I was sitting here thinking about how overwhelming life feels lately. Does it ever feel to you like we’re just reacting to things? Like we’re on a high-speed train, making snap decisions about our careers, our relationships, and our future, without ever really checking the map?
I stumbled upon this short, powerful video by Helen Lee Bouygues on critical thinking, and it brought me a lot of peace. I know “critical thinking” sounds a bit intense—like a college exam or a boardroom meeting—but the way she explains it feels like a roadmap for navigating the noise of everyday life. It’s not about being smarter than everyone else; it’s about giving yourself the space to make decisions that actually serve you.
I wanted to share her three key insights because I think they can help us both breathe a little easier when the world feels demanding.
1. The Courage to Question Assumptions
We all run on autopilot. It’s how we survive. We assume we have to stay in that job because it’s “secure.” We assume we have to buy a house by a certain age because that’s “what adults do.”
Helen suggests that the first step to thinking clearly is to simply pause and ask, “Is this actually true?”
This isn’t about doubting yourself; it’s about checking your foundation. She calls this “questioning assumptions.” In high-stakes moments, we often rush forward based on beliefs we haven’t examined in years. Maybe the assumption is that “I’m not creative” or “It’s too late to change paths.”
What if we gently challenged those thoughts? What if we explored alternatives? It’s a comforting thought, isn’t it? That we don’t have to follow the script just because it’s written down. We can write our own.
2. Escaping the “Because We’ve Always Done It This Way” Trap
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to do things just out of habit? In the video, this is described as the “appeal to tradition.” We stick to long-standing policies or habits because they feel safe, even if they aren’t working anymore.
Helen talks about reasoning through logic. It sounds technical, but it’s really just about looking at the evidence. We often fall for “post hoc” fallacies—thinking that just because Event B followed Event A, Event A caused Event B. (Like thinking, “I wore my lucky socks and got the job, so the socks got me the job.”)
Real logic asks us to look at the facts. It asks us to strip away the emotion and the history and ask, “Does this make sense right now, for the person I am today?” It’s a way of decluttering your mind. By relying on evidence rather than just tradition, we sharpen our ability to see the world as it is, not just how we remember it being.
3. Stepping Outside Our Bubble
This was the hardest but most important reminder. It is so natural for us to gravitate toward people who look like us, think like us, and agree with us. It feels good to be validated.
But staying in that warm, fuzzy echo chamber limits us. Helen warns that surrounding ourselves with identical values fosters “groupthink.” We stop seeing new possibilities because everyone around us is nodding in agreement.
The antidote? Diversify your thought.
This doesn’t mean you have to argue with people. It just means inviting different perspectives into your life. It means listening to someone you disagree with, not to change their mind, but to expand yours. When we collaborate with people who see the world differently, we open doors we didn’t even know existed. We start to think “outside the box” not because we’re trying to be clever, but because we’ve actually seen what’s outside.
A Gentler Way to Navigate the Future
I love the idea that “thinking smart” isn’t about having a higher IQ; it’s about these simple habits. Questioning what we assume, looking for the logic, and listening to others.
It’s not a race. It’s just a practice. And I think if we take a moment to use these tools, we won’t just make better business decisions; we’ll build a life that feels more authentic and less chaotic.
Let’s try to ask “why” a little more this week—kindly, of course.