A deep thinker is someone who spends the majority of their time in contemplation. They tend to be introverted, highly observant and filled with curiosity.
The deep thinker can often be seen by others to be shy, quiet and solemn, but in reality, a deep thinker is no more likely to be these things than anyone else.
The benefits of being a deep thinker are numerous.
Often, deep thinkers can plan things more efficiently and are incredibly adept at problem-solving, meaning they are more able to excel in technical and project management positions.
However, the deep thinker can suffer from difficulties in social situations, especially in large groups.
While they might excel in one on one interactions, the deep thinker might struggle with the unwritten rules of large group interactions.
This can cause problems at social or work events if the deep thinker is unable to adapt.
Of course – being a deep thinker – they often solve these problems.
So if we want to be deep thinkers, how might we go about that?
Observe, Think, Speak, Repeat
Many people, especially extroverts, tend to speak far more frequently than they listen. The deep thinker does the opposite.
If we want to become a deep thinker, we must get into the habit of paying more attention to the obvious things in our life.
Rather than thinking of something to say during the next silence, the deep thinker listens to others, watches their body language and considers the inner thoughts of others before formulating an idea.
Only when the deep thinker has put together a clear picture of what is happening around them might they speak, and only then if they consider what they might say as important enough to mention.
Read Widely, Often
Deep thinkers have an insatiable appetite for information. After all, the more information we have, the more precise our picture of the world becomes.
If we wish to be a deep thinker, we should read as often as possible – and a wide variety of materials, too.
A surface knowledge of a large number of subjects is natural for the deep thinker and stems from curiosity.
When a deep thinker sees a bridge, they want to know how it supports the traffic that crosses it.
They also want to know about the process of construction, the materials used and why those materials were chosen.
The more extensive our reading, the quicker we can research and discover the knowledge we seek.
The deep thinker needs these little tricks for the efficiency of thought.
After all, there is a lot of thinking to be done and only a lifetime to do it all.
Independent Open-Mindedness
Most important of the traits we must evoke in ourselves is independent open-mindedness.
To be a deep thinker, we must accept all ideas as valid until we can invalidate them. Every idea is equal until examined, and every thought must be considered.
We cannot be a deep thinker while holding on to prejudice. This can take time, but displaying patience with ourselves while getting into the habit of examining all ideas on a clean slate, we can develop this most important trait.