Book SummaryThe 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking

In The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird explain that thinking is the source of all improvement and achievement, and that when you learn to think effectively, you can maximize these things. They describe the processes involved in thinking effectively and how this type of thinking can improve your life in the classroom, in the workplace, and in life in general.

Burger and Starbird are renowned mathematicians and college professors as well as award-winning authors and educators. Together, they have written two other books about the application of mathematics in thinking and humor, The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking and Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz.

In this book, Burger and Starbird break down the process of effective thinking into elements aligned with the natural elements identified by...

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Summary Element #1: Earth (Create a Firm Foundation)

The first element the authors discuss is earth, which they say represents the foundation of ideas that will serve as the basis for your thinking. They argue that to think effectively, you must base your thinking on a deep understanding of your topic or problem. We all have a lot of knowledge that we take for granted, but by exploring this knowledge as thoroughly as possible, we open our minds to the greater possibilities it offers. This section explores what it means to learn deeply and how to maintain a firm foundation of learning.

(Shortform note: The authors tend to define “effective thinking” through the processes detailed in their book rather than stating an explicit definition. But we can infer that “effective thinking” is similar or equivalent to the more commonly understood term “critical thinking,” which is an active process of thinking that involves understanding and applying the various levels of cognition to enhance one’s understanding.)

The authors discuss two ways you can approach fundamentals that can help you create a firm foundation:

Principle 1: Learn Beyond...

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Summary Element #2: Fire (Learn by Failing)

The second element the authors discuss is fire, which they say represents embracing failure as a learning tool. Once you’ve established a firm foundation of knowledge, you can begin expanding that knowledge by learning from failure, and in doing so, advancing your thinking through trial and error.

The authors note that when you fail at solving a problem, you can set yourself up for success next time if you analyze why you failed and think about what you can do to prevent failure in the future. In this section, we'll explore the authors' advice on how to manage mistakes. We'll look specifically at their recommendations to:

• Not be afraid to make mistakes
• Make mistakes on purpose
• Extend the lessons from your mistakes beyond your current problem

(Shortform note: The concept of learning by failing aligns with the theory of trial and error learning outlined in 1913 by Edward Lee Thorndike, who suggested that all learning occurs when the learner makes mistake after mistake until they finally hit on the right solution. Thorndike's theory implies a...

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Summary Element #3: Air (Question Constantly)

The third element the authors discuss is air, which they say represents the constant questioning of what you know and what you’re learning. The authors recommend that you ask plenty of questions to challenge your current understanding of a topic. This will help you strengthen your foundational knowledge because it expands your thinking, opening you to new insights about what you already know (or think you know). This section explores how you can use questions to expose flaws in your current understanding, focus your attention on areas of misunderstanding, and guide your thinking toward your next most important idea.

(Shortform note: The principles conveyed in the “air” section reflect many of the same concepts as Inquiry-Based Instruction, which Michael Starbird is a well-known proponent of. Inquiry-Based Instruction emphasizes the value of questioning as a method of learning about a subject. This style of instruction involves giving the student agency over their own learning while the teacher guides that learning through open-ended questions or problems, which students then investigate through...

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Summary Element #4: Water (Understand How Ideas Evolve)

The fourth element the authors discuss is water, which they say represents the progression of ideas. When you understand where an idea came from, you’ll better understand the idea in the present and where it could go in the future. Ideas are often taught outside of the context of their origins, making it seem like they sprang up out of nowhere, but the formation of a new idea is a cumulative process that never really ends. Ideas tend to be formed through the processes detailed in earth, fire, and air. This section discusses how understanding the evolution of an idea can help you approach a project more effectively, and how you can use that understanding to guide your thinking in the future.

“Stealing” Ideas

When we view ideas as organic epiphanies unrelated to other ideas before them, we end up becoming possessive over our ideas. Seeing someone get credit for an idea that you feel was yours, or that you think you thought of first, can be...

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Summary Element #5: Change (Enhance Your Thinking)

The final element the authors discuss is change, which the authors say represents the culmination of the previous four and the realization of our goal: thinking effectively. The ideas and practices represented in earth, fire, air, and water are all means to change. The fifth element presented by the authors is fairly simple: It’s the power you gain when you learn to embody the lessons of the first four elements. This section explains how to welcome and enact change as a result of effective thinking.

(Shortform note: It’s questionable whether this should be considered an “element” since it doesn’t fit the pattern established by the previous four of demonstrating processes for thinking and veers away from the idea of the four natural elements. It may be more logical to view it as a conclusion section rather than a fifth list item.)

Be willing to change. If you’re not willing to change your mind and your thinking, then you’re closing yourself off from improvement. The purpose of thinking effectively is to make your life better, and it requires a willingness to change at every opportunity.

(Shortform note: Other authors have written about the integral link between the...

Shortform Exercise: Use Effective Thinking to Solve a Problem

Applying the principles of effective thinking will help you better understand a problem and guide your next steps in solving it. Think of a problem in your life that you’re trying to solve right now, big or small (but be specific). We’ll walk through the steps of thinking effectively about this problem to better solve it.

First, establish your foundational knowledge. What do you already know about this problem? What is its context? What are the factors contributing to it? What effect does it have on you or the world? Note any gaps you find in your knowledge.