Dare to live without limits Week of 8/19/19

Bryan Golden

Wisdom can be cultivated if you make the effort

Who doesn’t want to be wise? People will expend extraordinary effort seeking wisdom. Wise men and women have always been revered in society. Ironically, many people don’t act as wisely as they could, and should.
Wisdom is using the knowledge you have acquired. Those who don’t use the knowledge they have are no different than those who don’t have the knowledge at all. If you don’t use what you know, you may as well not know it.
Wisdom is not the same as intelligence. They are really smart people who have no wisdom. There are also very wise people who never did well in school. The ability to learn quickly does not necessary translate into the ability to apply that knowledge in the real world.
Wisdom is not an attribute you have to be born with. You can develop and cultivate wisdom. Wisdom is a way of living. It is a mindset, along with an approach, to overcoming challenges. Wise people have a can-do, will-do attitude. For them, failure is not an option.
Although wisdom is enhanced through experience, wise people know that someone else’s experience is the best teacher. Wise people study successful people to save time. Wise people build upon what successful people have already discovered.
Wisdom is not dependent on age. There are many older people whose wisdom is severely lacking and there are many younger people who are wiser than their age would suggest. Wise people never use age as an excuse. They are never too old and never too young to act wisely.
Wisdom starts with positive self-talk. Wise people are constantly telling themselves what they can and will do. They believe in themselves and are intent on using their potential. They know there is a solution to every problem and are determined to find it.
Wise people learn from their past experiences. They eliminate unsuccessful actions, while repeating success generating behavior. They learn from both their mistakes and successes. Wise people are always willing to make adjustments as needed.
Being aware of the impact you have on others is part of wisdom. This social intelligence is essential to your self-monitoring, which enables you to engage in socially appropriate behavior. You are always cognizant of social cues and adjust your interaction with others as needed.
As a wise person you are always in touch with how you feel and why. Understanding your emotional state enables you to take corrective action when encountering negative influences. Maintaining a positive emotional wellbeing helps you deal with the many challenges of life.
Wise people think before they speak, or act. They consider all of the ramifications before making any decision. Wise people don’t take any action when they are angry, upset, or resentful. They know that a clear, calm mind is essential for sound decisions.
Part of wisdom is focusing on productivity rather than activity. You are productive when working toward a specific goal. You are active when you are busy without accomplishing anything significant.
As part of productivity, wise people work smart first, and then work really hard at it. They are willing to expend whatever effort is required to reach their goals. Wise people avoid the path of least resistance because it doesn’t lead to outstanding accomplishments.
When dealing with problems, wise people don’t sweat the small stuff. If an incident won’t matter next week, next year, or in five years, then it’s not worth wasting time on it today. Wise people devote their energy to working on tasks which do matter.
You can add more wisdom to your life. Follow the suggestions listed above. Be aware of your actions and results. Do more of what works. Stop doing anything which takes you away from your objectives.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper.  2019 Bryan Golden


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