Teach Yourself to Think

Our only competitive advantage is our mind. De Bono shows us how to tap into our mind's creative powers through lateral thinking, which is outside the box thinking that leads to new discoveries, innovations, and systems. Much of what we learn in school is vertical thinking, which is logical, step-by-step thinking. In a world where the highest value comes from strategic design, from new innovations, and from revolutionary breakthroughs, only those who can think will survive. When I was 20, I just wanted to create fitness empires with gyms, merchandises, supplements, and stores. Now, at 22, I have started over 5 companies just 2 month after graduating with 4 fields (business, finance, sociology, and psychology) in 2 years. I have the blueprints for over 300 more businesses that I will create within my lifetime, and it is all possible because I learned how to think laterally, rather than vertically. I was blessed that my father introduced de Bono to my life, and my HKU business professor actually taught us these creativity principles, over analytical processes. Both are vital for success in life, but innovation is always going to win over tradition.

Teach Yourself to Think, this book is a precious one! It really helps you to think! What I personally admired about this book is that it doesn't really tell me what to think or what i should be thinking about but it shows me how many of these different kinds of thinking can benefit me in my daily life! Furthermore, after being aware of these various kinds of thinking, I've been able to achieve some of my personal goals which I wanted to achieve them along time ago, about a year ago! Thank you Edward de Bono for this rare book! Im planning on reading some of the other books of yours out there!

I only made a cup of coffee for myself,that's the only break I had while I was reading this book which was the very first by mr.De Bono. I couldn't put it down and even though this book could have been so complicated it isn't at all - as a matter of fact it was the author's goal to be as simple as possible with his ways of teaching us how to think properly. And with some effort I should be able to think properly now when I read this book. I knew I am gaining something with the humiliation I made to myself by chosing the book to teach me of something that "I already know"!!!

I am thoroughly impressed with Edward De Bono's matter-of-fact, wholly insightful, and unique yet practical work(s) published in the field of Thinking over the last four decades. After listening to De Bono's taped works (such as "Teach Yourself to Think"), I was both saddened and amazed to realize how limited in scope were the types and tools of thinking I was taught in higher education. The Ivy-league schools I attended taught specialized material primarily by means of judgment, criticism, analysis, and argument. Other important thinking modes, especially action-oriented ones such as design, exploration, creativity, and so forth, were assumed to arise mainly from talent and intelligence, and therefore were not taught, even ignored. How wrong and damaging was that default view !Ed De Bono's works are packed with useful tools and insights. Because they are packed, gaining the most benefit requires reading "between the lines". I believe the listener must "stop the tape" (or put down the book) and make the effort to expand on De Bono's concepts and comments, in part by mapping them into past personal experiences (particularly useful are those experiences that had costly or unpleasant outcomes for the listener because at the time he/she lacked (or misapplied) certain thinking tools).I am convinced that anyone of average intelligence and education who invests about 20 hours effort to listen to, internalize, and then practice a half-dozen of De Bono's various thinking tools will be amazed at the improvement it will yield in his/her relationships and work. I offer this comment as neither a religious nor "New Age" promoter but merely as a person who continues to benefit from these approaches.I also highly recommend De Bono's "Teach Your Child to Think" tapes. They largely complement this set.