There is a perpetual whisper of discontent

Flexibility Critical thinking implies the ability to doubt that what we perceive or believe we perceive is true, accepting the possibility that there are alternatives other than the one or proposals. Thus, some mental flexibility is necessary that allows us to visualize that other perspectives than usual can be objective and produce the desired results. His fingers have become one with the piano keys. Enraptured by the melody, the music seems to well from within his soul. She is so absorbed in the conversation that when she eventually looks at her watch, she is shocked to find that two hours have passed. Athletes call it `being in the zone'; It is a state of total absorption in the task at hand. Our focus is narrowed; It is in this state that peak performance happens. This gives us our final rule for the confidence game: Rule 10: The key to peak performance is total engagement in the task. THE THREE PHASES OF PERFORMANCE People who are fearful posture more than those who are unafraid. Do I detect fearfulness or defensiveness in the nonverbal cues I hear, see, and feel? For example, does the other person refuse to make eye contact with me? How congruent am I? Does what I am saying convey what I am feeling? Am I asking for what I need? Listening Is the Healing Heart

Listening is the real art in diplomacy and negotiation because the words people use when they are upset rarely convey the issues and needs at the heart of their problems. Good listeners watch to see that the spoken words correspond with the unspoken communication. When we listen for what is felt as well as said, we connect more deeply to our own needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Logic and bias detection The ability to visualize the logic or lack of it in the things we analyze, as well as the possible failures and biases the affirmations and thoughts may have regarding them, is fundamental in this aspect. If we are not able to detect specific aspects of the argument that do not just correspond to reality or to those that lack explanation, it is not possible to make a founded criticism. Theory of the mind It is necessary to bear in mind that all the affirmations and opinions are elaborated by human beings, who present their opinions based on what they consider correct. Thus, knowledge may be biased even on purpose, if an objective is sought with its transmission. Ability to doubt things In order not to accept any explanation it is necessary to be able to question the truth of it. However, it is necessary that the doubts be limited to the reasonable, otherwise the existing principle could be doubted. And while it would be a critical type of thinking, excessive skepticism would not lead to any resolution. In their excellent article The Psychology of Enhancing Human Performance psychologists Frank Gardner and Zella Moore describe three phases of performance: the pre-performance phase, the performance phase, and the post-performance response phase. As you read on, keep in mind that when it comes to sport, business and stage performance, these three phases are easy to distinguish, but when it comes to performance in other domains of life such as parenting, painting, socialising or writing articles, the phases are not so distinct; The pre-performance phase This phase is all about preparation, training and practice. This is where we read articles, attend training and practise our essential skills (especially mindfulness skills). We'll need to come back repeatedly to our values - especially self-development and persistence; The performance phase

This where it all comes together: where we apply the skills effectively in the performance situation. The key here is `task-focused attention'. In other words, our attention must be focused on whatever is essential to do the task well. Listening in this way also strengthens us, informs us, and makes it easier for others to hear us. Greg: The Man Who Moved Mountains with His Ears People with mental illness face a further handicap of having an unrealistic stigma associated with their mental problems. Generations of B horror movies have planted fear in people's minds about mental illness. As the director of a mental health facility, Greg faced the challenge of this negative perception when he was looking for space to permanently house sixty-five mentally ill occupants. After years of searching, an affordable building was found in a partially residential neighborhood. The biggest problem with getting the project off the ground was acquiring the necessary approval by the city council. Neighbors were organizing a campaign to speak out against the development when it came up for a council vote. Greg knew it would be an uphill battle to convince the neighbors that the project actually would be good for their neighborhood and represented no risk to them. Motivation and curiosity To doubt something it is very useful that what we doubt is significant. We can be critical of something that does not matter to us, but the presence of a high motivation and curiosity regarding the subject or the arguments given implies that we will try to find a truthful and justifiable solution. Methods to Enhance Critical Thinking True critical thinkers are disciplined about the function of solving situations. They honour the rigour of work, the routines and habits that lead to the expected result and exercise emotional intelligence through self-awareness and self-control. Successful critical thinkers focus on goals, not obstacles.

They do not give the answers, but the opportunity to solve the problem. The elegant trick of critical thinking has much to do with features of strategic brilliance. While producing tangible and achievable results, both remain within themselves, invisible to the eyes. Whether we're kicking a ball, writing a article, chairing a meeting, sharing ideas, making love, playing with our kids, painting a portrait, strumming a guitar, or giving a speech, the spotlight needs to shine only on what is relevant for successful action. Here are a few things that definitely should not be in the spotlight: thoughts about what you look like; These thoughts, and many others, do nothing more than distract us from the task at hand. But knowing this intellectually and telling ourselves not to have such thoughts will not stop them from appearing. So what are we to do? This is where we require all our mindfulness skills: defusion from unhelpful thoughts, expansion around difficult feelings, and total engagement in the task-relevant aspects of our experience. As elite cricketer Justin Langer describes it in his article Seeing the Sunrise: `As a batsman, at the moment the bowler lets go of the ball, my mind must be completely focused on that ball and nothing else. While we can't eliminate unhelpful thoughts and difficult feelings, we can make space for them while remaining focused and engaged in what we are doing. And the greater our ability to do this, the better our performance. Only once our skills are sufficiently developed to meet the demands of the situation can we expect to enter `the zone', or a state of `flow'. He expected his job to be difficult because the neighbors felt threatened and he understood the depth of people's fears. In Greg's experience, no matter what he said or did, some people would never be swayed from their fearful view of those who are mentally ill. He also knew that while a few of the neighbors were already behind the project, the vast majority felt conflicted about it. To gain the support of this large group of people, Greg had to do more than simply understand their concerns; Meeting with them and listening to their points of view was a time-consuming process, but well worth the effort. By hearing the people's apprehensions and addressing them, Greg also had a chance to describe the benefits of the project and its safety precautions. When the building was finally approved and built, the neighbors not only liked it but also felt safe enough to frequent the thrift shop and mini-mart run by community members.

In time, a close and supportive relationship developed among the new and the established members of the neighborhood. Becoming a More Effective Listener When we are quarreling with someone, it is wise to listen until we understand the other person's real concerns and they acknowledge feeling that they are truly being heard. Renowned Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu, known for the classic Art of War, understood the subtlety by stating, Everyone can see my tactics of conquest, but what no one can understand is the strategy that each victory involves. The same holds true for the art of critical thinking. To better understand the mark of a critical thinker, think about the movie Star Wars and its Jedi characters. Much of the mysterious power is camouflaged and hidden. The manner in which Jedi-like sages produce their results reflects their impartial state of mind and intent of thought. Even mysterious, critical thinking gurus can be found. It is up to us to look more closely and realize that behind a result is a disciplined process at play. We can find this out in two ways. First, look for patterns that repeat in smart solutions. Second, think of a critical thinker that you respect. If we don't have adequate skills, naturally we will struggle. However, we shouldn't try to force a state of flow; Flow states arise spontaneously under two conditions: a) our skills are good enough for the task; It is in these states of mindful, focused action that humans perform at their peak: the golfer melds with the golf club; The post-performance response phase How we respond after our performance is just as important as what happens before and during it. Regardless of how well or poorly we did, the healthiest attitude is to reflect mindfully on our performance, and learn and grow from it.