Think Like A Child By Levitt And Dubner

Have you ever found yourself in a conference or classroom not asking questions just because you think your coworkers or classmates will think you are not smart enough? Or perhaps wondering if everyone knows the answers except you? Have you ever been in a situation where you had new ideas to solve a problem but you don’t implement it because you think it looks silly or childish? As we grow older, we tend to abate certain behavior and build preconception that lead us to ignoring possible solutions simply because it sounds childish. If we as adults can free ourselves from negative preconceptions about being childish then we will be able to solve problems with more ease. In the chapter “ Think like a child” authors Levitt and Dubner encourage readers
Kids do not have any preconceptions thus they can ask questions without any hesitation. They are not afraid to share their wildest idea. You might never have come up with a good idea unless you spew out all the ideas in your mind. Thinking like a child means thinking small, not big. Why? Doesn’t thinking big lead people to success? There are several reasons to think small. First, the small questions are questions that most likely haven’t been asked and researched yet. Second, breaking the big problem into smaller pieces makes it easier to solve rather than taking a large and complicated one. Third, change is difficult. Triggering change on a small issue is more likely to succeed than on a big one. Finally, thinking small is more precise and holds lower stakes than thinking big ensuring you are relatively sure about what you are
People are often unwilling to say “I don’t know” or ask a question they believe is dumb and obvious that no reasonable person could ever propose it. However, how many people actually know the answer? Asking a simple question helps in that once you step back and reflect on it, it will open up your mind to help you see what the answer or truth is. That is a reason why kids always ask questions. They ask as many questions that come to their mind until they really understand the problem and get to the answer that they are satisfied with. As an adult, if you are willing to confront the obvious you will end up asking more questions until you solve the problem.
Finally, thinking like a child also means having fun. Kids aren’t afraid to like the things they like. If you can make a job as fun as a video game there will be more people willing to take that job. Having fun doesn’t necessarily mean you are not serious. Making a job more fun by enjoying and loving what you do will make you different from others. It supports learning and persevering. People who love their work will think about the problem when they go to sleep and wake up with solutions. They will put more efforts on their job and end up being successful because it’s not only work, it’s also