Knowledge vs. Wisdom

A few years back I heard the expression, "Book smart but sidewalk stupid." It was a reference to how some people are well versed in the subjects we're told to value in school, but lack a deeper understanding of people.

Of course, both types of smarts are important for navigating through a modern society but some kinds of intellect are valued more than others. We see it in how certain occupations are regarded and how those how devote themselves to those lines of work are compensated. Value is often linked to the marketplace.

But there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. The two are far from binary. In fact, one often comes at the cost of the other. 

While the knowledgeable person knows a great deal about a great deal the wise one knows what he doesn't know.

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Whatever it is, You'll Get Through it

Wherever you're at, whatever you're going through, trust that you will get through it. We have a higher capacity for pain that we realize. And when we come out on the other end we not only have an opportunity to gain perspective but also growth. Becoming better at anything, namely life, is unsettling. That's why so few pursue it.

I've discovered it's less important to dissect the root of the pain but what can come of it. Rather than seeking answers we can sit with the questions, especially if they're good ones. As Sir Francis Bacon once noted, "A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.

Write, walk, sit, do what you need to but never relinquish hope. Cling to it fiercely and trust that though its embers may at times appear to be subdued it never ceases to shimmer.

Follow Those Ahead, Lead Those Behind

Yesterday was sort of an impromptu "Mentor Day." First, I met with a teacher that had a very important influence on my life when I first got out of graduate school. Over the years we've remained close even catching a Brooklyn Cyclones game a few summers ago. He'd check in from time to time to see how I was doing and ask if he could help in any of my pursuits.

Later that day, I went to see the performance of a young man who was just 18 when we first me at The Flea, an off-off Broadway theater company in Tribeca. 

(The show by the way is, The Skin of Our Teeth currently playing at Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn. Check it out if you get the chance!)

http://www.tfana.org/1617season/skin-teeth/tickets

After the performance I waited for him in the lobby and he asked if I had time for a quick drink. 

His manager was waiting for him as well and he promptly introduced me as his "mentor." I have to say it meant a great deal.

As we sat at a trendy bar adjacent to the theater peering out the window he told me how he was now the "older guy" in the play. There were actors even younger than him that had sought his advice during the play's run on more than one occasion. "It's really weird that I'm the guy helping other people now," he admitted. "I'm sure you're great," I told him.

As I left my mentor on the corner of 115th and Columbia he thanked me for an email I'd written him earlier in the week. "I'm not sure I deserved all of that," he said. I credited him for his mentorship and how it played a significant role in me finally publishing my book, speaking at TEDx, and even shaping the man I've slowly become.

Similarly, I felt I didn't deserve the acknowledgement when my friend gave me credit for much of his success.

But that night when I headed towards the 3 train back to Manhattan I realized someone will always know something you don't offering an opportunity for growth and learning. What is important is to pass on what you've learned.

Seek and follow the wisdom of those ahead and lead those behind you leaving bits and pieces of the insights you've gained.

Information is Not Wisdom

There's a big difference between information and wisdom. We live in a time where the amount of content available at our fingertips is seemingly infinite. 

The key is what we do with that information. And just as information does not equate to wisdom, knowledge does not necessarily imply growth. 

It all comes down to focus and implementation of the lessons we learn and then measuring its effectiveness.

Not Enough to Just Know

There's a famous adage that goes, "Knowledge is power." The more I think about it, I believe knowledge is only potential power. It should lead to more than wisdom, but to action.

For years I read, listened to, or watched any resource I could get my hands on to improve my craftsmanship as an actor and my overall productivity. 

Gradual improvements occurred only when I implemented what I learned rather than tucked it away as merely theory.

If you want to get to the next level of whatever your creative endeavors may be, it's not enough to know. You've got to apply it.

Start Writing

Today, there are countless ways to get your voice heard. There's WordPress, Tumblr, and Blogger to name just a few. And the great news is the vast majority are absolutely free.

http://www.creativebloq.com/web-design/best-blogging-platforms-121413634

Still, two of the most common hang-ups I hear about not starting a blog are the following:

1. I have nothing to say.

2. There's so much noise out there. How do I cut through it?

First, as author, entrepreneur, marketer, and blogger Seth Godin suggests, "Write like you speak." In other words, nobody ever has "talker's block."

Second, good content is good content is good content. The world is not starving for information, but it is always on the lookout for wisdom.

You have something unique and compelling to share. Now get to it.