smell the thinking quotes that bloom brightest for you.

Best Quotes on Thinking

Here is a collection of thinking quotes from A – Z for your browsing pleasure …

“A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking.”

— Jerry Seinfeld

“ A good listener is usually thinking about something else.”

— Kin Hubbard

“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

— William James

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”

— Thomas Paine

“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

“A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.”

— Soren Kierkegaard

“A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.”

— Oscar Wilde

“An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think.”

— Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”

— Tony Robbins

“A sect or party is an elegant incognito devised to save a man from the vexation of thinking.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“And these little things may not seem like much but after a while they take you off on a direction where you may be a long way off from what other people have been thinking about.”

— Roger Penrose

“And we’re seeing a higher level of consciousness and many more opportunities for people to challenge their present ways of thinking and move into a grander and larger experience of who they really are.”

— Neale Donald Walsch

“Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”

— Albert Einstein

“ As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behavior. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to become. Take action on your behavior. Too many people want to feel, then take action. This never works.”

— John Maxwell

“At a certain age some people’s minds close up; they live on their intellectual fat.”

–William Lyon Phelps

“Begin challenging your own assumptions.  Your assumptions are your windows on the world.  Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won’t come in.”

— Alan Alda

“Belief is when someone else does the thinking.”

— Buckminster Fuller

“Believing is easier than thinking.  Hence so many more believers than thinkers.”

— Bruce Calvert

“Better to be without logic than without feeling.”

— Charlotte Bronte

“Building art is a synthesis of life in materialized form. We should try to bring in under the same hat not a splintered way of thinking, but all in harmony together.”

— Alvar Aalto

“Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence.”

— Thomas Szasz

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?”

— Winnie the Pooh

“Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value.”

— Arthur Miller

“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.”

— Ray Bradbury

“Doubt is not a pleasant state of mind, but certainty is absurd.”

— Voltaire

“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.”

— Niels Bohr

“Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.”

— Khalil Gibran

“Fame usually comes to those who are thinking about something else.”

— Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Few minds wear out; more rust out.”

— Christian N. Bovee

“Few people think more than two or three times a year; I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week.”

— George Bernard Shaw

“Get into a line that you will find to be a deep personal interest, something you really enjoy spending twelve to fifteen hours a day working at, and the rest of the time thinking about.”

— Earl Nightingale

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

— Rick Warren

“I am neither bitter nor cynical but I do wish there was less immaturity in political thinking.”

— Franklin D. Roosevelt

“I am not what I think. I am thinking what I think.”

— Eric Butterworth

“I began to realize that thinking itself is nothing but the process of asking and answering questions.”

“I cannot cure myself of that most woeful of youth’s follies – thinking that those who care about us will care for the things that mean much to us.”

— David Herbert Lawrence

“I don’t pretend we have all the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about.”

— Arthur C. Clarke

“I don’t think the human mind can comprehend the past and the future. They are both just illusions that can manipulate you into thinking theres some kind of change.”

— Bob Dylan

“I grew up thinking that whatever I wanted to do, I could do.”

— Victoria Principal

“I have a different way of thinking. I think synergistically. I’m not linear in thinking, I’m not very logical.”

— Imelda Marcos

“I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me – shapes and ideas so near to me – so natural to my way of being and thinking that it hasn’t occurred to me to put them down.”

— Georgia O’Keeffe

“I knew I was a winner back in the late sixties. I knew I was destined for great things. People will say that kind of thinking is totally immodest. I agree. Modesty is not a word that applies to me in any way – I hope it never will.”

— Arnold Schwarzenegger

“I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.”

— Donald Trump

“ I like to think of thoughts as living blossoms borne by the human tree.”

— James Douglas

“I like what the future holds. I don’t like thinking about the past.”

— John Cale

“I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living.”

— Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.”

— Xun Zi

“I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection.”

— Billy Joel

“I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking.”

— Joan Rivers

“I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.”

—  Albert Einstein

“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.”

— Harold Kushner

“ I was thinking that we all learn by experience, but some of us have to go to summer school.”

— Peter De Vries

“I’m against fashionable thinking.”

— Herman Kahn

“I’ve never responded well to entrenched negative thinking.”

— David Bowie

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.”

— George S. Patton

“If I look confused it is because I am thinking.”

— Samuel Goldwyn

“If the track is tough and the hill is rough, thinking you can just ain’t enough!”

— Shel Silverstein

“If you keep thinking about what you want to do or what you hope will happen, you don’t do it, and it won’t happen.”

— Desiderius Erasmus

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

—  C.S. Lewis

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”

— Bruce Lee

“In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.”

— Lao Tzu

“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”

— James Thurber

“It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. Until you make room in your life for someone as important to you as yourself, you will always be searching and lost.”

— Richard Bach

“It is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.”

— William Shakespeare

“It is no good getting furious if you get stuck. What I do is keep thinking about the problem but work on something else. Sometimes it is years before I see the way forward. In the case of information loss and black holes, it was 29 years.”

— Stephen Hawking

“It is well for people who think, to change their minds occasionally in order to keep them clean.”

— Luther Burbank

“It’s not the events that shape my life that determine how I feel and act, but, rather, it’s the way I interpret and evaluate my life experiences.”

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.”

— Benjamin Lee Whorf

“Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.”

— Winston Churchill

“Let your performance do the thinking.”

“Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day.”

“Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering – because you can’t take it in all at once.”

— Audrey Hepburn

“Logic teaches rules for presentation, not thinking.”

— Mason Cooley

“ Logic: The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding.”

— Ambrose Bierce

“ Man can alter his life by altering his thinking.”

“Man falls from the pursuit of the ideal of plan living and high thinking the moment he wants to multiply his daily wants. Man’s happiness really lies in contentment.”

— Mohandas Gandhi

“Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.”

— Blaise Pascal

“Masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the outcome of many years of thinking in common, of thinking by the body of the people, so that the experience of the mass is behind the single voice.”

— Virginia Woolf

“Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.”

“Men always do leave off really thinking, when the last bit of wild animal dies in them.”

“Men can live without air a few minutes, without water for about two weeks, without food for about two months – and without a new thought for years on end.”

— Kent Ruth

“Mental fight means thinking against the current, not with it. It is our business to puncture gas bags and discover the seeds of truth.”

“Misery is almost always the result of thinking.”

— Joseph Joubert

“Most of one’s life is one prolonged effort to prevent oneself thinking.”

— Aldous Huxley

“Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic.”

— Edward de Bono

“Most people are prisoners, thinking only about the future or living in the past. They are not in the present, and the present is where everything begins.”

— Carlos Santana

“Most people are unable to write because they are unable to think, and they are unable to think because they congenitally lack the equipment to do so, just as they congenitally lack the equipment to fly over the moon.”

—  Henry Louis Mencken

“My definition of an intellectual is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger.”

— Billy Connolly

“My hand is the extension of the thinking process – the creative process.”

— Tadao Ando

“My thought is me: that is why I cannot stop thinking. I exist because I think I cannot keep from thinking.”

— Jean-Paul Sartre

“No amount of energy will take the place of thought.  A strenuous life with its eyes shut is a kind of wild insanity.”

— Henry Van Dyke

“No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head.” — Terry Josephson

“No problem can be solved until it is reduced to some simple form. The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific, concrete form is a very essential element in thinking.”

— J. P. Morgan

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”

“Nothing comes merely by thinking about it.”

— John Wanamaker

“Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinion at all.”

— G.C. Lichtenberg

“Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.”

— Carl G. Jung

“One ought to look a good deal at oneself before thinking of condemning others.”

“Opinion is that exercise of the human will which helps us to make a decision without information.”

— John Erskine

“Our job is not to make up anybody’s mind, but to open minds and to make the agony of the decision-making so intense you can escape only by thinking.”

— Anonymous

“Our minds are lazier than our bodies.”

— François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld

“Our thinking and our behaviour are always in anticipation of a response. It is therefore fear-based.”

— Deepak Chopra

“ Ours is the age which is proud of machines that think and suspicious of men who try to.”

— Howard Mumford Jones

“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

“People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by the heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it.”

—  Anthony de Mello

“People who say they don’t care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don’t care what people think.”

— George Carlin

“Physiological response to thinking and to pain is the same; and man is not given to hurting himself.”

— Martin H. Fischer

“Positive anything is better than negative nothing.”

— Elbert Hubbard

“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” — Zig Ziglar

“Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it’s because you’ve started to think of failure.”

— Tommy Lasorda

“Pride is pleasure arising from a man’s thinking too highly of himself.”

— Baruch Spinoza

“Principles and rules are intended to provide a thinking man with a frame of reference.”

— Karl Von Clausewitz

“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.”

— John Locke

“Reading is equivalent to thinking with someone else’s head instead of with one’s own.”

— Arthur Schopenhauer

“Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.”

— Edmund Burke

“Romance is thinking about your significant other, when you are supposed to be thinking about something else.”

— Nicholas Sparks

“ Sad people dislike the happy, and the happy the sad; the quick thinking the sedate, and the careless the busy and industrious.”

“Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”

— Carl Sagan

“Self-worth comes from one thing – thinking that you are worthy.”

— Wayne Dyer

“Sixty minutes of thinking of any kind is bound to lead to confusion and unhappiness.”

“Some people get lost in thought because it’s such unfamiliar territory.”

— G. Behn

“Some people do not become thinkers simply because their memories are too good.”

— Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

“Some years ago, I wrote a book called the Emperor’s New Mind and that book was describing a point of view I had about consciousness and why it was not something that comes about from complicated calculations.”

“Sometimes I think and other times I am.”

— Paul Valéry

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”

— Bill Gates

“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte

“Talking with a friend is nothing else but thinking aloud.”

— Joseph Addison

“The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.”

— Norbet Platt

“ The average man never really thinks from end to end of his life.  The mental activity of such people is only a mouthing of clichés.”

— H.L. Mencken

“The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.”

— David Ogilvy

“The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil.”

— Thomas A. Edison

“ The best way of forgetting how you think you feel is to concentrate on what you know you know.”

— Mary Stewart

“The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.”

— John Kenneth Galbraith

“The forceps of our minds are clumsy things and crush the truth a little in the course of taking hold of it.”

— H.G. Wells

“The ‘how’ thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with futile ‘ifs’.”

—  Norman Vincent Peale

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

— Alice Walker

“The most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice.”

— Theodore Roosevelt

“The most thought-provoking thing in our thought-provoking time is that we are still not thinking.”

— Martin Heidegger

“ The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.”

— Robert H. Schuller

“ The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversation is that each is thinking more about what he intends to say than others are saying.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.”

— Charles R. Swindoll

“The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.”

— A. A. Milne

“The thoughts that come often unsought, and, as it were, drop into the mind, are commonly the most valuable of any we have.”

“The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.”

— Will Durant

“ The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.”

— Samuel Johnson

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”

“The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.”

“The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

“There are different rules for reading, for thinking, and for talking. Writing blends all three of them.”

“ There are some days I practice positive thinking, and other days I’m not positive I am thinking.”

— John M. Eades

“There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord.”

“There are very many people who read simply to prevent themselves from thinking.”

— Georg C. Lichtenberg

“There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first; when you learn to live for others, they will live for you.”

— Paramahansa Yogananda

“There is an art of reading, as well as an art of thinking, and an art of writing.”

— Clarence Day

“ There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking.”

“Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.” – Voltaire

“Thinking about the universe has now been handed over to specialists. The rest of us merely read about it.”

— Mason Cooley

“Thinking begins only when we have come to know that reason, glorified for centuries, is the stiff-necked adversary of thought.”

“Thinking in its lower grades is comparable to paper money, and in its higher forms it is a kind of poetry.”

— Havelock Ellis

“Thinking is like loving and dying.  Each of us must do it for himself.”

— Josiah Royce

“Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking.”

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“ Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.”

— Charles Kettering

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.”

— Henry Ford

“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.”

“Thinking isn’t agreeing or disagreeing. That’s voting.”

— Robert Frost

“Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.”

— W. Clement Stone

“ Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.”

“Those who know how to think need no teachers.”

“Thought is action in rehearsal.” — Anonymous“Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.”

—  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.”

— Tryon Edwards

“Thoughts, like fleas, jump from man to man.  But they don’t bite everybody.”

— Stanislaw Lec

“To be a real philosopher all that is necessary is to hate some one else’s type of thinking.”

“To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well as I can.”

— Og Mandino

“ To get others to come into our ways of thinking, we must go over to theirs; and it is necessary to follow, in order to lead.”

— William Hazlitt

“Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”

— John F. Kennedy

“Try not thinking of peeling an orange. Try not imagining the juice running down your fingers, the soft inner part of the peel. The smell. Try and you can’t. The brain doesn’t process negatives.”

— Doug Coupland

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”

— Marcus Aurelius

“We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.”

—  Buddha

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

“We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking. In that race which daily hastens us towards death, the body maintains its irreparable lead.”

— Albert Camus

“We teach people that they upset themselves. We can’t change the past, so we change how people are thinking, feeling and behaving today.”

— Albert Ellis

“What then do you call your soul? What idea have you of it? You cannot of yourselves, without revelation, admit the existence within you of anything but a power unknown to you of feeling and thinking.”

“When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.”

— Abraham Lincoln

“ When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.”

“ When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking or thinking I cannot choose but laugh. No such thing ever existed. No such thing now exists; but I hope it will exist. But it must be hundreds of years after you and I shall write and speak no more.”

— John Adams

“When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.”

“ When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.”

— Joseph Campbell

“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions.”

— Carter G. Woodson

“ Why should we think upon things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment. Environment modifies life but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings.”

“Writing and learning and thinking are the same process.”

— William Zinsser

“Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.”

— Isaac Asimov

“You and I are not what we eat; we are what we think.”

— Walter Anderson

“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.”

—  Tom Brokaw

“You cannot simply put something new into a place. You have to absorb what you see around you, what exists on the land, and then use that knowledge along with contemporary thinking to interpret what you see.”

“You must continue to gain expertise, but avoid thinking like an expert.”

— Denis Waitley

“You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”

— J. K. Rowling

“Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.”

— Alan Watts

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103+ Critical Thinking Quotes that Stimulate Beautiful Minds

In some career paths blinding following instructions is what’s required for the job. The fast-food industry would be one example where following regimented cook times and cleaning processes without question is important. But if you hope to rise up through the ranks to become a people manager or want to operate a small business, you’ll need to develop critical thinking skills to achieve your goals.

But how can someone improve their thinking skills exactly? Fortunately, there are many ways you can enhance brain power that I share at the end of this blog post. I also share 103 quotes about that stress the importance of working out your mind on a daily basis.

Critical Thinking Quotes

103+ Critical Thinking Quotes that Stimulate Beautiful Minds.

Critical Thinking Quotes.

  • “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we create them.” – Anonymous
  • “The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.” – Anonymous
  • “If there was one life skill everyone on the planet needed, it was the ability to think with critical objectivity.” – Anonymous
  • “Much of today’s education focuses on obedience skills rather than critical thinking skills.”- Bryant McGill
  • “It is a mark of an intelligent mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Anonymous
  • “The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Anonymous
  • “The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.” – Anonymous
  • “Critical thinking and curiosity are the key to creativity.” – Anonymous
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.” –
  • “Critical thinking is what leads to the next breakthroughs in any area.” – Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
  • “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” – Joseph Joubert
  • “The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.” – John Kenneth Galbraith
  • “Where there is no critical thinking, there is no progress. If the children are our future, then critical thinking must be their guide.” – Dale McGowan

Related Reading: 115+ Budgeting Quotes That Help You Save More Each Week 

  • “Believe what you like but don’t believe everything you read without questioning it.” – Pauline Baynes
  • “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” – Anonymous
  • “How might we modify our beliefs in the light of additional information?” – Anonymous
  • “Time given to thought is the greatest time saver of all.” – Norman Cousins
  • “Children must be taught how to think not what to think.” – Margaret Mead
  • “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few engage in it.” – Henry Ford
“Thinking is a skilled work. It is not true that we are naturally endowed with the ability to think clearly and logically – without learning how, or without practicing.” – A.E. Mander
  • “How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” – Benjamin Franklin
  • “Even a book that is made up for only untruths can greatly improve us intellectually.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana
  • “The insecure leader will interpret critical thinking as criticism.” – Andy Stanely
  • “When your critical thinking doesn’t work, think emotionally and let your heart decide what’s right or wrong.” – Anonymous
  • “We are approaching a new age of synthesis. Knowledge cannot merely be a degree or skill, it demands a broader vision, capabilities in critical thinking and logical deduction without which we cannot have constructive progress.” – Li Ka Shing
  • “By allowing yourself to consider different perspectives, you might find yourself hitting upon solutions you hadn’t previously considered.” – Anonymous

How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.

How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.

Funny Critical Thinking Quotes

  • “Women spend more time thinking about men what men think than men actually spend thinking.” – Anonymous
  • “Someday, I will solve my problems with critical thinking, but today it will be with chocolate.” – Anonymous
  • “Common sense is a genius dressed in its working clothes.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.” – David Ogivly
  • “I don’t think inside the box and I don’t think outside the box. I don’t even know where the box is.” – Anonymous
  • “If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn’t thinking.” – George S. Patton
  • “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.” – Albert Einstein

Analytical Thinking Quotes

  • “I tend to have a very analytical mind, I’m constantly thinking about how things can be better or different.” – Andy Biersack
  • “Learn to be as analytical about things of which you are credulous as you are of those you criticize.” – Idries Shah
  • “AI will do analytical thinking, while humans will wrap that analysis in warmth and compassion.” – Kai-Fu Lee
  • “Languages are true analytical methods.” – Antoine Lavoisier
  • “A lack of analytical skills could keep you from making progress in your career.” – Deborah Murray
“You can over analyze anything. I constantly have to tell myself, ‘Sabrina, stop thinking’. There are people who are just analytical. It’s part of your gene makeup or too much caffeine.” – Sabrina Lloyd
  • “Even the most analytical thinkers are predictably irrational: the really smart ones acknowledge and address their irrationalities.” – Dan Ariely
  • “Systems thinking is contextual, which is the opposite of analytical thinking. Analysis means taking something apart in order to understand it; systems thinking means putting it into context of a larger whole.” – Fritjof Capra
  • “The advantage of an analytical approach is that it is widely applicable, and that it can provide a considerable amount of quantitative information even with a relatively poor resolving power.” – Christian de Duve
  • “From an analytical perspective you’re thinking ‘2 percent sucks’ but it’s like the pink elephant in the room. Everyone knows it’s there.” – Paul Kim
“To be successful, suspend your worries and your analytical thinking and just concentrate on reading the script as it is without any judgement.” – Robbins Blair
  • “My business is the analytical framework.” – Todd Gitlin
  • “Why is it that our young kids across America can solve the most complex problems in a video game involving executive decision making and analytical thinking, yet we accept the fact that they can’t add or read?” – Naveen Jain
  • “The need is not for the creation of new analytical techniques specially designed for the negotiation process, but rather for the creative use of analytical thinking that exploits existing techniques.” – Howard Raiffa
  • “Creative and analytical thinking are not mutually exclusive. We should work to make them mutually supportive to engage the whole brains of our students.” – Amy Benjamin
  • “They’re thinking. They’re getting more analytical of the game. It’s not whip the ball down field and chase after it. There’s a thought process to what they’re trying to do.” – Pam Edwards

Critical thinking means questioning the status quo.

Critical thinking means questioning the status quo.

Critical Thinking Slogans

  • Critical Thinking Feeds The Mind
  • You’ll Never Feel Stupid
  • Critical Thinking Should Be Everyone’s Hobby
  • It’s Not For Everyone
  • It’s Only For The Few Chosen Ones
  • It Opens Up A New World
  • It Exercises The Mind
  • Think Before You Judge Anything Or Anyone
  • It’s A Game For The Geniuses
  • It’s Fun While It Lasts
  • Don’t Just Believe Everything
  • Stop, Think Then Decide
  • It’s A Skill Not Everyone Is Born With
  • Lucky If You Have It In Your Blood
  • Make An Effort To Do It
  • Never Hold Judgement Before Questioning Things
  • It’s The Way You Know Something Is Right Or Wrong
  • Be One Of The Few Critical Thinkers
  • It’s A Good Exercise For Your Mind

Related Reading: 159+ Quotes about Smiling and Moving on From Hardships with Grace 

  • It Creates A Creative Process In Your Mind
  • Always Analyzing Facts
  • Not Afraid Of Facts
  • Only Believe The Truth
  • Always Think Before Judging
  • Taking The Time To Analyze Things Before Judging Them
  • Active Conceptualizing And Evaluating Information
  • We Stick To The Truth
  • Always Unbiased Analysis
  • Reasoned Judgements All The Way
  • Judging Things Based On Facts Only
  • Deep Thinking And Studying Facts
  • Creative Ways To Solve Problems
  • Problem Solving With Critical Thinking
  • You’re Not Always Right
  • Not All Information Online Is Correct
  • Researching Is Your Best Friend
  • There’s No Harm In Questioning Facts Presented To You
  • Knowledge Is Power
  • Find Time To Enhance Your Critical Thinking Skills
  • Keep An Eye For New Information

Think. Don't just believe everything.

Think twice.

Critical Thinking Captions

  • If critical thinking was breakfast, everyone would be geniuses.
  • Some people are so lazy to think, what more critical thinking?
  • It’s one thing that people lack these days.
  • I wish doctors would subscribe critical thinking pills to those who need them.
  • It’s in the blood.
  • I love exercising my mind by critical thinking about almost everything that comes my way.
  • Once in a while, everyone should spend time a day doing critical thinking.
  • It doesn’t hurt to at least try and become a critical thinker.
  • Some people work so hard to exercise their bodies but not their minds.
  • Men who are critical thinkers are sexy.
  • Before deciding to do something, please spend some time thinking about it.
  • It can save you from embarrassment.
  • Want to be unique? Be a critical thinker.
  • Critical thinking should be formed a club with invite-only members.
  • Lazy people are not critical thinkers.
  • Critical thinking can help you solve problems.
  • You don’t always have to prove to people you’re right. You just show and tell them about critical thinking.
  • Don’t have a hobby? Then spend time improving your critical thinking skills.

What are critical thinking questions you can ask?

You can encourage critical thinking by asking the right questions. Here are some examples you can use. More often than not there are no specific right or wrong answers to these questions. But they do offer insights into the mind of someone being interviewed.

  • How do you know this?
  • Who can benefit from this?
  • Do you agree or disagree about his?
  • Who did you hear this information from?
  • Who is greatly affected by this?
  • How would you solve world hunger?
  • Why is this important?
  • Can how this affect the lives of people?
  • How would you improve throughput in this restaurant?
  • When is this acceptable?
  • How can you solve this issue?
  • What does the issue mean to you?
  • How can we be affected by this issue?
  • How does this harm others?
  • Why is this a problem?
  • How can we change this problem?
  • What do we do to solve this problem?

Why is this a problem?

Why is critical thinking important in your life?

Critical thinking is the practice of making reasoned judgments based on facts and information. By practicing critical thinking, you are able to make better decision in life and at work.

The skill of critical thinking helps you identify wrong or misleading information that results in bad life choices. It also allows us to be creative by not just thinking about how we can solve our problems, but also considering different ways to get a project done.

People without strong critical thinking skills are also less likely to reflect on their daily activities. They aren’t curious whether or not there is a better way to do things. They have a tendency to get stuck into a routine.

How can you improve critical thinking skills?

The good news is anyone can improve their critical thinking skills through practice. Here are different ways to  improve in this area of your life.

Question what you read.  Whether it’s an article online or a report from a newspaper, never believe anything at first glance. Always ask yourself “is this information accurate?” “How did they come up with this realization?”. Spend a little time researching the data and other information provided to get a sense of whether or not the conclusion is accurate.

Always consider more than one point of view.  It’s easy to be deceived and forced into an opinion by other people. Avoid that from happening by always considering the other side of the story. You might be surprised to find how logical the counter points are.

Related Reading: 97+ Critical Thinking Questions to Test Employee Decision Making 

Practice active listening.  When someone is sharing their opinion about something, listen to what they have to say to have a clear picture of their perspective and where they’re coming from. Listen without judgment and put yourself in another person’s shoes to help you have an open mind. Don’t rush to judgement.

Spot biased information.  We are surrounded by so much information. From news articles online to social media and newspapers… information is everywhere. To help improve your critical thinking skills, you must be able to spot biased or slanted content. This information may be shared through appealing emotions to the readers. Before believing anything, ask yourself “What is really the point of this information?”

Always ask questions.  Don’t just accept anything other people tell you. Question their claims. Asking questions can help you know more about a certain topic whether it’s about history, geography, or simple things such as sports and hobbies you’re not familiar with. It’s also a great start to a conversation with people who might be experts or more familiar with the topic at hand.

Always do your research.  When you’re not familiar with something, it’s no harm to go and do your own research. Research and note taking exercises helps the brain process and handle more information.

Critical thinking is a vital skill that can help people in so many ways. The way we make decisions in our lives have something to do with the way we decide on things. If you have no critical thinking skills that can help you make the right decision, you are more likely to be mislead.

Want to start your own food business?

Hey! 👋I’m Brett Lindenberg, the founder of Food Truck Empire.

We interview successful founders and share the stories behind their food trucks, restaurants, food and beverage brands. By sharing these stories, I want to help others get started.

If you liked this story, sign up for our newsletter that includes our food business startup kit and most popular interviews sent straight to your inbox.

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Critical thinking definition

short critical thinking quotes

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

  • Developing technical and problem-solving skills
  • Engaging in more active listening
  • Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
  • Seeking out more diversity of thought
  • Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

  • What information should be included?
  • Which information resources should the author look to?
  • What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
  • What is the most effective way to show information?
  • How should the report be organized?
  • How should it be designed?
  • What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

Are there any services that can help me use more critical thinking?

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  • Select the topic and the deadline of your essay.
  • Provide us with any details, requirements, statements that should be emphasized or particular parts of the essay writing process you struggle with.
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50 Short Quotes on Thinking from 50 Great Thinkers

by Kara Lane | Thinking

short critical thinking quotes

French philosopher and scientist Blaise Pascal reportedly once said, “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Being clear, complete, and concise requires more thought than simply rambling on and on until a point is made. When someone makes a profound statement in a sentence or two, it is not only more memorable, it is more impactful. Following are brief quotes attributed to some of the most successful thinkers of all time. Reflect on these quotes to clarify and focus your own thinking.

1. Albert Einstein : Imagination is more important than knowledge, for while knowledge defines everything we know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.

2. Alvin Toffler : The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.

3. Amelia Earhart : The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life, and the procedure, the process, is its own reward.

4. Anton Chekhov : Man is what he believes.

5. Aristotle : Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.

6. Benjamin Disraeli : Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.

7. Benjamin Franklin : Energy and persistence conquer all things.

8. Bertrand Russell : Many people would sooner die than think. In fact, they do.

9. Blaise Pascal : Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought.

10. Buddha : What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind.

11. Charles Bukowski : A life can change in a tenth of a second or sometimes it can take 70 years.

12. Confucius : If you look into your heart and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

13. David Hume : Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.

14. Denis Waitley : If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.

15. Eleanor Roosevelt : In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.

16. Ernest Holmes : My thought is in control of my experience, and I can direct my thinking.

17. F. Scott Fitzgerald : Either you think, or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you.

18. Frank Lloyd Wright : The thing always happens that you really believe in, and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

19. Frederick William Faber : Kind thoughts are rarer than either kind words or deeds. They imply a great deal of thinking about others. This in itself is rare. But they also imply a great deal of thinking about others without the thoughts being criticisms. This is rarer still.

20. General George Patton : A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow.

21. George Bernard Shaw : Few people think more than two or three times a year. I have made an international reputation for myself thinking once or twice a week.

22. Henri Bergson : To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.

23. Henry David Thoreau : Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.

24. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow : Thought takes man out of servitude, into freedom.

25. Herbert A. Otto : Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.

26. James Allen : All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts.

27. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe : To act is to decide. Knowing is not enough; we must act.

28. John Locke : I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.

29. John Naisbitt : We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.

30. John Wooden : There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.

31. Julius Caesar : Men willingly believe what they wish.

32. Lao-Tzu : Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

33. Leonardo da Vinci : Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works. You do more of what works. If it works big, others quickly copy it. Then you do something else. The trick is in the doing something else.

34. Mahatma Gandhi : As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.

35. Mark Twain : We like a man to come right out and say what he thinks, if we agree with him.

36. Michelangelo : If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn’t call it genius.

37. Muhammad Ali : It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.

38. Napoleon Hill : Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.

39. Norman Vincent Peale : The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results.

40. Plato : Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself.

41. Ralph Waldo Emerson : A man is what he thinks about all day long.

42. Rumi : Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself.

43. Socrates : To find yourself, think for yourself.

44. Soren Kierkegaard : Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.

45. Steve Jobs : Your thoughts construct patterns like scaffolding in your mind. You are really etching chemical patterns. In most cases, people get stuck in those patterns, just like grooves in a record, and they never get out of them.

46. Thomas Carlyle : Thought is the parent of the deed.

47. Thomas Paine : When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.

48. Viktor Frankl : Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

49. William James : Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

50. William Shakespeare : Thought is free.

I hope you enjoyed these thought-provoking quotes. If you’re interested in books about how to think more effectively, check out this post with 12 Books That Will Improve Your Thinking and Results.   

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Transitions and beginnings to a new you

50+ Best Thinking Quotes To Inspire Deep Insights And Creativity

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short critical thinking quotes

There is a distinction to be made between having thoughts and actually thinking. The first is something we all have, including animals, according to scientists. However, most of us do not engage in thinking, the act of actually forming and processing thoughts.

Thoughts are the random ramblings of our minds, and they rarely make sense. They are fleeting, and when a good idea appears, it vanishes just as fast.

Sometimes we have thoughts that even we don’t understand. Thoughts that aren’t even true—that aren’t really how we feel—but they’re running through our heads anyway because they’re interesting to think about. If you could hear other people’s thoughts, you’d overhear things that are true as well as things that are completely random. And you wouldn’t know one from the other. It’d drive you insane. What’s true? What’s not? A million ideas, but what do they mean?” ― Jay Asher

And that is why we need to take some time for ourselves to think.

When we say thinking it’s not about going full-on Albert Einstein, but rather thinking that has taken some time and significant processing before expressing or acting on it.

Because rash actions and unrestrained speech frequently get you into trouble. Thinking on the other hand allows you to deliberate with yourself, know and understand your thoughts, and channel your thinking toward a coherent, sensible, enlightening, and deep insight for creativity and action.

So if you want to improve your life, spare some of your time to think. Once the thinking is done, you can then proceed in doing.

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in. – Napoleon Bonaparte

Continue reading for 50+ more of the best thinking quotes to inspire deep insights and creativity.

50+ Best Thinking Quotes

Thinking quotes about life.

We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them. – Albert Einstein
Thinking is by far the most underrated activity. People consider it “unproductive” to sit on a bench and think. So they spend their lives doing things they never thought through. An hour of clear thinking can yield a conclusion that changes your life. – Johnny Uzan
We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking. – Santosh Kalwar
To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult of all. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Controlling your life starts with controlling your thoughts. – Dan Go
Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure. – Oliver Sacks
Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think. – Thomas A. Edison
Thoughts are circular, they don’t take you anywhere. They don’t have feet-they can’t gain any ground. They can trap you if you don’t eventually stand up and make a move. – Katie Kacvinsky
Thinking is learning all over again how to see, directing one’s consciousness, making of every image a privileged place. – Albert Camus
The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking. – Robert H Schuller
We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future generations. – David Brower
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. – Oscar Wilde
Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. – John Locke
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. – Albert Einstein
People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by the heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it. – Anthony de Mello
Thinking is man’s only basic virtue, from which all the others proceed. And his basic vice, the source of all his evils, is that nameless act which all of you practice, but struggle never to admit: the act of blanking out, the willful suspension of one’s consciousness, the refusal to think – not blindness, but the refusal to see; not ignorance, but the refusal to know. – Ayn Rand
The way forward is found on a path through the wilderness of the head and heart—reason and emotion. Thinking, knowing, understanding. – Laurence Gonzales
We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far. – Swami Vivekananda
Don’t wait for your feelings to change to take the action. Take the action and your feelings will change. – Barbara Baron
Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so. – Bertrand Russell
Words make you think. Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought. – Yip Harburg
…most people in the world don’t really use their brains to think. And people who don’t think are the ones who don’t listen to others. – Haruki Murakami
Thinking is a bit uncomfortable, but you’ll get used to it. A matter of time and practice. – Lloyd Alexander
The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones. – John Maynard Keynes
Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit that travels, it is the spirit that is experienced. That is why there exist contemplative souls who have lived more intensely, more widely, more tumultuously than others who have lived their lives purely externally. – Fernando Pessoa
Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way. – Edward de Bono
Thought moves with the different whereas silence lives inside those with the loudest voice. – Daniel Kemp
Thinking is the hardest work anyone can do, which is probably the reason why we have so few thinkers. – Thomas S. Monson

Deep thinking quotes

If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking. – Benjamin Franklin
Right thinking comes with self-knowledge. Without understanding yourself, you have no basis for thought. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking. – John Kenneth Galbraith
Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. – Steve Jobs
The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks. – Christopher Hitchens
The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. A second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. A first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking. – A.A. Milne
Pondering is a little like considering and a little like thinking, but looser. To ponder, one must let the facts roll around the rim of the mind’s roulette wheel, coming to settle in whichever slot they feed pulled to. – Christopher Moore
The greatest enemy of good thinking is busyness. – John C. Maxwell
Our thinking will automatically improve when we remember the words of Paul: ‘know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the spirit of God dwelleth in you? – Thomas S. Monson
The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking. – Albert Einstein
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. – Kahlil Gibran
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. – Albert Einstein

Thinking quotes funny

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde
I prefer not to think before speaking. I like being as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. – Unknown
Try walking forward while looking over your shoulder and see how far you get. The same goes for life. Look forward! – Martin Henderson
If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. – Jim Rohn
When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened. – Winston Churchill
I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability. – Oscar Wilde
Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing. – Dwight Schrute, The Office
Don’t waste so much time thinking about how much you weigh. There is no more mind-numbing, boring, idiotic, self-destructive diversion from the fun of living. – Meryl Streep
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. – Isaac Asimov
The lord gave us two ends: One to sit on and the other to think with. Success depends on which one we use the most. – Ann Landers

Self-thinking quotes

Thinking for yourself and making your own decisions can be frightening. Letting go of other people’s expectations can leave you feeling empty for a time. And yet seeing yourself as an independent adult who can stand up for your own choices frees you to accept yourself as you are. – Ellen Bass
The only means of strengthening one’s intellect is to make up one’s mind about nothing — to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. – John Keats
Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too. – Voltaire
Your thoughts have the power to control; our being, our emotions, and the way we view the world that surrounds us. If you don’t constantly re-think what you think of on a daily basis, how do you ever expect to evolve into a being of; wisdom, truth, understanding, love, and above all, to be there for others?  – Martin R. Lemieux
If you want someone to tell you what to think,” the phantom answered briskly, without looking up, “you will never be short of people willing to do so. – Frances Hardinge
I am not questioning God’s power! It is God who gave us reason and circumspection! It is God we serve by exercising prudence! – Dan Brown
Each person is chargeable with the essential task to make his or her thought processes as refined as possible. Every person must declare what important distinctions will allow him or her to live a vivid and reflection filled life. – Kilroy J. Oldster
You may believe that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. What you do comes from what you think. – Marianne Williamson

Why is thinking so important?

Thinking is an important mental process. It helps us in defining and organizing experiences including planning, learning, reflecting, and creating. It also serves as the basis for human reasoning, concept formation, problem-solving, and deliberation.

As such, active thinking is an important activity that we should all engage in for a better life. Here are a few reasons why thinking is important:

Thinking is what defines us as humans

Humans are unique in that we can extract or take out similarities between things and form a concept and interpret them accordingly, allowing us to acquire an infinite amount of knowledge about the world we live in.

Because we can see similarities and differences in concepts as well as definite or specific things, our knowledge potential far outstrips that of animals, distinguishing us from them.

Thinking is a key component of survival

Our ability to figure things out is critical to our survival. Because, whether we believe it or not, we as humans have no innate knowledge.

The “knowledge” we have right now comes from our memory, from everything we have learned from birth to the present.

So, in order to live and improve, we must use all of the information we have by thinking, figuring things out, and coming up with what is appropriate for the situation.

Thinking is our connection with reality

Connecting with reality requires an accurate assessment of what is going on based on our own understanding.

This is accomplished by thinking, through our very own information processing of facts gathered by our sensory data.

And since reality is not based on our emotions, feelings, therefore, have no place in the thinking process. As such, our feelings about reality should not be taken as accurate information.

This is because previous thoughts, ideas, events, comprehension, or interpretations also have a significant influence on our feelings. So, two people with very different sets of values, philosophies, and principles in life can have very different emotional reactions to the same thing.

Thinking is how we figure things out

Thinking allows for reasoning, deliberation, and problem-solving. It is how we find solutions and make sense of the world we live in.

So, before establishing goals, values, and strategies for achieving them, it is necessary to think. This is the only way we can gain knowledge and know which actions to take and how to keep living.

Thinking leads to effective action

All effective actions and behavior begin with having thoughts.

And the careful consideration of these thoughts, that is, going through a process that includes some planning, predicting, hypothesizing, calculating, and reasoning increases our chances of success in whatever we are attempting to accomplish.

Fosters a can-do attitude

Thinking promotes a positive, can-do attitude. It fosters a sense of ability and, as a result, self-esteem, because gaining knowledge boosts our self-confidence.

When we think and figure things out, we are informed, and we feel competent, capable of living, and thus worthy of living. This ability to perceive ourselves as competent and adept leads to healthy self-esteem and increased happiness.

In this sense, we can say that our happiness is proportional to our level of thinking. The more we think, the happier we become, whereas not thinking or, worse, not wanting to think, like avoiding anything that requires our attention, can never lead to genuine happiness.

Thinking leads to new discoveries

Thinking is the only way to discover new things, invent new things, and find better ways to do things.

This is how great discoveries in human history came about. Thinking is the process by which every advancement in our quality of life, the standard of living, and comfort was achieved.

So, with thinking, particularly rational thinking, you might just discover a new way of doing things that will advance your current progress.

Thinking allows for a more effective and happy life

Thinking is the only way to live an effective and happy life because it leads to deliberate action, resulting in the achievement of goals, and thus a sense of control over one’s life and self-esteem.

What happens in our lives is the result of our mind’s constant stream of decisions and choices. Our mind is the engine that drives our lives.

We need to think in order to make informed choices and decisions. Because thinking leads to knowledge acquisition, which in turn leads to making informed decisions.

In addition, our ability to think greatly influences our happiness. Thinking is therefore required to ensure that the outcomes leave us effective and happy.

To conclude, thoughts and thinking are distinct from one another. Thoughts are our minds’ random ramblings; they rarely make sense and are fleeting. In contrast, thinking is a process of defining and organizing experiences. It is also the foundation of human reasoning, concept formation, problem-solving, and deliberation.

Simply allowing random thoughts to swim around in our heads will not suffice. We need to give ourselves some time to think if only to avoid making hasty decisions and saying things that will land us in hot water.

But it is even more important for us to think for the following reasons.

  • Thinking is what makes us human.
  • Thinking is a basic tool we can use in order to survive.
  • Reality is based on our own thinking.
  • We can figure things out by way of thinking.
  • Thinking leads to effective action.
  • Thinking fosters a can-do attitude.
  • It leads to new discoveries. And
  • Thinking allows for a more effective and happy life.

It is therefore for these reasons that we have compiled a list of 50+ of the best thinking quotes to inspire deep insights and creativity. Return to this article each time you need inspiration about thinking and its importance.

Please share your thoughts or ideas about 50+ Best Thinking Quotes To Inspire Deep Insights And Creativity in the comments below. For more quotes, check out…

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80 Critical Thinking Quotes To Inspire You

Following is our list of the most famous critical thinking quotations and slogans. We've compiled this selection of inspirational critical thinking quotes. Hopefully, these critical thinking quotes will keep you motivated not only during hard times but to expand your critical thinking knowledge!

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Short Critical Thinking Quotes

Top 10 critical thinking quotes, more critical thinking quotes, the most famous critical thinking quotes.

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Thinking rationally is often different from "positive thinking," in that it is a realistic assessment of the situation, with a view towards rectifying the problem if possible. — Albert Ellis 51
Wisdom lies in thinking. The spear-head of thinking is rationalism. — Periyar E. V. Ramasamy 165
Be a free thinker and don't accept everything you hear as truth. Be critical and evaluate what you believe in. — Aristotle 595
Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence. — Thomas Szasz 103
People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking. — Albert Bandura 90
Thinking is different from perceiving and is held to be in part imagination, in part judgment — Aristotle 0
Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense. — Carl Sagan 51
I believe the ability to think is blessed. If you can think about a situation, you can deal with it. The big struggle is to keep your head clear enough to think. — Richard Pryor 129
Reflective thinking turns experience into insight. — John C. Maxwell 60
The thought: A logical inquiry — Gottlob Frege 27
Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who know only what to think. — Neil deGrasse Tyson 105
Question everything generally thought to be obvious. — Dieter Rams 42
Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. — Henry Ford 182
Logic: The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding. — Ambrose Bierce 32
All thinking begins with wondering — Socrates 0
  • Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason so few engage in it. — Henry Ford
  • Merciless criticism and independent thinking are the two necessary traits of revolutionary thinking. — Bhagat Singh
  • Great intellects are skeptical. — Friedrich Nietzsche
  • Teach a child how to think, not what to think. — Sidney Sugarman
  • Dare to think for yourself. — Voltaire
  • Children must be taught how to think, not what to think. — Margaret Mead
  • It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical — Boris Yeltsin
  • The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained. — David Bohm
  • Learn to see, listen, and think for yourself. — Malcolm X
  • Teach a man to reason and he will think for a lifetime. — Phil Plait
Before you react, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you criticize, wait. Before you quit, try. — Ernest Hemingway 289
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you. — Richard Dawkins 144
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. — Martin Luther King, Jr. 134
The greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think. — David Icke 112
Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbors that all his pictures are crooked. — Fulton J. Sheen 106
Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me, saying, 'Leonard, you took Me too seriously'? — Leonard Ravenhill 90
Read the greats in math, science, and philosophy. Ignore your contemporaries and news. Avoid tribal identification. Put truth above social approval. — Naval Ravikant 83
If you think your critics are wrong, prove it. If you think your haters are wrong, prove it. If you think you're right, prove it. Results have historically been the best way to prove you're right. — Patrick Bet-David 79
Cultivating intellectual diversity encourages critical thinking and ensures a more robust marketplace of ideas. — Bret Weinstein 78
If you eat, invest, and think according to what the ‘news’ advocates, you’ll end nutritionally, financially, and morally bankrupt. — Naval Ravikant 76

Critical Thinking Image Quotes

Critical thinking quote What you feel about another person, what you think or say about another eprson, what you do to anoth

People Writing About Critical Thinking

Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give. — William Arthur Ward 305

Critical thinking quote Before you act, listen. Before you react, think. Before you

We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely. — E. O. Wilson 130
Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work. — Adrienne Rich 124
Don't think for a minute that bad publicity and endless criticism don't leave their claw marks on everyone concerned. Your friends try to cheer you up by saying lightly, "I suppose you get used to it, and ignore it." You try. You try damned hard. But you never get used to it. It always wounds and hurts. — Ava Gardner 88
If the press really thinks Obama is Lincoln, they ought to treat him like they treated Bush, 'cause that's how they treated Lincoln. His critics compared Lincoln to an ape; they called him an illiterate baboon. — Ann Coulter 84
When it comes to thought, you should be in full control. Your brain’s job is to produce logic for you to consider. — Mo Gawdat 75
I think that most people underestimate the amount of effort that it takes to go from good to great, so they have this second voice that criticizes everything they do. — Alex Hormozi 71
If you eat, invest, and think according to what the ‘news’ advocates, you’ll end up bankrupt. — Naval Ravikant 71
Entertain the idea that what you’ve spent your entire life learning may not be entirely true. — Mo Gawdat 68
Simple probability and statistics should be taught in grades kindergarten through twelve and that analyzing games of chance such as coin matching, dice, and roulette is one way we can learn enough to think through such issues. — Edward O. Thorp 64
People who try to look smart by pointing out obvious exceptions actually signal the opposite. — Naval Ravikant 63
Think clearly from the ground up. Understand and explain from first principles. Ignore society and politics. Acknowledge what you have. Control your emotions. — Naval Ravikant 62
It is both possible (and even necessary) to simultaneously enjoy media while also being critical of its more problematic or pernicious aspects. — Anita Sarkeesian 61
You need to do some independent thinking, especially about the important things, and try to work them out for yourself. — Edward O. Thorp 61
I honestly do think that it is critical that we are continuously breaking records, because that represents us moving forward in exploration. — Peggy Whitson 59
What other people think of me is becoming less and less important; what they think of Jesus because of me is critical. — Cliff Richard 57
Thinking again can help you generate new solutions to old problems and revisit old solutions to new problems. It’s a path to learning more from the people around you and living with fewer regrets. — Adam Grant 57
I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critical piece of closing the achievement gap. — Margaret Spellings 56
I think of veganism humbly and holistically. It's about taking personal responsibility in a world so full of needless suffering. It's challenging one's self to open one's eyes and question society's assumptions and habits. It's about critical thinking and compassion and how we would like to see the world evolve. — Michael Greger 56
Everyone is susceptible to groupthink. Thinking independently is difficult, and lonely. — Lex Fridman 52
The WHO saying meat causes cancer only demonstrates that many scientists do not understand the difference between correlation and causation. — Layne Norton 52
When people in a democracy are not educated in the art of living -- to strengthen their conscience, compassion, and ability to question and think critically -- they can be easily manipulated by fear and propaganda. A democracy is only as wise as its citizens, and a democracy of ignorant citizens can be as dangerous as a dictatorship. — Paul K. Chappell 51
By following a strict prescriptive method, we become dumber, because we lose the ability to think for ourselves. — Mo Gawdat 51
The point of a liberal arts education is to learn how to think critically and independently, and to develop a sense of empathy for others. — Martha C. Nussbaum 51
The most used program in computers and education is PowerPoint. What are you learning about the nature of the medium by knowing how do to a great PowerPoint presentation? Nothing. It certainly doesnt teach you how to think critically about living in a culture of simulation. — Sherry Turkle 50
I think that a society cannot live without a certain number of irrational beliefs. They are protected from criticism and analysis because they are irrational. — Claude Levi-Strauss 50
School should teach how to think more than what to think. — Lex Fridman 50
I think especially in such an unstable economic environment, what people criticized him [Mitt Romney] for in 2008 his consistency, the fact that he was so strong, and I think people will find that appealing going into the 2012. That’s one of the things that I like about him — because he’s been consistent since he changed his mind. — Christine O'Donnell 48
I am the object of criticism around the world. But I think that since I am being discussed, then I am on the right track. — Kim Jong Il 48
Original thinkers doubt the default. — Adam Grant 48
I want to taste and glory in each day, and never be afraid to experience pain; and never shut myself up in a numb core of nonfeeling, or stop questioning and criticizing life and take the easy way out. To learn and think: to think and live; to live and learn: this always, with new insight, new understanding, and new love. — Sylvia Plath 47
I am unable to think of any critical, complex human activity that could be safely reduced to a simple summary equation. — Jerome Powell 47
You can't do extraordinary things in the world if you're spending time criticizing others because they don't look or behave the way you think they should. — Susan Elizabeth Phillips 44
What you need is a challenge network. I think of a challenge network as the group of your most thoughtful critics who are able to hold up a mirror so that you can see your blind spots and then know what you need to rethink. — Adam Grant 44

In Conclusion

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100 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (FAST)

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page .

Best Quotes – Very Short – Inspirational – Wise – Takeaways – Further Readings

short quotes wisdom

Here are 100 short inspirational quotes for you.

I’ve been collecting and using them since 2004.

And one thing I’ve learned is this:

The most effective and inspiring quotes are the shortest.

For example, one of the quotes I’ve repeated the most in my head is “stay hungry, stay foolish” by Steve Jobs.

It’s only 4 words long.

But it’s packed with wisdom and power.

The best part?

It’s a practical quote you can apply in your life.

Like most quotes you’ll find here.

So, I guarantee you’ll find inspiration FAST .

It’s a collection I’ve been upgrading and pruning for 19+ years.

I hope you’ll like it as much as I do.

Are you ready for great one-liners, simple thoughts, and wise sayings to start your day?

Let’s begin!

The Best Short Quotes

short quotes who brave free seneca wisdom

He who is brave is free. Seneca
You can totally do this.
We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough. Helen Keller
The fastest road to meaning and success: choose one thing and go all in. Maxime Lagacé
Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong. Winston Churchill
Try again. Fail again. Fail better. Samuel Beckett
Impossible is for the unwilling. John Keats
I can and I will.

short quotes pressure diamonds thomas carlyle wisdom

No pressure, no diamonds. Thomas Carlyle
Don’t tell people your plans. Show them your results.
Prove them wrong.
Good things happen to those who hustle. Anaïs Nin
Go forth on your path, as it exists only through your walking. Augustine of Hippo
No guts, no story. Chris Brady

short quotes take risk lose chance wisdom

Take the risk or lose the chance.
Screw it, let’s do it. Richard Branson
Boldness be my friend. William Shakespeare
Keep going. Be all in. Bryan Hutchinson
Dream big. Pray bigger.
If you want it, work for it.
Leave no stone unturned. Euripides

short quotes stay foolish stay sane maxime lagace wisdom

Stay foolish to stay sane. Maxime Lagacé
And so the adventure begins.
You can if you think you can. George Reeves
Whatever you are, be a good one. Abraham Lincoln
Broken crayons still color.
Grow through what you go through.
Do it with passion or not at all.

short quotes once choose hope anything possible christopher reeve wisdom

Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. Christopher Reeve
If it matters to you, you’ll find a way. Charlie Gilkey
She believed she could, so she did.
The past does not equal the future. Tony Robbins
Forget about style; worry about results. Bobby Orr
Success is the child of audacity. Benjamin Disraeli
Whatever you do, do with all your might. Marcus Tullius Cicero
If you’re going through hell, keep going. Winston Churchill

short quotes when nothing goes right go left wisdom

When nothing goes right, go left.
Every noble work is at first impossible. Thomas Carlyle
We are twice armed if we fight with faith. Plato
Be faithful to that which exists within yourself. André Gide
Let him that would move the world first move himself. Socrates
Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable. Paramahansa Yogananda

short quotes life message gandhi wisdom

My life is my message. Mahatma Gandhi
I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. Euripides
The true success is the person who invented himself. Al Goldstein
Fall seven times, stand up eight. Japanese proverb
Each day provides its own gifts. Marcus Aurelius
  • 79 Positive Quotes To Uplift Yourself
  • 77 Life Lessons Quotes (To Learn And Grow)
  • 57 Life Goes On Quotes That Will Move You

Very Short Quotes (For Tattoos, Mantras, etc.)

short quotes go wisdom

I love you.
You matter.
Choose joy.
Choose happy.
Take it easy.
Be in the now.

short quotes live the moment wisdom

Live the moment.
Keep going.
Keep your chin up.
Relax. Seriously. Ryan Holiday
Paradise is a mindset. Maxime Lagacé
Keep moving forward.
Fear less. Love more.
Work hard. Stay humble.
Enjoy the little things.
The best is yet to come.
Collect moments – not things.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
It’s not a loss, it’s a lesson.

More Short Inspirational Quotes

short quotes voice not echo wisdom

Be a voice. Not an echo.
Every wall is a door. Ralph Waldo Emerson
If youth knew; if age could. Sigmund Freud
Time is the soul of this world. Pythagoras
Life begins where fear ends. Osho
Stars can’t shine without darkness.
Be who you needed when you were young.
Find what you love and let it kill you. Charles Bukowski

Related : 10 Gentle Ways to Find Inspiration in Everyday Life (andymort.com)

short quotes yesterday take too much today will rogers wisdom

Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. Will Rogers
The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship. William Blake
Peace of mind is freedom from desire. Shane Parrish
Know yourself and you will know what to do. Maxime Lagacé
The less you want, the richer you are. Yanni
You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop. Rumi
Freedom is taking what comes. Maxime Lagacé

Small And Simple Quotes

short quotes have odd number one dr seuss wisdom

You have to be odd to be number one. Dr. Seuss
Wherever you are, be there totally. Eckhart Tolle
The quieter you become, the more you can hear. Ram Dass
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent. Martin Luther King Jr
Failure is success if we learn from it. Malcolm Forbes

short quotes chop your own wood henry ford wisdom

Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice. Henry Ford
It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. Henry David Thoreau
What counts can’t always be counted; what can be counted doesn’t always count. Albert Einstein
The man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. James Crook
Fools chase. The wise relax. Maxime Lagacé

Key Takeaways

  • Life is short . Be patient with results and impatient with actions.
  • You can accomplish many things. But start with ONE and give it your 100%. Then go to the next.
  • Choose hope and positivity. But remember: what’s valuable is not easy.
  • Stop overthinking. Planning is fine, but life gets better when you expect less and trust more.
  • You have one life. And it’s right now. In front of you. So GO!

Further Readings

  • Topic: Life
  • 100 Life Quotes To Transform Your Life Today
  • 100 One Word Quotes (For Quick Inspiration)
  • 101 Two Word Quotes (Find Motivation And Inspiration)
  • 100+ Of The Most Famous Quotes Of All Time
  • 75 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
  • 5 Ways to Find Inspiration (hint: stop looking for it!) (notsomoderngirl.com)
  • How To Get Motivated Now (becalmwithtati.com)
  • 120 Inspirational Quotes For Teens To Cheer Yourself Up
  • 100 Inspirational Quotes For Women To Empower You
  • 130 Inspirational Quotes For Men
  • 87 Deep Quotes That Will Make You Think

Hope you liked these short inspirational quotes! If you did, share one of them with a friend today!

What’s your favorite short quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.

Pin this image!

short inspirational quotes wisdom

Was this helpful?

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." -Aristotle

short critical thinking quotes

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100 Great Thinking Quotes That Will Challenge Your Mind

  • February 3, 2023
  • Quotes and Instagram Captions , Social Media
  • by Epifania

Have you ever found a sign, quote, or phrase that captures the essence of what you were thinking? We all have!

Whether we stumble upon these serendipitous phrases or they come to us in times of reflection, having words to define our thoughts can be a real confidence booster. Here we’ve rounded up 100 quotes about thinking – from inspiring and powerful phrases to clever talking points.

Get your inspirational fuel flowing and use these quotes to give yourself and others the courage to pursue their ambitions, dreams, and goals.

100 Inspiring Quotes, Sayings & Captions About Thinking

  • A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. – William James
  • Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence. – Thomas Szasz
  • Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? – Winnie the Pooh
  • Few minds wear out; more rust out. – Christian N. Bovee
  • The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. – Aristotle
  • It is well for people who think, to change their minds occasionally in order to keep them clean. – Luther Burbank
  • Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change. – Wayne Dyer
  • Language shapes the way we think and determines what we can think about. – Benjamin Lee Whorf
  • Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. – Henry Ford
  • Misery is almost always the result of thinking. – Joseph Joubert
  • Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic. – Edward de Bono
  • Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it. –  Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • What we think, we become. – Buddha
  • A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking about. – Jerry Seinfeld
  • A good listener is usually thinking about something else. – Kin Hubbard
  • The power of imagination makes us infinite. – John Muir
  • A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right. – Thomas Paine
  • Your thoughts become things. – Mike Dooley
  • Imagination is more important than knowledge. – Albert Einstein
  • A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes. – Mahatma Gandhi
  • If you can change your mind, you can change your life. – William James
  • Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life’s too short to think small. – Tim Ferriss
  • Because you are alive, everything is possible. – Thich Nhat Han
  • The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things. – Reiner Maria Rilke
  • Much of the secret of life consists in knowing how to laugh, and also how to breathe – Alan Watts
  • Suffering is part of our training program for becoming wise. – Ram Dass
  • There are some things so serious that you have to laugh at them. – Niels Bohr
  • The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper – Bertrand Russe 
  • A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. – Herm Albright
  • People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. – Zig Ziglar
  • Positive anything is better than negative nothing. – Elbert Hubbard
  • The stone age didn’t end because the world ran out of stones. – Niels Bohr
  • Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together – Brene Brown
  • Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. – Mahatma Gandhi
  • May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful and don’t forget to make some art – write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. – Neil Gaiman
  • The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes. – William James
  • Go out into the world where your heart calls you. The blessings will come, I promise you that. I wish for you the insight to recognize the blessings as such, and sometimes it’s hard. But you’ll know it’s a blessing if you are enriched and transformed by the experience. So be ready. There are great souls and teachers everywhere. It’s your job to recognize them. – Sy Montgomery
  • There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it. – Amanda Gorman
  • Where there’s hope, there’s life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again. – Anne Frank
  • What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence. – Samuel Johnson
  • It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle
  • The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
  • The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
  • If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. – Derek Bok
  • It is today we must create the world of the future. – Eleanor Roosevelt
  • It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. – Albert Einstein
  • The objective of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. – Robert Maynard Hutchin
  • An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don’t. – Anatole France
  • Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it. – William Haley
  • Do not confine your children to your own learning for they were born in another time. – Hebrew Proverb
  • Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve. – Roger Lewin
  • The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. – Henri Bergson
  • If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right. – Mary Kay Ash
  • The main tenet of design thinking is empathy for the people you’re trying to design for. Leadership is exactly the same thing – building empathy for the people that you’re entrusted to help. – David Kelley
  • The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. – Confucius
  • You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. – Henry Ford
  • Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. – Will Rogers
  • We spend a lot time designing the bridge, but not enough time thinking about the people who are crossing it. – Dr. Prabhjot Singh
  • Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough. –  Elon Musk
  • Human-centered design is a philosophy, not a precise set of methods, but one that assumes that innovation should start by getting close to users and observing their activities. – Donald A. Norman
  • It’s not ‘us versus them’ or even ‘us on behalf of them.’ For a design thinker, it has to be ‘us with them’. – Tim Brown
  • Fail often so you can succeed sooner. – Tom Kelley
  • It’s through mistakes that you can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good. -Paula Scher
  • Don’t underestimate the ripple effect of what you do.  – Leila Janah
  • We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein
  • A good idea is something that does not solve just one single problem but rather can solve multiple problems at once.  –  Shigeru Miyamoto
  • Creativity is to discover a question that has never been asked. If one brings up an idiosyncratic question, the answer he gives will necessarily be unique as well. -Kenya Hara
  • Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas.  –  Donatella Versace
  • We’re experimenting with new methods and techniques, we’re seeing lots of crazy ideas (plants that Tweet! social networking around virtual farms!), and we’re seeing culture being shaped by the very things we’re designing. – Daniel Brown
  • It’s really just a matter of time and resources; if you have those then anything is possible. – Hironobu Sakaguchi
  • It’s your inner truth. If you’re doing your best work and you think it’s work that helps other people, who can tear you down?  – Brit Morin
  • Our life is what our thoughts make it. – Marcus Aurelius
  • I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. – Muhammad Ali
  • If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
  • Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely. – Roy T. Bennett
  • Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. – Napoleon Hill
  • You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, and find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this. – Henry David Thoreau
  • Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. – Anthony J. D’Angelo
  • If you put negative thoughts into your mind, you’re going to get negative results. It’s just as true that if you put positive thoughts in your mind, you will be a recipient of positive results. – Lou Holtz
  • When you go through a negative situation, don’t think about it. Make it positive. – Yoko Ono
  • Promise yourself that you will talk about health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible. – John Wooden
  • Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. – William James, psychologist, philosopher
  • We become what we think about. – Earl Nightingale
  • To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. – Henry David Thoreau
  • The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times. – Zig Ziglar
  • Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation. – Michael Jordan
  • People who express their thoughts aggressively are not necessarily right.
  • If something appeared in a newspaper, magazine, or on TV, it does not mean that it is always true
  • What other think do not determine who I am.
  • I am not bound by other people’s thoughts and opinions.
  • It requires inner strength not to respond to everything people say.
  • You let people control you and play with your ropes when you respond with anger to ideas that you do not accept. Staying calm, without the need to respond shows inner strength and being free.
  • People with self-confidence are not afraid of what others think.
  • You don’t need to be part of the collective mindset. You can create different thoughts and ideas.
  • What seems true for someone doesn’t mean that it has to be true for you.
  • A great number of people blend with the group that feels they are part of. They do not show individuality.
  • When I think of you, I think of kindness, wisdom, and love. Thanks for being you. – Sam Crow
  • I think I’d miss you even if we never met. – The Wedding Date
  • Maybe if you can’t get somebody out of your head, they’re supposed to be there. – Unknown

Thinking is an important part of life, allowing us to make informed decisions and contemplate our choices. After reading through these quotes about thinking, I have come to the conclusion that it is vital to think deeply before making a decision.

Thinking can bring us closer to understanding ourselves and the world around us in various ways. We should never underestimate its power by taking shortcuts or rushing our choices.

Taking time to truly reflect on the impact of our actions will empower us as individuals and help create a better future for all of us.

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COMMENTS

  1. 40 Of The Best Quotes About Critical Thinking

    A. A. Milne: "The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. A second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. A first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.". Adrienne Rich: "Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it ...

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    Quotes tagged as "critical-thinking" Showing 1-30 of 458. "Doubt as sin. — Christianity has done its utmost to close the circle and declared even doubt to be sin. One is supposed to be cast into belief without reason, by a miracle, and from then on to swim in it as in the brightest and least ambiguous of elements: even a glance towards land ...

  3. TOP 25 CRITICAL THINKING QUOTES (of 112)

    George Carlin. Running, Smart, Thinking. 296 Copy quote. Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. Henry Ford. Inspirational, Funny, Motivational. 196 Copy quote. Show source. It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

  4. Critical Thinking Quotes

    Critical Thinking Quotes - BrainyQuote. Critical thinking and curiosity are the key to creativity. Amala Akkineni. Standardized testing is at cross purposes with many of the most important purposes of public education. It doesn't measure big-picture learning, critical thinking, perseverance, problem solving, creativity or curiosity, yet those ...

  5. The Power of Critical Thinking: 56 Critical Thinking Quotes

    Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.". - Martin Luther King Jr. "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.". - Daniel J. Boorstin. "The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.". - Albert Einstein.

  6. 12 Inspiring Critical Thinking Quotes For Students

    Critical thinking quotes for students. 1. "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."—. Albert Einstein. Few men in history have had the critical thinking skills of Albert Einstein. One of the characteristics of extremely competent critical thinkers is their inherent curiosity.

  7. 34 Best Learning Quotes For Critical Thinking

    Critical Thinking Quotes for Students. 27. "Children are rarely taught critical thinking anymore, and society has become so antirational that basic reason and evidence are the new countercultures: thought is the new punk." ― Stefan Molyneux. 28. "Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others."

  8. Critical Thinking Sayings and Quotes

    Use it, and reach your own decisions. Napoleon Hill. 1. Copy. Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it. Henry Ford. 3. Copy. We put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking.

  9. 7 Powerful Critical Thinking Quotes

    1. "The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.". Albert Einstein. What's considered important in school is unusable in real life. You are trained and optimized around remembering facts about the past that make little positive difference about your future.

  10. The 10 Best Quotes about critical thinking

    critical thinking. concepts. 08. "Quarry the granite rock with razors, or moor the vessel with a thread of silk; then may you hope with such keen and delicate instruments as human knowledge and human reason to contend against those giants, the passion and the pride of man.". John Henry Newman.

  11. Teaching Critical Thinking Quotes by bell hooks

    Teaching Critical Thinking Quotes. "Patriarchy has no gender.". "Knowledge rooted in experience shapes what we value and as a consequence how we know what we know as well as how we use what we know.". "None of us, irrespective of our sexual preference and/or practice, imagine that we can have an intimate relationship with a partner ...

  12. Great Thinking Quotes

    Top 10 Quotes on Thinking. "A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.". — William James. "Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence.". — Thomas Szasz. " Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?".

  13. Richard Paul Quotes (Author of Critical Thinking)

    24 quotes from Richard Paul: 'Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you're thinking in order to make your thinking better.', 'Intellectual empathy requires us to think within the viewpoints of others, especially those we think are wrong.', and 'The over-whelming preponderance of people have not freely decided what to believe, but, rather, have been socially conditioned ...

  14. 103+ Critical Thinking Quotes that Stimulate Beautiful Minds

    Critical Thinking Quotes. "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we create them.". - Anonymous. "The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.". - Anonymous. "If there was one life skill everyone on the planet needed, it was the ...

  15. Quotes about Critical Thinking (77 quotes)

    We've never needed people to think more critically than now, and they've taken a big nap. Votes: 4. Alec Baldwin. Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb enough to passively accept their situation. Votes: 3.

  16. Using Critical Thinking in Essays and other Assignments

    Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement. Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process ...

  17. Thinking Quotes

    Quotes About Thinking. "The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.". Albert Einstein. "Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.". Napoleon Hill.

  18. 50 Short Quotes on Thinking from 50 Great Thinkers

    17. F. Scott Fitzgerald: Either you think, or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you. 18. Frank Lloyd Wright: The thing always happens that you really believe in, and the belief in a thing makes it happen. 19.

  19. 50+ Best Thinking Quotes To Inspire Deep Insights And Creativity

    So if you want to improve your life, spare some of your time to think. Once the thinking is done, you can then proceed in doing. Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in. - Napoleon Bonaparte. Continue reading for 50+ more of the best thinking quotes to inspire deep insights and creativity.

  20. 75 Courageous Critical Thinking Quotes (importance of critical thinking

    Inspirational critical thinking quote The Most Famous Critical Thinking Quotes. Go to table of contents. All thinking begins with wondering — Socrates 0. It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical — Boris Yeltsin 27

  21. 100 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (FAST)

    Here are 100 short inspirational quotes for you. I've been collecting and using them since 2004. And one thing I've learned is this: The most effective and inspiring quotes are the shortest. For example, one of the quotes I've repeated the most in my head is "stay hungry, stay foolish" by Steve Jobs. It's only 4 words long.

  22. 100 Great Thinking Quotes That Will Challenge Your Mind

    A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. - William James. The power of imagination makes us infinite. - John Muir. A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right. - Thomas Paine. Your thoughts become things. - Mike Dooley.

  23. Short Critical Thinking Quotes

    Short Critical Thinking Quotes - Level: College, High School, University, Master's, PHD, Undergraduate. Medicine and Health. Anne. ID 11550. Nursing Management Business and Economics History +104. 260 King Street, San Francisco. Updated Courtyard facing Unit at the Beacon! This newly remodeled…