by Alexander Jackson

Created on: December 14, 2006   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

Becoming wise is a funny idea. While it is true that simply living life can make you more experienced, it's not a guarantee that it'll make you smarter. What else is true is that religion can help you understand certain conflicts in life more fully, but there is still no promise of increased wisdom.

A man wiser than myself once said that "Wisdom is the ability to create something from nothing". If this statement is true (and I believe it is), then we can also assume that there is a difference between true wisdom and simple knowledge. Still, if there were 7 steps towards becoming "wise", then I think they would be arranged a bit differently...in my book, there isn't 7 at all.

1. Find your place in the world.

It makes sense. One truth of all wisdom and religions as well is that you should really find out who you are on the inside before trying to figure out anything else. Discovering who you truly are is important to becoming a wise person.

2. Realize the difference between "wise" and "smart".

Someone who is smart could fish up some random information that you need, or perhaps finish a math problem faster than you. Maybe they know a few more facts about history. That's smart. That isn't necessarily wise. Wisdom is more about the understanding of when to use your intelligence than simply having it.

3. Realize the difference between "book smart" and "street smart".

Being intelligent is usually symbolized by people who know plenty of random facts and have more experience in impractical but seemingly difficult studies than other people. That's a bit more of what being book smart is. It's knowing facts and random information that you typically get from studying and of course...reading books. Being street smart is a bit different, that would be more along the lines of experience. It's living life out in the world and taking note of the things you learn from simply being alive, and thus is a bit closer to what you can achieve through wisdom. Still, wisdom and street smarts are not one in the same.

4. Stop reading this article and start living.

Wisdom is the ability to create something from nothing, a thought that was earlier established. If this is true, then you're not going to earn that ability through simply reading a couple words. To become wise you truly have to experience life and get to know yourself, and there is no better way to do so than to get out there and LIVE. No one person can define wisdom in it's truest form, and no one can say for sure that they have it, but going out and trying to experience it will help you to understand it better than anything else.

Wisdom comes in many forms, and can be brought to you in many ways. Even just understanding that will make you a little bit wise.

It's a good start.

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