Markman - Smart thinking: three essential keys to solve problems, innovate, and get things done

In every walk of life, it is an advantage to be smart. The businesses that get out in front of the pack are usually the ones that outthink their competitors. The people who live long and vital lives are usually the ones who have consistently made smart choices.

The value of smart is obviousit underlies our ability to think, reason, make decisions, communicate, and take action. Thats why people are constantly searching for advice about how to think smarter and more effectively. And theres certainly no shortage of books on the subject.

Most of those books fall into one of two camps. There are many authors with beliefs and intuitions who want to tell you what has worked for them in the past. Their advice often has the feel of good common sense, but it isnt backed with any real science. There are also books written by scientists, which are heavy on the details, but light on practical recommendations.

Every once in a while, you find a book that combines leading-edge science with news you can use. Our friend and colleague Art Markman has written just such a book. As one of the worlds most respected voices in the field of cognitive science, he has spent the last 20 years as a university professor writing papers for scientific journals and advancing what cognitive science knows about thinking. But, he has also spent time outside of the lab working on real problems. He works with companies to give their employees new ways to think. He even contributed some psychology background to two of the You books.

In Smart Thinking, Art has taken his command of cognitive science from his own research and from his experience as a journal editor and boiled the discipline down to its essence. He has isolated a formula for thinking more effectively. But, he doesnt just report the research, he gives it to you in a highly actionable form. The book is filled with specific suggestions and tips that you can use to create new habits to think better starting literally from .

So, whether youre a student just starting out, an executive looking for an edge in the business world, or someone who is curious about how an understanding of psychology can change your life, Smart Thinking has a lot to offer.

But remember, just as good health requires effort on your part to learn about your body, eat right, and develop a routine for exercise, Smart Thinking requires effort to learn about your mind, and to change your daily thinking habits. Reading this book, then, is an important step toward success.

CRAIG B. WYNETT AND DR. MEHMET OZ

Craig B. Wynett is chief learning officer for the Procter & Gamble Company. Dr. Mehmet Oz is vice chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University, bestselling author, and Emmy Awardwinning host of The Dr. Oz Show.