Effective thinking involves skillfully analyzing, reconstructing or assessing a subject to improve the quality of one's thinking. It is self-directed, self-disciplined, and self-correcting. Effective thinking is part of the planning process and helps make sense of inner events, clarify needs, and develop safe ways to meet needs. It can be stimulated by asking questions, combining ideas, and practicing writing. Key steps include taking notice, pausing for reflection, identifying helpful thoughts, and choosing thoughts that further goals. Barriers include biases, ignoring facts, and failing to acknowledge ignorance. The Six Thinking Hats technique uses colored hats to represent different perspectives that can be applied to address problems. It has been used successfully by many