Basic Premise of Critical Thinking

Trust but Verify
Trust but Verify

“The bottom line, and a basic premise of critical thinking, is that authorities don’t matter, the facts do.  All information must be analyzed critically and never accepted blindly.  If the advice comes from people you respect and admire, then listen, but still verify.” ~ Tom Venuto; page 26-27 of The Body Fat Solution
Frankly… I’m finding too many quotes like this in a pre-release copy of Tom Venuto’s The Body Fat Solution.  And while I’m not personally looking to burn excess fat this year, it’s the book of 2009 that needed to be written in a world that desperately needs an Un-Diet mentality.
As I’ve told my podcast listeners before, if you can do just one thing you’ll save yourself so much wasted time and money.  Listen to the experts you pick but verify those facts. Make informed choices when it comes to your life.  I’ve made this all to clear with supplement questions over the last few years.  I’m never too shocked…
When I see “Does X supplement work?” Even after pointing a person to some resources so they can get some facts on their own… they still end up buying.
But back to the point.  If you can make this single quote true in your own fitness quest, no matter who you listen to if it’s me, Tom or any other fitness expert including yourself… I guarantee…
You’ll be saved from the whipsaw action that comes with blindly accepting the next fad or discovery as truth.  Do a little bit of research on your own.
My job for 2009 is the same as always.  To help you learn how to learn and end the frustrations and filter out the noise.
Marc David
“The NoBull Muscle Guy”
Author of The NoBull Bodybuilding Program

2 Replies to “Basic Premise of Critical Thinking”

  1. I couldn’t agree more… which is why I’ve been circling my laptop like a hungry wolf, waiting to pounce on the “submit” button to order my copy of The Body Fat Solution. I have much respect for a subject matter expert that encourages further research. I’ve followed you both for years through back surgeries, childbirth, garden-variety laziness… all sorts of events that led to weight gain. Each time I panicked and looked for the magic bullet (pills, supplements, 30 second workouts). But each time, I finally calmed down, referred to Tom’s and your sites; commentary; and books… and lost the weight. Sure, I get tempted by the fads. But I always come back to the truth. You know what really attracted me to this book? The concept of how to keep the weight off! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a publication that really addresses this. I think we all know what to do and already have the tools within us to reach our goals. But for some reason, we need a (credible) authority figure to lay it out for us and confirm what we already know. Oddly, we don’t consider ourselves (credible) authority figures. I get the feeling this new book will help us to realize our own credibility and authority. I like that. I like that a lot.

  2. Great post, this applies to most things in life, not only the next weight loss product you attempt.
    The facts are facts, but people's perceptions of the facts can be different and manipulated by others. That is what we need to change!

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