Part of any plan to thrive should be a persistent drive to gain knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is one of the four cardinal virtues, and it is essential for a happy life. Wisdom requires a foundation of conceptual and practical knowledge.

The work of gaining knowledge and wisdom is immense. No one becomes wise quickly. There is much to learn, and many sources to explore. Wisdom, of all the virtues, takes the most sustained effort to gain. Persistence is essential. Even late in life, I discipline myself to spend time daily learning something that will help me live more fully.

Why Wisdom is Important

Wisdom is fundamental to choosing well. Wise people make better choices in life. Wise people respond better to life’s challenges because they have a meaningful conceptual framework for their life. They possess the practical knowledge to apply concepts to the specific problem at hand. Being wise is not the same as being smart. Many brilliant people are not wise. Conversely, there are sagacious ordinary people.

Wisdom affects thriving through actions. Thriving people have agency. That agency is facilitated by what they know and how they apply it. It is part of the decision to be proactive, reactive, or do nothing. Its value is in determining the options for solving a life problem and knowing which path is likely to be most successful. Without wisdom, important decisions become little more than tossing a coin. The common image of a white bearded old man on a mountain top dispensing advice does not convey all the active engagement in life that produced the wisdom to dispense.

The Distinction between Knowledge and Wisdom

Knowledge and wisdom are closely tied, yet distinct from each other. Knowledge is all the facts, data, and ideas about everything in our world. To live well, we are primarily concerned with the knowledge relevant to that task. Knowledge can be captured and stored. It can be gathered in many ways, from listening to others, reading, and through experiences. It encompasses all types of information, ranging from scientific to practical.

Wisdom is knowledge, but it has a particular characteristic that separates it from other types of knowledge. It is the understanding necessary to apply concepts, facts, and other knowledge to a particular situation to achieve desired results. It is action-oriented. It is what you do with the knowledge you have. Wisdom, like knowledge, is learned. It is often experience that teaches how to use what you know most productively. A wise person must have a considerable body of knowledge and know how and when to use it in taking action. Gaining wisdom often requires more time because it is frequently experience that helps people learn how to apply what they know to solving problems.

Conceptual and factual knowledge about the world is necessary for wisdom, but it is not sufficient. A person can know conceptually what is required to live a happy life. A wise person lives a happy life by learning how to use knowledge to make better decisions and take more effective actions.

Acquiring the knowledge and wisdom you need to live well is a challenge, but it’s worth the effort. It is nearly impossible to live well without it. And reading a few popular self-help books won’t get you there. You will benefit from first learning how to find the richest sources of knowledge and wisdom.