Wisdom. How to cultivate it.

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'The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.'

Socrates

“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” ― William Shakespeare.

Accumulating knowledge is useful. But cultivating wisdom is far more powerful.

Knowledge alone is only useful when it is relevant, but wisdom can be applied to any situation. However, wisdom tends to be a bit of a mystery. What is it and where does it come from?

Google says wisdom means having good judgement and experience…

But why are some people wise and others not?

I looked back at my school leavers book recently and saw that a couple of my peers referred to me as 'wise', which could seem ridiculous looking back, as I knew NOTHING about life back then. Yet, I realise now that everything is relative, so maybe I was wise for my age after all. I have been called wise at least a few more times over the years since, and at times I have felt it.

So, if I am (occasionally) wise, why?

I know now, that wisdom comes not just from having lots of experiences, but from seeking to understand them. It comes not from having lots of knowledge, but from learning how to apply it. It comes from learning to find different perspectives. Which is a result of being curious - asking why?

When you become curious, as I have always been, you want to understand how the world and the people in it work.

It is one thing to know that X happened, but to know why, that is something else entirely.

When you become wise, you can avoid conflicts and find incredible solutions that benefit everyone. You are equipped to handle all kinds of challenges that life throws at you. You can apply your experience to all kinds of situations, and you can find perspectives that serve you. You gain a sense of inner confidence and calm that benefits you and the people around you.

If you want to be wise, you need to be curious. You need to be prepared to question your own beliefs and you need to be able to let go of your ego (lower self) and be prepared to be wrong.

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