Article: Each time you make a decision throughout the day, there is some purpose behind it. Given the hectic demands of day-to-day life, people sometimes lose track of the purpose and goals behind their actions. Try to be aware of the inherent purposes driving you throughout the day. Focus on larger goals at work or school. Where do you want to be in five years? Two years? One year? How are you current actions serving this goal? Do your actions make sense reasonably given your larger purpose? Answering these questions can help you improve your reasoning skills. Try to make sure your actions are actually serving some purpose. Oftentimes, people get caught up in the idea something has to be done in a particular way or they have to follow a particular path. Actions then become unreasonable. Try to keep the end in mind when you take a certain action. Everyone has biases, whether they are aware of them or not. If you want to improve reasoning skills, try to identify your biases. A major bias is that people often only consider a situation or a problem from one point of view. When dealing with an issue at work, school, or home pause and ask yourself a few questions before taking action. Ask, "What do I believe about the situation? Why do I believe this? What assumptions might I be making about the thoughts and ideas of others?" It's important to take steps to be self-aware of your own biases. This can help you avoid having those biases obstruct your judgment. It may even be helpful to ask a close friend about your gaps in thinking. Approach a friend with a question like, "What are some ways I sometimes behave irrationally?" Ask for honesty and openness. Each time you make a choice, there are consequences. A good way to improve reasoning skills is to make a point of stopping to consider those consequences on a conscious level. Use your imagination. Before making a choice in a given situation, pause to imagine a variety of possible outcomes. How do you feel about these outcomes? What's the worst case scenario? Best case scenario? What is reasonably most likely to happen? Why? Also, do not neglect to consider the viewpoints of others affected by your decision. This can help you explore your decision through a variety of angles.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Pay attention to the purpose behind your actions. Identify your biases. Consider the implications of your options.