What Are The Most Common

Types of Thinking?

People access problem-solving in different ways, and the way they

visualize and think about problems and life, in general, varies from
person to person and the types of thinking.

Our approach to problem-solving is one of the defining traits of our

character, and learning which type of thinker you are can help you be
more efficient both on the personal, and professional levels.

In this article, we will explore which types of thinking exist, and learn
about the importance of critical thinking skills.
What are the Different Types of Thinkers?

Thinking only helps strengthen what you already have, a brain.

-Jim Kwik, Author of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Program

So, let’s see in what way could you improve your brain, depending on
which type of thinker you are. There are 5 types of thinkers:

1. Intuitive thinkers

Intuitive thinkers follow their emotions: if an action feels right to them,

then it’s an action worth undertaking. They are very empathetic, easily
sensing and responding to the emotions of others.

However, thinkers of this type don’t care much for rationality and
analysis. They may sometimes react according to the emotions they are
experiencing in the moment, disregarding the future consequences of
their actions.

2. Creative thinkers

Minds of creative thinkers are ever at work. They think way ahead than
most people around them. They like to come up with novel solutions to
the old problems or focus on solving bigger issues than most of the
others.

Often, many of their ideas are not applicable in current situations, but
that does not deter them in the least. If one idea does not work, the other
surely will; and once they find the right one, they will focus on its
execution with all their passion.
3. Logical thinkers

Logical or analytical thinking is the one that can be proved by using a

mathematical approach. Thus, logical thinkers are systematic and
calculative, preferring to solve problems methodically and step by step.

They never act in the spur of the moment, or leap to a conclusion – they
carefully consider all factors before acting, speaking or making any kind
of decision. This trait of theirs makes them excellent organizers and
planners.

On the other hand, logical thinkers can focus on details and outcome,
neglecting the emotional climate around them. This can lead to
complications in solving complex problems that involve the
participation of multiple stakeholders.

4. Rational thinkers

People with rational thinking tend to observe all sides of a problem,

carefully consider all possibilities, and after determining the best
possible outcome, they make a decision. Often they are also called
reasonable as they can make decisions without letting emotions or biases
get in the way.

Rational thinkers even in dramatic moments are able to stay cool and
evaluate the situation from a side. They are great at looking at the bigger
picture and making decisions that are fair for everyone.

5. Visionary thinkers

Visionaries are those who push the civilization forward. They are
leaders, inventors, those who love nothing else than to delve into
uncharted waters. Visionary thinkers are great motivators and
charismatic influencers.

Deeply focused on all the possibilities, their endeavors can pay off both
to other people and themselves. They rarely bother with the everyday
practical details regarding the actual realization of their visions. They
leave those to logical and rational thinkers.

How to Identify Which Type of Thinker You are?

Basically, you need to identify the focus of your thoughts.

Are you ahead of everyone when it comes to figuring out novel
solutions? Do you have some extraordinary “think outside of the box
solutions” when everyone else are silent? Then, most certainly, you are a
creative thinker.

Do you find (or at least can imagine) yourself in front of thousands of

other people spreading the word for the sake of our civilization? Are you
pushing everything forward and find practical details unimportant?
Definitely, you are a visionary thinker.

In order to identify which type of thinker you are, it all comes down to
finding your true focus in problem-solving situations. We all have the
components of creativity, visionary, logic, or intuition as parts of our
mindset, but in fact, only one of them is the primary component.

That primary component puts us in a certain category of thinkers.

What are the Six Critical Thinking Skills?

Now that we’ve seen some traits of the different types of thinkers, let us
talk about critical thinking skills. Why critical thinking is so important?
Well, we all need these skills to navigate our everyday lives. When we
are facing any problem, we are using critical thinking.

Although this type is more common with logical and rational thinkers,
all types of thinkers can benefit from developing critical thinking skills.

There are six crucial critical thinking skills:

 Identification: In this step, we identify the problem and all its

possible causes. Once the issue is determined, we can start looking
for a possible solution.
 Research: Find the source of the information for presented
arguments especially if you notice they are not properly supported
or they are out of context.
 Bias Identification: In order to properly develop critical thinking,
we must learn to identify our biases and set them aside so that we
can objectively assess the situation.
 Inference: This ability allows you to draw conclusions based on
the data you have. Bear in mind though, the data you get will not
always be perfectly organized or analyzed, so conclusions based
upon rough data will not always be correct.
 Determining relevance: This helps us decide which information is
the most important one for us.
 Curiosity: This is more of a personality trait rather than a skill but
it is crucial for critical thinking. Question everything – the more
you ask, the more you learn, and the more your critical thinking
grows.