Moving From Experience to Wisdom: A Journey You Can Make at Any Age

When I was in my 30s, I saw a sign that read, “Too soon old, too late smart.” During that decade of my life, I thought, “Too bad for you, sucker. I’m already smart,” which shows you how dumb I was.

Now that I’m a couple of decades older, I’d change that sign to read, “Too soon old, too late wise.” I’d do that because I’ll take wisdom over I.Q. any day of the week.

I don’t think of myself as “wise,” just “wiser.” I’m certainly wiser than I used to be, but I hope not as wise as I’ll be in the future.

But I have good news for you. You don’t have to wait as many years as I did to grow wiser. You can start today. Here are three ways to move forward on this journey.

Pay attention to life.

One of my favorite mentors said,

“Most people are just trying to get through the day. You’ve got to do better than that. You’ve got to get from the day.”

Are you stuck in a rut where the days blend together, and you don’t feel like you’re growing? That means you’re just getting through the day. To get from the day, you’ve got to make a conscious effort.

Two things can help you do that, your camera and your journal.

First, take plenty of pictures along the way. If you have a smartphone, you always have your camera with you. Taking pictures forces you to slow down, take in what’s around you, and capture the moment. Later, you can look at your pictures, ponder your experiences, and commit them to memory.

Second, journal every day. Most people journal in the morning when they’re still half asleep, and their memory is foggy. I prefer to journal in the evening when the day is still fresh in my mind. Writing about my experiences helps me get from the day.

Read all you can.

If you want to grow in wisdom, you can’t spend your free time on Netflix, Tik Tok, or YouTube. You’ve got to be more protective of your time…and your mind.

I’m not saying there’s not a time to spend a few minutes watching a video; I’m saying don’t spend major time on minor things.

Instead of videos, pick up a quality book and read, either a hard copy or on Kindle. Either way works. I prefer Kindle because I read so much that I don’t have enough physical space in my condo for all the books I read in a year. Besides, I like to be able to pull up a book wherever I am whenever I want.

If you commute to work, turn your car into a mobile classroom. Download books to your phone and listen to them as you drive or ride.

But be sure that you’re reading material challenges you to grow as a person. Romance or fantasy novels are fun occasionally, but a steady diet of them won’t get you where you want to go.

Find a mentor.

Want to grow in wisdom? Find a voice of wisdom and stay and listen for a while. You don’t have to stay forever, but learn all you can before you move on. Take good notes so you can refer back to your lessons from time to time. You’ll know when it’s time to move on to the next teacher.

Who can be your mentor? Just about anyone. It can be a person you talk with either in person or by phone (preferably a video call), it can be a teacher at a seminar, it can be an author whose books you love and benefit from…it can be anyone who can teach you valuable lessons. Note the emphasis on the word “valuable.”

There are a lot of shallow voices out there today clamoring for your attention. Part of growing in wisdom is learning to separate the shallow from the deep. Make sure you’re listening to people of substance who are helping you make progress along your path.

When you think about it, it’s just not that complicated to grow wiser. Just pay attention, be a reader, and spend time listening to wise voices.

And remember, you can start this journey at any age. Whether you’re sixteen or sixty. Of course, sooner is better than later.

One of my mentors also said,

“Resolve says, “I will.” The man says, “I will climb this mountain. They told me it is too high, too far, too steep, too rocky, and too difficult. But it’s my mountain. I will climb it. You will soon see me waving from the top or dead on the side from trying.”

I’ll meet you at the top of the mountain. That’s where I’m headed. I hope you’ll join me on the journey.