How do you process your thinking during the game?

I always wonder how players are thinking during the game, how they process their thinking. Are you looking at every  possible move? How do you analyse the game? First yours or your opponent game? Is there a recurrent pattern in your thoughts? How do you structure it?

I feel like I do not think enough and play most by instinct, so sometimes it drives me where I shouldn't go, i.e. I didn't see this bishop could take my queen.

Share your thoughts thank you :-)

Here's the general idea:

1.Note positional imbalances.

2.Who do you think stands better, by how much, and why.

3.Plan.  This includes how to further imbalance (e.g., wait for them to castle so you can castle on the opposite wing) the position to your benefit. This is where you recall plans and ideas associated with certain pawn chains, centers, piece distribution, etc.

4.Choose candidate moves that could meet your goal.

5.Eliminate anything that doesn't work.

6.Play what you think is best. 

Good question. When playing Live games, my first thought is to get the most out of the opening (and to some extent, if i do get an pretty good one-when will the connection lag or "re-connect" and more than likely, i'll 'lose' on time? Heh. Otherwise...) and play for the initiative. But in most cases, my instincts & experience play an large part when deciding on an move within seconds; a minute @ most. Material is an ongoing concern: which pieces to keep, exchange sacrificing. Is there an attack? Any immediate threats i should address? Just an sample. Heh.

Great to follow for my as beginner. See development through this.