Wise people: the 6 characteristics that define them

The typical image that comes to mind when we think of a wise person is an older man, with a long beard, who spends the day philosophizing in the solitude of his study. Thus, the idea that this archetypal image conveys is that the understanding of the reality that surrounds us always has to go hand in hand with very hard sacrifices that practically prevent us from enjoying life on any plane other than the intellectual. But this is false, it does not correspond to reality.

In fact, to reach a high degree of knowledge it is not necessary to be of the third age, and especially it is not necessary to live in isolation or be a man. Wise people have all kinds of appearances in everyday life; what they do have in common is psychological traits and lifestyle habits. Next we will see what are those characteristics of their own that serve to recognize them.

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Characteristics and habits of wise people

Far from being quirky individuals easily recognizable by their manias, wise people tend to be as discreet as the most of the population, and there is no external and superficial image that leads us to think that they are individuals with any particularity.

So let's see what they are those signs that appear when we are in front of wise people.

1. They are curious about a wide variety of topics

Knowledge always begins with a question, and wise people ask themselves a great number of them every day. That is why they are often interested in a wide variety of topics, since it is precisely in these areas of the reality in which there is little experience appear very broad doubts that tempt the minds curious. This brings us to the next point.

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2. They keep a record of their doubts

When wise people realize that there is a question that is crying out to be answered, or when They come across a book, video, or article that seems like a good source of learning, they find a way to remember or that question or that piece of information in which answers to doubts are given.

This record does not have to be strictly a listing, but can also be a folder of "Favorites" in the browser full of links to interesting content in order to train in a way autodidact.

3. They are not ashamed to show their ignorance

For wise people, ignorance is what is taken for granted, what is given by default with the simple fact of being a human being. The normal thing, what happens more frequently, is that we do not know how to answer the questions, unless these are directed towards a topic that is considered "general culture". Therefore, they are not ashamed to openly admit their ignorance.

This is where the difference between wise people and those who just want to appear so is especially noticeable: the former consider that trying to make their ignorance pass Disguised means losing an opportunity to learn due to simple social pressure, while the latter prefer to maintain their public image rather than ask about what the another speaks.

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4. They have life experience and move through many areas

Wise people, contrary to what is often assumed, leave their home a lot, since otherwise they would not have a knowledge of life based on experience. That means that they travel, which allows them to know other cultures and points of view, and that they have a social life, which allows them allows access to more wise people to learn from.

On the other hand, although they do not have to be part of the elderly, they left adolescence behind for a long time. Before this vital stage, we are not neurologically prepared to think in abstract terms (which is indispensable for reach a sophisticated knowledge about things) and on the other hand there has been no opportunity to have experience.

5. They tolerate uncertainty

There are those who cannot bear the idea of ​​having their beliefs challenged, as this produces a state of discomfort known as cognitive dissonance. However, wise people accept this feeling of uncertainty well, because for them any belief is subject to revision and knowledge is conceived as something dynamic.

Also, because they constantly wonder if what they thought they knew is still valid, their understanding of the world is sophisticated and nuanced; It is not based so much on simplifications as on the fruits of reflection.

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6. Reading is a constant habit

Books and certain sources of information available on the Internet are a valuable resource for learning, and wise people do not miss out on these elements. This does not mean that they read anything, but that they are skilled at finding the information they seek and learn on their own going to useful and didactic sources. Whether they are fiction or non-fiction texts, there are thousands of sources of wisdom that address different areas of knowledge and that are considered a treasure by many people.

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