I remember thinking that I had an itchy, mildly painful outbreak of acne on my forehead a few years ago, and the doctor said, “Yep, you’ve got shingles alright.” More recently, I told my dermatologist that I had an annoying little spot on my scalp. She examined it and said, “Let’s confirm this skin cancer with a biopsy, before we take it off.” In March, I told my wife that I was having trouble shaking a cold. A few days later, the doctor listened to my lungs and said, “How about that? You’ve got pneumonia.” For the past several months, I have had recurring headaches that I attributed to allergies, a bad eyeglass prescription, too much caffeine, etc. The MRI results seem to indicate a couple of cysts on my brain that, while not believed to be life-threatening, definitely merit further medical attention. Through a brief examination of these examples, I am just about to decide that I am a terrible self-diagnoser.

How about you? How many times have you emphatically, but inaccurately, assessed the condition of your health or your life or your relationships? Many of us (maybe most of us…I say with some hesitance, since I am so bad at predicting) offer consistently inadequate interpretations of reality. In fact, sometimes, our judgments bear a strikingly strong resemblance to fantasy, not at all related to reality.

The concept of critical thinking (critiquing our thinking) encourages us to think about our thinking in more purposeful, informed and deliberate ways. Rather than reflexive and reactive decisions, we slow down, weigh the evidence, and move in a more analytical, open-minded and thorough way. We seek the truth, not what we want the truth to be. Critical thinking focuses on learning how to think, rather than simply what to think.

I shared this list from a critical thinking textbook in a recent class discussion about common approaches in human thinking:

It’s true because I believe it (innate egocentrism)
It’s true because we believe it (innate sociocentrism)
It’s true because I want to believe it (innate wish fulfillment)
It’s true because I’ve always believed it (innate self-validation)
It’s true because it is in my selfish interest to believe it (innate selfishness)

If this list was a mirror, how often did you see yourself? Perhaps our tendency to incorrectly interpret reality stems from protective and defensive motivations. Our deeply-ingrained thinking habits (even if they are like concrete: all mixed up, but permanently set) serve to help us navigate life the way we want it to be, not the way it is.

As a proficient practitioner in misdiagnosis, I recommend the better path of focusing on real and relevant facts, avoiding assumptions, inviting second, third, and fourth opinions, and resolving to pursue decisions based on evidence, not hearsay or wishful denial. If you should ever decide to pursue a graduate degree, I suggest you stay away from the crowded field of those of us already holding a Masters in Misdiagnosis.