Born to be Wise

Introduction

We are all born to be wise. Our brains are wired with the potential for wisdom at birth. As we age we can develop that practical common sense and moral awareness that combine to produce that most sought after capacity – practical wisdom.  A definition of practical wisdom is the ability to know how to do the right thing in each situation for the right reasons. We need to understand and practice in the right way to become a wiser person as we age.  We need to apply the simple, common sense that has become so uncommon today.

The difference between spiritual and practical wisdom

So I am not talking about spiritual wisdom here although practical and spiritual wisdom are often found together. Others are far better qualified to guide the personal quest for eternal, religious or metaphysical development of the spirit. This is a very simple but powerful state that we can all achieve in our everyday lives.

We already recognise it

Practical wisdom is often recognised but rarely defined. I was at a 60^th birthday party recently where at least three of the speakers acknowledged my friend for her ‘wisdom’. Her wisdom is not spiritual; another speaker described her as ‘not doing God’ – she is very ‘down to earth’. It is something that we respect people for and it is a state that develops over a lifetime through experience. Even though we can intuitively recognise the ability, there is a need to put a framework for developing practical wisdom in place for us all.

A benefit of aging

Practical wisdom is age related. It takes our brains many years to connect the dots though knowledge, experience and control of our thinking and feeling. There are four stages of age related wisdom development; each stage is different. As we age we develop; in youth we have the excitement of energy for breaking established rules and learning by trial and error.  As we age there is the promise of good judgement, compassion and altruism that comes through a combination of experience, physical brain changes and personal character.

Wisdom and knowledge are different

Most people agree that there is a need for more wisdom today. Practical wisdom is developed through practice in the real world; through experience, trial and error, reflection and adjustment. Knowledge is only part of the equation; reading and academic qualifications are useless and can even be dangerous if used alone.

In their book ‘Practical Wisdom’ Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe sum it up this way: ‘Wisdom is not the mysterious gift of a handful of sages, but a capacity we all have and need.’ We are all born to be wise – and we all can be.