10 Tips for Chasing After Wisdom
October 2, 2009
Post by Justin Dixon Follow me on Twitter Photo courtesy of 
Sebastian Mary
The one comment I get more than any other comment is about how wise I am for my age, and how extraordinary that is. Unfortunately this is a load of bunk. Not only is my little bit of wisdom very limited, but this gives the wrong impression about the relationship between age and wisdom. For almost three years I worked at a retirement community trying hard to soak in as much as I could from my elders. And I found something. All of the residents that had lived the most dynamic lives and were still very active all had this attitude of “I am young and dumb till the day I die, and if I ever forget it I’m asking for trouble”.
In all reality the wises people I have met were not wise so much because of their age as their attitude, and outlook on life. We may praise the wisdom of our elders but how many times do our elders say “out of the mouth of babes”? Wisdom does not have an age cap, and you can start taking steps today to increase your wisdom. Her are 10 tips I’ve listed as ways to get started in your chase after wisdom.
1. Know why you believe what you believe. The chase after wisdom and truth is far too important for your life to leave in the hands of somebody else’s reasoning. This is tough but go back through every single one of your views and beliefs, and find a why. Be the judge of your own reasons. If one reason does not satisfy you, than either suspend the belief until further notice or find a new reason to hold that belief.
2. Recklessly seek truth. Do not let anything get in the way of your search for truth and wisdom. This includes beliefs you were raised with. Mainstream opinion. Even your own preferences. You could imagine the most beautiful things, but an imaginary beauty just doesn’t stand up to the quality to be found in true beauty.
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”~Henry David Thoreau
3. Let your beliefs be challenged. It may not always be fun, but let someone tell you you’re wrong. If they have a good point they could help you become wiser. If they do not have no good point than what is there to be worried about? Nobody can change your mind without your permission. In fact don’t just wait for these opportunities to come to you. Read controversial authors, learn more about the ideas that disagree with your view points.
4. Face your thoughts. In western society in particular many of us seem to be very uncomfortable with silence. Its not the silence itself thats so disturbing though. Silence means being alone with your own thoughts, and face it, we aren’t always nice to ourselves. Rather than try to drown those thoughts out, take away their power over you. Meditate, journal, pray, get it all out, and learn to live in peace with yourself and your own thoughts.
5. Come to terms with your weak points. Our greatest weaknesses are often part of and inseparable from our greatest strengths. Other times they are things that we just need to be careful of. For example I know that if I am put in certain situations that I will be more likely to lose my temper. This is not me putting a limitation on myself, this is me realizing that I have something I need to be aware of and work on. When you come to terms with your weaknesses you can improve them, and often work around them.
6.Look for the wonder. This world is full of so many amazing things, and we regularly take them for granted. Wherever you are, just take a moment and look at the world around you. Think about all the factors required for life to exist on this planet. If a single one of those was even the slightest off, none of us would exist. Think about he ingenuity that went behind the most basic of our technologies. Who on earth came up with the first screw? Look at the stars, their light is getting to us from the past. Every time you look at a star you are looking back in time. Think about all the atoms that go in to building every single cell in the body. This world really is amazing. There is nothing wise in letting it pass up, without the wonder it deserves.
“If you knew the miracle in a single flower, it would change your life forever”~Buddha
7. Mind your surroundings. If you surround yourself with things and people who on a regular basis bring out the worse in you than don’t be surprised when that is what you get. What and who we surround ourselves with has a powerful impact on the things our minds dwell on. Look for groups of people that will encourage and inspire you. Listen to things that encourage you. Read things that motivate you. The content that you fill your mind with will eventually come out in some form or another.
8. Clarify your thoughts. If you can not write your ideas out, or draw them, or express them in a way that someone else can understand, than they are not clear enough yet. Just sitting down and trying to write your thoughts out will make them clearer. Try to say as much as you can in as few words as possible. The simpler it is to understand the more people you’ll be able to help.
9. Accept what is. The glass is neither half empty, nor is it half full; the glass is there, and that in itself is good. Trying to argue over which half to focus on will not change the contents of the glass. Rather than worry about whether something is good or bad, easy or hard, just look and see what it is. All of those other titles are just made up labels anyways.
10. Be a test example. Throughout all of these things, and even through your own life you will have likely put together your own view of how people should behave, and how things ought to be. Rather than try to change the world to fit with these ideals test them out on yourself first. If you cannot make them work in your own life, than you will need to find a more practical approach. If what you are doing works though, than you will become the best advertisement for the message that you want the world to hear.
Every single one of these steps I’ve listed are commitments. Wisdom is not a point you reach but rather a consistent chase after everything that is good and true and helpful. Wisdom is not age exclusive but is available to whoever will join in the chase. None of these steps I listed are the only way to do this either. What have been the most useful steps in your life for chasing wisdom?
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1.
Jeffrey Tang | October 2, 2009 at 4:42 pm
If everyone took tips 1, 3, and 8 to heart, the world would be a much better place. It’s amazing how little time we spend examining our beliefs. Instead, we’re content to subscribe to a bunch of vague, harmful beliefs … and then defend these beliefs to the death, even if we’re not really sure what they mean.
And I agree with you, Justin – wisdom isn’t about age.
2.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 3, 2009 at 10:42 am
Clear and mindful thinking definitely makes a big difference, and I think you are right, many institutions would lose all inappropriate power in such a world, but that is a change that since we see is needed we must live.
3.
Positively Present | October 2, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Really great tips, Justin! I think #9 is so, so important. Have you read Byron Katie’s Loving What Is? It’s a book all about that and it’s fantastic!
4.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 3, 2009 at 10:40 am
I haven’t read that one yet. Though it does sound interesting. I’ll keep it in mind.
5.
Karlil | October 2, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Can’t agree more with #9 Justin. We all tend to over complicate things don’t we at times?
In regards to #2, For me personally, there’s some truth worth knowing and then there’s some that should just be left unknown. Ignorance is a bliss, and there’s some truth in it.
PS: Justin, can you delete my previous comment? I mistakenly login with my old account.
6.
Justin- AlittleBetter.net | October 3, 2009 at 10:38 am
I can understand that. Chasing recklessly after the truth can make you an outcast, and sometimes bring to light painful ideas.
But hiding from truth does not change it, and the fact is that most truth is empowering and freeing. Being afraid of looking for the truth is like a man who has lived in the dark his entire life being afraid to look in the mirror because he thinks he’ll find a monster. Its an understandable reaction, but I can promise you from person experience, chasing after truth while not for the faint of heart is definitely worth it.
7.
Jai Kai - SharingSuccess.tv | October 3, 2009 at 11:59 am
Great post… I have a 4 month old baby and I have probably learned as much wisdom from him in the last 4 months as I have in the last 4 yrs. He is pure – open heart, no belief systems, no judgments. And my wife and I often communicate with him through dreams as odd as it may seem.
8.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 3, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Who better at seeing the wonder in this universe, and accepting what is than a newborn? Excellent point Jai Kai.
9.
Tristan Lee | October 3, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I enjoyed reading these tips on wisdom and that we can never get enough of it, despite how old we are. However in the beginning, I don’t understand the term “out of the mouth of babes”? Can you explain this to me?
10.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 3, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Out of the mouth of babes is an old saying that refers to how children have a knack for telling things just as they are. No special pretenses, and they aren’t worried about what others will think enough to stumble over their words.
11.
leapsecond | October 4, 2009 at 3:09 pm
YES! Excellent, excellent, excellent, particularly #s 6 and 9. So many people go through lives trapped in negativity just because they resist what is.
A small quibble though: I’d say that wisdom cannot be sought after or chased, it can only be acquired through experience. You don’t seek wisdom; wisdom seeks you. That’s what my inner zen master tells me.
Fantastic post.
12.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 4, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I know too many people who learn nothing from experience to believe that wisdom comes from experience, and I have a hard time accepting an idea that wisdom chooses some but not others. If qualities came to us without our choice, than what does it matter what we do?
Another example would be trying to look for as many blue cars as you can. How many yellow cars did you spot while looking for blue? Probably a lot, but when you look for something it stands out more. When you take the time to quiet everything else, you can let your own wisdom speak. While it may speak on its own we still have to seek out what it is saying.
13.
Susan | October 4, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Terrific post, Justin. Wisdom is one of those things that a lot of us chase after but fail to find perhaps because we are busily searching outside of ourselves. Wisdom comes from knowing and too often we wont sit with ourselves or turn off the “shoulds” long enough to see “what is”. I agree – wisdom knows no age and has no boundaries; wisdom sits quietly waiting for us.
14.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 4, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Definitely a good point about our idea of what the world should be and what it is being two entirely different animals. Though I wouldn’t say that wisdom is knowing, I would say wisdom is more knowing when you do not know the answer, and choosing to just let things play out so that you can learn.
15.
Madeleine | October 4, 2009 at 5:35 pm
A really terrific post, Justin. I wish all those people screaming and yelling about health care reform in the U.S.could read this and then sit down and think about your words before they open their mouths again.
Helpful to me recently has been looking for the wonder (point 6) one example being watching from afar this summer as herons built huge nests high in the trees and worked very hard to feed their ravenous young.
Also helpful to me was realizing that I’m a good example
(point 10) of an aging person thriving with type 2 diabetes (through diet and exercise) and taking on challenges in other areas of my life.
16.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 4, 2009 at 6:00 pm
See the deal with politics is that their is too much misinformation. I could find information to support or deny almsot any idea that I want to and it would not be a problem. What I’ve learned is rather than look first to politics to count on far-away politicians less, and on neighbors, friends and yourself more. We can answer all of the problems of this nation, but it won’t happen if we are too busy waiting for the right politician or the right law from congress. We are the solution.
17.
Patrick @ unwrapyourmind,com | October 4, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Excellent post Justin, although I would rather paint the picture of letting wisdom come into your life or removing the clouds hiding your wisdom that is already there. Although it might at times feel great to think of yourself as “wise”, it not only will be nothing compared to where you are in some years, it will also shut you from growing further.
So let’s follow one of the wisest of them all:
“As for me, all I know is that I know nothing” – Socrates.
18.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 5, 2009 at 8:52 am
A good deal of moving those clouds is the self-examination I put there. I do believe that we the people have all the answers we need, we just need to learn how to get to them.
I once read that “he who finds himself wise is a fool”, and all of the wisest people I know all have the attitude that they are young and dumb till the day they die. So your definitely dead on about not ever saying you’ve arrived. Thats why I put it as a constant chase as opposed to a destination.
19.
Vin - NaturalBias | October 5, 2009 at 8:06 am
Great post, Justin! I especially like how you emphasized the importance of knowing your values. In my opinion, this awareness provides the motivation for learning, and without this, it’s very difficult to gain wisdom beyond that which results from random circumstances.
20.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 5, 2009 at 8:54 am
Glad you liked it, and thank you for commenting. I don’t actually believe in random circumstances, and even if there were such a thing if you really don’t want to learn anything you won’t. There are a good deal of people who would rather not learn.
21.
Belinda Munoz | October 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I think #1 is tough for a lot of people because we need the security of our beliefs that help us create order out of chaos. It takes courage to deconstruct each belief we hold dear and yet, often, it’s necessary to do so.
I’d like to see an in-depth post on each tip. You have a lot of great insights.
22.
beyondsuccess | October 5, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Excellent post. I believe that at the core our values define what and how we will approach life. When we are clear on the core values, the rest tends to fall into place. I enjoyed the structure and fluidity of your writing as well.
23.
duke | January 22, 2010 at 3:36 am
hey, that is great stuff. especially the reclklessly seeking truth… so many people are just conteted with the way things are,always claiming they will never change… truth sets you free.
the truth sets you free. free to correct the errors of the past and set and pick up new diciplines for the future1!!!
great stuff…keep it up. following you…