Being wise is a good quality. It is the winning combination of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment that leads to greater success.
Why is wisdom important?
Most of us don’t think of ourselves in terms of being particularly wise. We attribute wisdom to fictional characters like Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings, Charlotte, Charlotte’s Web, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and Yoda, Star Wars, or sage people like Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandhi. However, each of us harbor bits and pieces of wisdom. As we accumulate more wisdom, we gain the competencies required to conquer the demands of today’s complex world.
How can you become wiser?
Gaining new wisdom is an ongoing process of discovery. Therefore, to embark on your quest to be wiser, use these strategies as your guide.
(1) Experience new opportunities.
It’s impossible to gain wisdom when you close yourself off to new possibilities. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Put yourself into situations to learn and grow. You might consider going to places you have never been before, engaging in skill building activities that are new to you, and participating in novel social events. Change it up and see where it takes you.
(2) Open your mind to diverse perspectives.
Set aside your biases and be receptive to different concepts and points of view. Develop a sense of curiosity as you observe the world from different angles. Don’t base your perspective on the popular opinion or what is comfortable for you. Let your mind be a judgement free sponge for innovative ideas. Be humble as you encounter new learnings and experiences.
(3) Approach new people.
Get out and meet new people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Put forth the effort to listen and learn from them without inflicting your own preconceived stereotypes and judgments. Foster conversations that include sharing yourself with others as well as learning more about them. As a perk, focus on cultivating new friendships.
(4) Develop a thirst for learning.
Concentrate on learning new things every day. Make it a point to take classes, read books, listen to educational podcasts, watch documentaries, and search the internet for thought-provoking insights. Given the volume of fake information out there, strengthen your critical thinking skills as you actively investigate a problem or situation from multiple perspectives.
(5) Draw upon the wisdom of others.
Find wise people to become your mentors. They might include a teacher, spiritual leader, family member, special friend, or someone at work. Identify what makes this person wise and carve out time to engage in meaningful dialogue with them. Soak in their knowledge and experience and apply their wisdom to your life.
(6) Admit and learn from your mistakes.
One of the best ways to gain wisdom is by learning from your own mistakes. Whenever you make a mistake, own up to it, stop blaming other people, and start making it a teachable moment. Your best teacher is your last mistake if you take time to learn and grow from it.
(7) Share your wisdom with others.
As you gain experience, knowledge, and good judgement, believe in your own wisdom and be willing to communicate it with others. In today’s world, very few of us will reach the highest order of being wise, but all of us can and should contribute to the collective wisdom of the crowd in all venues of life. So, dare to inspire humanity by becoming a wiser you.
