What Wise Men & Women Do

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‘Wise men and women are always learning, always listening to fresh insights.’ Proverbs 18:15

Do you wish to be wise? Well here are some things that you need to do. Firstly, you need to always be willing to learn. Secondly, you need to always listen to fresh insights.

So how do you go about these two important activities?

Let’s have a closer look at both.

1. Wise Men & Women Are Always Learning

I set a goal recently: to live until the age of 104. And a funny thing happened the other day, after I had set that goal, as I was filling my car at a petrol(gas) station. The station just so happened to be right next to a bowling alley, and the sign on the building was requesting new members from the age of 4 to – now wait for it – to the grand old age of 104. I couldn’t believe my eyes and joked with my wife that I should return to sign up when I reach the age of my proposed longevity goal.

But what has that to do with learning? Well, the fact is that no matter what age, if you wish be wise, you need to be forever wearing the hat of a student. There is always something we can learn. Life is our tutor. Those whom we meet day by day are our lecturers. The books we read are our teachers. And with every encounter we must become experts at asking the question: ‘What can I learn from this?’ And in that way we will always live a life of continuous learning, thus positioning ourselves to be endowed with the spirit of wisdom.

2. Wise Men & Women Always Listen To Fresh Insights

There is a common theme that runs through the lives of those whom I would call wise, and that is that they are always seeking to understand. They are always keen to gain some fresh insight in whatever they may be researching into at the time. They dig deep, and they dig thoroughly. They’re always willing to look at things from another angle, or from another point of view.

They also seek to see the best in others, and are always looking for the why behind the how. They shun gossip, and seek the truth, and they are fresh in their outlook, not stale, from stuck-in-the-mud and opinionated viewpoints.

So you seek to be wise?

Well learn from the wise – for they ‘are always learning, always listening to fresh insights.’

Tags: Goal Setting, Learning, Wisdom