Why Divergent Thinkers Will Always Win

Humans have always been thinkers. From the time early humans began to communicate, they used their brains to figure out how to survive and thrive. Over the years, humans have continued to use their brains to solve problems and create new things. To do this, humans have had to learn to think differently.

Interestingly, humans are not the only animals that think. Ravens, for example, are known for being very clever birds. They can solve problems and even use tools. However, humans still outrank all other animals regarding their thinking ability. This is mainly because humans can think abstractly. We can imagine things that don’t exist and come up with solutions to problems that don’t have straightforward answers.

Human versus Computers

With thinking, humans and computers have similarities and significant differences. Both humans and computers can solve problems. Although humans are better at abstract thinking, computers are better at logical thinking.

Computers can come up with ideas based on logic and data, but they cannot come up with totally new and original ideas. One thing that will always set humans apart from machines is our ability to think creatively and come up with new solutions to problems.

Thinking Styles

There are two fundamental ways humans think: convergent and divergent thinking.

Convergent thinking is focused and goal-oriented. It is suitable for solving problems that have a single correct answer. Most people think in a convergent way most of the time because our schools and workplaces reward people who come up with the one right answer. However, to innovate and create, we need people who can think in divergent ways.

Divergent thinking is more open-ended and exploratory. It is good for solving problems that have multiple correct answers. We often use this thinking in creative professions, where people are encouraged to develop new and innovative ideas.