Wisdom is often confused with knowledge. They are related, but they are not synonymous. Knowledge is the information and skills acquired through education or experience, whereas wisdom is the ability to use knowledge and experience to apply sound judgment to life.
Without wisdom, we are of little value to the world. Wisdom is not only about using our knowledge; it is also about choosing the right words for the situation.
In fact, wisdom is a combination of many things, such as:
*Unbiased judgment
*Compassion
*Experiential self-knowledge
*Self-transcendence
*Non-attachment
*Insight
Everyone has their own definition of wisdom. For me, it is the ability to think and act in a way that is both beneficial and productive.
No school or college can teach you wisdom. It’s not something you get from a book or an online course, It is something acquired from experience and reflection.
Let me give you an example.
A police officer is interrogating a criminal who doesn’t want to confess to his crime. To get the confession, the police offer says, “If you tell me the truth now, I’ll have you put in nearby jail so that your wife and children can visit you. But if you refuse to confess and force this case to go to trial, I’ll have you put in a jail so far away that you won’t see your family for ten years.” The police officer uses his experience and judgment to give the criminal a choice to which he will respond, and he’s more likely to get the confession with less trouble. That’s wisdom.
You also use wisdom in your daily life, perhaps without even realizing it. Ask yourself, how many times have you stopped yourself from speaking harshly during a fight with someone you love so as not to hurt them? That’s wisdom because it shows the ability to judge the bigger picture and choose the most beneficial option.
Even our parents have taught us bits of wisdom:
# Good manners matter
# Don’t complain, learn to let go
# When you trip and fall, get up and try again
# Respect everyone regardless of their status
# Take advice but make your own decisions
When you gain wisdom, you keep yourself from doing things in the heat of the moment that you would regret later. Wisdom allows you to see the whole picture and understand how to speak and act at the moment. It guides you to know when someone needs your counsel to find the best way forward.
Wisdom sets us free from negativity, meaninglessness, and emptiness because it connects us to what’s most important to us.
The best way to gain wisdom is by being humble and observant in every situation. Wisdom comes from listening before advising someone, even if they’re doing things in a way that might be “wrong.”
A wise person knows that by waiting and observing, they might learn a new approach they hadn’t considered before.