Conclusion

Critical thinking requires a strange blend of humility and confidence. On one hand, you must overcome the natural human instinct to defend anything you believe. You, like everyone else, can be wrong, and you must be prepared to humbly face and admit it when you are. On the other hand, the powerful tools of thought you now have in your mental toolkit will allow you sift through the detritus of the world's knowledge and come to your own conclusions. The power of critical thinking is that it produces a self-reliant mind which is capable of great feats. Instead of blindly accepting the conclusions of others (the method used by most), you will ask for the data and come up with your own conclusion. The result is an unusual level of confidence in your results, and empowered decision-making along with it.

Although not an easy road, the benefits to your life can be astounding. The power of critical thinking means better decisions in the big things (love, career, health, religion, politics) down to the little things (navigating a strange city or chosing a good vacation spot). I am perpetualy astonished and pleased by the success of the methods of critical thinking in my own life and others who use it. Now you too can join this prestigous and thriving club.

Further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking
http://www.skeptic.com/
http://www.criticalthinking.org/
http://www.austhink.org/critical/