Socrates was right when he said, “To find yourself, think for yourself.”
Engaging in mental dialogue is about growing beyond your original self and becoming a better version of yourself daily by discovering what works best for you — systems, habits, and experiences.
By learning to think for yourself instead of by yourself, you can make decisions that will bring you closer to your goals and help you create a more fulfilling life.
“When you cannot think, sense, feel, or act freely, then your body and mind are injured. Break these oppressions, and you will cultivate life,” says Eva Wong in Lieh-tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living.
Ultimately, becoming a better thinker is about developing the confidence and independence to make informed decisions and take responsibility for the consequences of those decisions.
The concept of “thinking for ourselves, not by ourselves” reminds us that our thoughts and beliefs are shaped by exposure to different perspectives and experiences in life.