Many people don’t really think things through on their own. Instead, they repeat what they hear from friends, social media, or the news. This feels easier and safer than figuring things out for yourself.

When you let others do your thinking, you don’t have to ask hard questions or risk being wrong. But there’s a downside: your opinions aren’t really yours anymore. You believe things because others do, not because you’ve examined them.

Thinking for yourself takes effort. It means slowing down, asking questions, and sometimes standing alone. That can feel uncomfortable, so most people avoid it.

But when you stop thinking for yourself, you depend on others to tell you what to believe. Real thinking means asking “why” before agreeing and choosing your ideas instead of borrowing them.