Most of us believe that we know how to think — we do it all the time, after all. But just beneath the surface of everyday thought lies a hidden richness: the mind doesn’t think in one way, but in many. Each type of thinking serves a different purpose, responds to a different kind of doubt, and leads us down a different path.
Understanding the types of thinking we use is like being handed a map to our own minds. It allows us to notice how we process the world — and how we sometimes get in our own way.
Jonathan Baron, in his classic work Thinking and Deciding, categorizes thinking into three primary forms: thinking about decisions, thinking about beliefs, and thinking about goals. But within and between these categories, we also find subtypes — nuanced ways the mind seeks understanding, truth, or action.
Let’s explore these types not as dry labels, but as living processes — tools we can sharpen to live more intentionally.
1. Thinking About Decisions: What Should I Do?
This is the type of thinking we engage in when we face choices — both big and small. Whether it’s deciding what to eat for lunch or whether to change careers, decision thinking involves evaluating actions in light of goals and consequences.
Examples:
- Choosing between two job offers.
- Deciding whether to speak up in a meeting.
- Weighing whether to forgive someone.
Here, we compare options (possibilities), gather evidence (pros, cons, data), and consult our goals (what matters most). It’s a balancing act — and often where emotion, fear, and habit sneak into the decision-making process.
When it goes wrong: We may get stuck in indecision, choose based on immediate comfort rather than long-term goals, or ignore better options out of bias or fear.
2. Thinking About Beliefs: What Is True?
This is about evaluating claims, perceptions, and assumptions. It asks: What do I believe? Why do I believe it? And is it really true?
Examples:
- Deciding whether to believe a piece of news.
- Interpreting someone’s behavior.
- Reflecting on your own values.
Belief thinking involves testing ideas against reality. It’s guided by evidence, but also deeply influenced by how much we want a belief to be true. Baron highlights that good belief thinking requires open-mindedness — the ability to seek out and consider disconfirming evidence, not just that which supports our current view.
When it goes wrong: We engage in confirmation bias — seeking only evidence that supports our belief. Or we may fall into wishful thinking — believing something because it’s comforting, not because it’s accurate.
3. Thinking About Goals: What Do I Want?
Often the most neglected type of thinking — yet arguably the most important. This involves questioning not just what we’re doing or believing, but why.
Examples:
- Asking yourself what you want from a relationship.
- Reflecting on your definition of success.
- Re-evaluating priorities after a major life event.
This thinking is not just about setting goals, but choosing which goals are worth pursuing — and whether they align with who we want to become. It calls for honesty, vision, and sometimes painful change.
When it goes wrong: We inherit goals from others — parents, culture, social media — without ever questioning if they are ours. Or we pursue goals that conflict, leading to burnout or moral compromise.
4. Subtypes of Thinking: Specialized Tools of the Mind
Beyond these broad categories, Baron and other thinkers describe more specific styles of thought. Each serves a unique role in our mental toolkit.
a. Diagnostic Thinking
Used when something isn’t working — a car, a body, a relationship. It’s problem-solving with the aim of finding the root cause.
b. Scientific Thinking
Involves forming hypotheses and testing them with evidence. It’s how we approach puzzles, theories, and truth-seeking at any level — from lab experiments to everyday reasoning.
c. Reflective Thinking
This is introspective, philosophical, and often slow. It’s the domain of journaling, meditation, and ethical reasoning — asking not just “What do I think?” but “Why do I think that?”
d. Insight Thinking
Think of those sudden “aha!” moments — a flash of clarity after a long mental block. Often unconscious, insight thinking happens when the mind breaks through familiar patterns.
e. Creative Thinking
Used in the arts, but also in science, business, and daily life. It’s the generation of new ideas, combinations, or solutions. It thrives on openness and the ability to think divergently.
5. Why It Matters to Know the Difference
Recognizing the type of thinking you’re using — or should be using — can be transformative.
- Are you trying to decide without clarifying your goal?
- Are you clinging to a belief without sufficient evidence?
- Are you making choices that conflict with your deeper values?
Each type of thinking has its own rhythm, rules, and risks. Knowing which mode you’re in helps you apply the right standards. For example, belief thinking demands truth-seeking; decision thinking demands goal-alignment; goal thinking demands honesty with the self.
In other words, we think best when we know what kind of thinking we’re doing.
Final Reflection: Thinking as a Daily Practice
Thinking isn’t just something we do. It’s how we become. The way we think — and the type of thinking we rely on — shapes who we are and the life we live.
- If we think carelessly, we live reactively.
- If we think intentionally, we live creatively and consciously.
There is no single right way to think — only the right type of thinking for the moment. Whether we’re choosing a new direction, questioning an old belief, or reimagining what matters most, our minds are built for the task.
All we have to do is pause… and choose the path of thought with care.