This challenge topic feels like the final exam of blog posts. Me, writing about wisdom? Ha. I see those eyes roll.
Since we had a doctor’s appointment this morning, I pondered the challenge during our drive time. When we were placed in the exam room, I glanced at the motivational art on the wall, and then did a double take. The quote from Ginni Rometty, former executive chairman and CEO of IBM, was a nugget of wisdom:
I agree with her statement, although I admit that a couple of decades ago, I might have resisted that thought. We’re trained or conditioned to seek comfort, aren’t we?
Once I got back to my desk, I decided to look up other quotes on wisdom and was shocked to discover that I was on the same wavelength as Socrates!
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” ~ Socrates
The older I get, and the more I know, the more I realize I know nothing.
Then I read this one, from Isaac Asimov, who died in 1992:
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~ Isaac Asimov
He said this before AI was a daily conversation. Sad, indeed.
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” ~ Albert Einstein
Understanding does indeed foster wisdom, which leads me right into this quote from Jimi Hendrix,
“Knowledge speaks but wisdom listens.”
In the last 10 years or so, I’ve worked hard to listen more and listen better. I’m not an auditory person, so listening takes an intentional effort. Listening has planted understanding, compassion, and perhaps even wisdom, and the more I work at it, the more it grows and thrives.
“Wise people continue to doubt themselves (and that’s part of what makes them wise).” ~ unknown
I’m 60 years old, with loads of experience, knowledge, education, skills, and talents. And yet, for reasons I’ve yet to determine (I’m sure others could pinpoint it immediately), I still doubt myself. I doubt my abilities, I doubt my strengths, I doubt my knowledge – every single day. I’m not sure how that makes me wise – more like a continual work in progress.
“Wisdom derives more from mistakes and failures than from success.” ~ unknown
On the same wavelength as “unknown,” too. As we drove, I thought about how much more I’ve learned from my mistakes than my successes – and that makes sense from a ratio perspective.
“Wise people are also humble. There’s really no such thing as someone who is both proud or arrogant and wise.” ~ unknown
Confession time: Tim and I love watching reality shows / competitions. Over the years, we’ve noticed something. The competitors who are humble go far in the competition; the ones who are arrogant and full of themselves usually fail early. Because we’ve watched for so long, we see some of the competitors return for re-matches, and most of the time, we see that they are different. Some have allowed their failures to change them – humble them. Others have grown bitter and/or more arrogant and prouder than they during their first appearance. It’s no surprise when the humble succeed the second time around, and the arrogant fall once more. (And please realize, I’m not talking about confidence here – many of these contestants are confident in and of themselves, without being arrogant and prideful.)
I remember one instance in my own life when I was full of myself (unfortunately, there were many, but I remember this one all too well.) As introverts tend to do, I still occasionally replay a specific conversation I had with a younger co-worker. At the time, I thought I was being generous and thoughtful and wise, as I shared my knowledge and my plans for us to work together in the future, but instead, I was arrogant, prideful, condescending, foolish. I hope that person has forgotten that conversation from 25+ years ago (after days of laughter, I’m sure) – but I never have. I pray I’m never so foolish again.
My favorite quotes about wisdom are in the Bible, because the kind of wisdom I now seek, pursue, desire most is Godly wisdom.
James 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (NASB)
and
James 3:17, “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (NASB)
I want that wisdom from above, don’t you?
Do you have a favorite wisdom quote or story? I’d love to hear it!
Since we had a doctor’s appointment this morning, I pondered the challenge during our drive time. When we were placed in the exam room, I glanced at the motivational art on the wall, and then did a double take. The quote from Ginni Rometty, former executive chairman and CEO of IBM, was a nugget of wisdom:
“Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
I agree with her statement, although I admit that a couple of decades ago, I might have resisted that thought. We’re trained or conditioned to seek comfort, aren’t we?
Once I got back to my desk, I decided to look up other quotes on wisdom and was shocked to discover that I was on the same wavelength as Socrates!
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” ~ Socrates
The older I get, and the more I know, the more I realize I know nothing.
Then I read this one, from Isaac Asimov, who died in 1992:
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~ Isaac Asimov
He said this before AI was a daily conversation. Sad, indeed.
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” ~ Albert Einstein
Understanding does indeed foster wisdom, which leads me right into this quote from Jimi Hendrix,
“Knowledge speaks but wisdom listens.”
In the last 10 years or so, I’ve worked hard to listen more and listen better. I’m not an auditory person, so listening takes an intentional effort. Listening has planted understanding, compassion, and perhaps even wisdom, and the more I work at it, the more it grows and thrives.
“Wise people continue to doubt themselves (and that’s part of what makes them wise).” ~ unknown
I’m 60 years old, with loads of experience, knowledge, education, skills, and talents. And yet, for reasons I’ve yet to determine (I’m sure others could pinpoint it immediately), I still doubt myself. I doubt my abilities, I doubt my strengths, I doubt my knowledge – every single day. I’m not sure how that makes me wise – more like a continual work in progress.
“Wisdom derives more from mistakes and failures than from success.” ~ unknown
On the same wavelength as “unknown,” too. As we drove, I thought about how much more I’ve learned from my mistakes than my successes – and that makes sense from a ratio perspective.
“Wise people are also humble. There’s really no such thing as someone who is both proud or arrogant and wise.” ~ unknown
Confession time: Tim and I love watching reality shows / competitions. Over the years, we’ve noticed something. The competitors who are humble go far in the competition; the ones who are arrogant and full of themselves usually fail early. Because we’ve watched for so long, we see some of the competitors return for re-matches, and most of the time, we see that they are different. Some have allowed their failures to change them – humble them. Others have grown bitter and/or more arrogant and prouder than they during their first appearance. It’s no surprise when the humble succeed the second time around, and the arrogant fall once more. (And please realize, I’m not talking about confidence here – many of these contestants are confident in and of themselves, without being arrogant and prideful.)
I remember one instance in my own life when I was full of myself (unfortunately, there were many, but I remember this one all too well.) As introverts tend to do, I still occasionally replay a specific conversation I had with a younger co-worker. At the time, I thought I was being generous and thoughtful and wise, as I shared my knowledge and my plans for us to work together in the future, but instead, I was arrogant, prideful, condescending, foolish. I hope that person has forgotten that conversation from 25+ years ago (after days of laughter, I’m sure) – but I never have. I pray I’m never so foolish again.
My favorite quotes about wisdom are in the Bible, because the kind of wisdom I now seek, pursue, desire most is Godly wisdom.
James 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (NASB)
and
James 3:17, “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (NASB)
I want that wisdom from above, don’t you?
Do you have a favorite wisdom quote or story? I’d love to hear it!
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