Be successful by Critical Thinking: Preconditions, Methods, and a Guide for Independent Reflection

As manager, soldier or even as an ordinary person watching TV – critical thinking is an essential skill for navigating complex information and making reasoned decisions. If you do not manage to do this you will fail. You are a victim in Cognitive Warfare. It may not only mean voting for the wrong party or buying the wrong car. Your career decisions, your martial bliss, your happiness – all in your life depends on the following rules.

You are not in school anymore – but you should apply basic routines as if you were

Several key preconditions and teaching methods support the cultivation of critical thinking effectively. Drawing from a detailed study, these insights can be adapted into a practical guide to help adults independently reflect on news, opinions and narratives. 

By using a structured decision-making method such as the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) you will be able to build your own mental classroom around you where you can elaborate what to do next or what to think about certain issues. 

Preconditions for Critical Thinking

Positive outcomes arise from good relationships between learners and teachers, marked by feelings of safety and trust. A shared sense that learning and life are continuous moral quests helps foster engagement. The environment must support open expression—knowledge, opinions, and experiences should be all sayable, audible, visible, and do-able. By that, learners can practically test theoretical ideas. Crucially, pre-existing values within individuals must be acknowledged and debated rather than ignored, creating a fertile ground for genuine critical reflection.

Adapted to your all-day situation – being aware that you actually may ride by bus or car and not sitting in the classroom of your hometown village anymore – you must train and care the dialogue with your inner self. And that means speaking to your shoulder angel and the shoulder devil on the other side. Remind yourself that your inner dialogue is a safe space where thoughts and feelings can be openly expressed without criticism. 

Use gentle, supportive language in your inner conversations to build a sense of trust within yourself. Frame your inner dialogue as a journey of continuous growth and ethical inquiry. Ask yourself reflective questions such as: “What can I learn from this? How can this experience deepen my understanding and values?”

Allow all thoughts, ideas, doubts, and feelings to be “said” internally—don’t suppress or dismiss any part of your mental content. Visualize or “hear” yourself expressing your knowledge, opinions, and experiences clearly and completely in your inner dialogue.

Imagine scenarios in which you can “try out” theoretical ideas mentally, exploring consequences and emotions associated with them. Reflect on prior experiences to see how these ideas played out in real life, reinforcing a connection of thought to practice.

Bring awareness to your foundational beliefs and values in your inner conversations. Allow space for questioning and debating these values: “Do I still hold this belief? What supports or challenges it?” Engage with your inner self as if in a respectful debate partner relationship.

Stay attentive to your inner dialogue without rushing or forcing conclusions. Accept uncertainty and complexity as natural parts of critical reflection. Do not force any decisions. Your mental inner dialogue will continue – even when you are asleep – and once having found an idea how to proceed, you will be the first to know it. Believe me.

Critical Thinking and Using the OODA Loop

The OODA loop—(Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is a good a mental framework to critically examine information constantly. To get used to it, write it on the skin of your hands. It may take some days but you will not miss it anymore once the ink has vanished – as it is a wonderful helper to get clarity for yourself.

Observe means: Notice new information from media, friends, or community as such. Be aware of your own emotional reactions or biases triggered.

Orient: Reflect on personal values and previous knowledge. Question the source, purpose, and context of the information. Consider alternative viewpoints and the underlying assumptions. Judge your “friends” harshly. Maybe they aren’t what they want you believe.

Decide: Use reasoned judgement to assess credibility and relevance. Decide whether to accept, seek more information, or reject the information. You may believe in a single truth but there is never a single source of truth.

Act: Respond appropriately—this might be sharing informed opinions, seeking further dialogue, or disengaging from misleading narratives. Once being convinced you should be active.

By following this cyclical process, you maintain intellectual autonomy, continuously refine your own understanding and you will resist misinformation better than before.

Become informed and decided

Cultivating the art of critical thinking requires deep reflection. With structured mental tools like the dialogue with your inner voices and the OODA loop you empower yourself to navigate through complex information landscapes independently and critically.

This is a never ending inner process you will love as it gives you certainty and freedom. Believe in your reflected self – and be open to the arguments of both, your inner angel and devil.