Think first and talk second. It's not always important to voice your opinion in a group, or to contribute something just because you can. Wise people don't always need to prove their knowledge. If your opinion is necessary, give it. An old adage goes, "The best samurai lets the sword rust in its scabbard."
- This isn't to say you should withdraw socially, or never speak. Rather, be receptive to others and be a good listener. Don't just wait for your turn to speak because you think you're more wise than everyone else in the room. That's not wisdom, that's egotism.
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Learn from mentors. Find people whom you respect and who emulate the values and ideals that represent wisdom. Look for people doing the things you find interesting and of importance. Ask those people questions. Listen with great care to what they have to say, for you will learn much from their experience and reflection.[3] When in doubt, ask your mentors for advice and guidance; while you don't necessarily have to agree with what they have to say, it will certainly give you food for thought.
- Mentors don't have to be successful people, or people you want to "be like." The wisest person you know might be a bartender, not a professor of mathematics. Learn to recognize the wisdom in everyone
- Read everything . Read the writings of philosophers and social commentators. Read comics. Read Lee Child adventure novels. Read online or on mobile devices. Get a library card. Read contemporary Irish poetry. Read Melville. Read as if your life depended on it and form opinions about the things you read and talk with others about what you've read.
- Read especially about your particular fields of interest, whether it be your job or your hobby. Read about other people's experiences and learn how others before you have dealt with situations that you're likely to face.
- Share with your mentors. It's a mistake to think that the wise are above it all. Never troubled by their emotions, wise people float above the rest of us in an unfeeling bubble of their own making. Not true.
- When you're feeling frustrated or disappointed in something, it's natural to want to discuss it with someone who will understand. Surround yourself with willing and receptive wise people who'll give you a sounding board. Be open with them and they'll be open with you.
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4Practice humility. Is it wise to sell yourself? The business and marketing world have convinced us self promotion is a necessity, because we've managed to turn ourselves into commodities in need of a good sales pitch, and business language frequently reflects this. However, there is a huge difference between acknowledging to yourself and others that you are good at doing something and exaggerating a range of skill sets beyond your comfort zone just to keep up with the competition.
- Being humble is not about abdicating your self-worth; rather, it's about being realistic and only emphasizing all that is good and capable within you. In turn, people will know that they can depend on your reliability for those traits.
- Being humble is wise because it allows the real you to shine through. Humility also ensures that you respect the abilities of others rather than fearing them; the wisdom of accepting your own limitations and connecting with other people's strengths to bolster yours is infinite.
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5Be there for others. Wise people don't have to live in caves, growing wizard beards in their hermitage. Exchange wisdom with others to help guide them. As a mentor and teacher yourself, you can help other people learn about critical thinking, embracing feelings, loving lifelong learning, and trusting themselves..
- Avoid the temptation to use learning as a barrier against others. Knowledge is for sharing not hoarding, and wisdom will only grow when exposed to everyone else's ideas no matter how confronting they may be.
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