We are not provided with wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can take for us, and effort which no one can spare us.

— Marcel Proust

What is wisdom? It is difficult to define wisdom probably because it is ambiguous and has many dimensions. It is also not a quality or characteristic that you are born with. It has to be earned, learnt and cultivated. But if you do develop wisdom, it is one of the most admired and valued traits in a human being. It is good for you and for those around you. It helps you put things in perspective, it helps you live a life of balance by teaching you how to appreciate the good things and how to protect yourself from the bad.

Compassion, empathy, kindness, helpfulness

Though many people have tried to define wisdom over the ages no one has been able to do it with any marked degree of success. From my experience what I can say is that wisdom teaches you the value of compassion, empathy, kindness, helpfulness, positivity, patience, openness, it teaches you to be nonjudgmental, it teaches you to listen from the heart, it teaches you to be free of prejudice and hate. It is not book knowledge or the ability to recite from holy books and religious texts, it is not about having supernatural powers and amazing capability.

It is simpler than that. It is about understanding others, about walking in somebody else’s shoes, about reflecting on things and seeing all sides, of exhibiting compassion and empathy towards others.

Understand how the world works

In order to become wise we have to start with trying to understand how the world works, the whys and wherefores of its functioning – only then can we know how to learn and use new information for the benefit of all. In trying to harm others you will only harm yourself – it is an unwise path to take. So use the information and knowledge you have with intelligence and care and considerable thought to get the correct result.

Being wise means having the skills to weigh your options, figure out what is right and what is not, to be aware of what is happening and not getting misled, to determine for oneself what should be done as others may lie and try to confuse you. A wise person has foresight, he can visualize the future shape of things – what challenges and obstacles there may be, what risks have to be faced. He has the ability to take decisions and act in the present such that in future things are better for all.

Controls one’s impulses and desires

Being wise also means being able to control one’s impulses and desires. It involves controlling anger, hate, arrogance and other negative, harmful emotions and taking action that will create good outcomes. Indulge in positive emotions, do not give into temptation and take well thought out action.

The wise person knows the importance of keeping an open mind – being rigid and unwilling to change does not always work well. Don’t compromise on your values and principles but be willing to change if the circumstances make it necessary. Keep going, do not give up, the best things in life require effort and patience to acquire. Practice wisdom in whatever you do and life will be all the better for it.