Learning Mindset: Unlocking your mind

Seeking wisdom then is another component of a learning mindset. It is an important way to strengthen your mind. Psychology Today had a great article on wisdom that is worth reading. Here is the gist of it. Wisdom is the ability to take your knowledge and your understandings of situations from experience and apply them skillfully in your decision making. In the article, developmental psychologist Paul Baltes is referenced as conceiving wisdom as expertise derived from five key components, which are having a rich procedural knowledge, rich factual knowledge, an understanding of different life contexts, an awareness of the relativism of values and priorities, and the ability to recognize and manage uncertainty.

The article goes on to mention sociologist Monika Ardelt as believing individuals develop wisdom as personality characteristics which encompass reflection, compassion, and the pursuit of truth. Psychologist Robert Sternberg on the other hand understands wisdom as a balance between oneself and others, so that actions are directed for the common good. That is one of the more powerful aspects of this learning mindset.

If you have been reading everything I have for you on this website you will see that foundation of love sneaking its way into at least two of these theories – encompassing compassion, which is built from love and actions directed for the common good, also built from love. How one goes about gaining wisdom in large part has to do with reflecting on not only our experiences but the experiences of others. When we reflect on them and ask good questions, we are much more likely to be able to pull out the necessary learnings from those experiences and apply them to future situations that may be similar. Doing that entails building a learning mindset and the beliefs, values, and character traits the make it up.

I would be negligent if I didn’t include in this piece on wisdom what four major religions views of wisdom are. There is no way of avoiding the impact of religious world views on a learning mindset. I don’t take this task lightly because wisdom is not always easily defined, but here is my best shot.

According to the website Islamic Wisdom, “Wisdom (‘aql in arabic) is a hidden power of thinking and logic. It discovers unknown realities from the known ones. Wisdom makes logical rules using plausible reasoning by induction and deduction. Wisdom then reaches useful conclusions and results based on these logical rules.” Here we see an obvious attempt to connect wisdom to proper thinking – reasoning and recognizing laws of logic. Further in that article it says this, “In other words, Quran does not consider those people as wise who do not believe on Allah, his plan and his prophets. Not using wisdom and reason degrades humanity and entraps humans into all kinds of harms. Further, the true believers are full of wisdom and free of any ignorance and harms.” Here, it explicitly states that those who do not believe on Allah, his plans and his prophets are not wise. In other words, you cannot be wise if you do not believe Allah. If you use your intellect, reasoning skills, and laws of logic and come to reject Islam you cannot be considered wise. This belief becomes part of their learning mindset. 

An online article found on the Harvard Divinity website page discusses wisdom in Hindu teachings. There are two key take-a-ways I get from this article. First is that wisdom comes from thinking deeply about important, deeply philosophical life questions. The second is the importance of the guru in developing wisdom. From their website:

“Wisdom is difficult to acquire on one’s own. It is the teacher, the guru, who guides one along the spiritual path. The teachings of the Upanishads were never intended to be published for anyone to buy. And they were not meant to be read in the library or at home in the living room. These teachings were meant to be studied only in the context of a life of serious spiritual discipline, only by those properly prepared, and only with a qualified teacher. The Prashna Upanishad tells the story of six eager students who approach a guru for study. But before he would take a single question, the teacher required them to live with him for a year, leading a life of discipline, to see if they were fit to be taught.

“From ancient times to the present, the guru has played an important role in transmitting the Hindu traditions of wisdom and practice. The guru receives credentials from his or her own guru, and thus from the guru’s teaching-lineage. The guru gives his or her students initiation or diksha into the spiritual practice of that tradition. This may include giving a mantra: a name, phrase, or word that is to be used in meditation practice, and that will guide one’s spiritual practice. The guru has a more general role as well, often serving as a counselor on questions of health, family, and marriage. The guru, especially as a teacher and spiritual preceptor, is also called a swami.”

This idea of having a mentor or teacher is obviously something I believe in because that is what I do. It is regaining its rightful place as a vital part of the all important learning mindset.

The website buddhanet writes this about wisdom. “So what, according to Buddhism, is wisdom? The highest wisdom is seeing that in reality all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent, and not self. This understanding is totally freeing and leads to the great security and happiness which is called Nirvana. However, the Buddha doesn’t speak too much about this level of wisdom. It is not wisdom if we simply believe what we are told. True wisdom is to directly see and understand for ourselves. At this level then, wisdom is to keep an open mind rather than being closed-minded, listening to other points of view rather than being bigoted; to carefully examine facts that contradict our beliefs, rather than burying our heads in the sand; to be objective rather than prejudiced and partisan; to take time about forming our opinions and beliefs rather than just accepting the first or most emotional thing that is offered to us; and to always be ready to change our beliefs when facts that contradict them are presented to us. A person who does this is certainly wise and is certain to eventually arrive at true understanding. The path of just believing what you are told is easy. The Buddhist path requires courage, patience, flexibility and intelligence.” Here we see some very powerful characteristics of the wise: patient, intelligent, objective, good listeners, careful examiner of facts to name a few. All of which are character traits to be developed when acquiring a learning mindset.

Finally, we need to look at the Christian and Jewish teachings on wisdom. In their teachings, wisdom comes from God. It is in fact alien to natural fallen man, but it will be granted to man if we ask God to give it to us. In James 1:5 we read, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Solomon of course is the most famous example of the gift of Wisdom bestowed by God. In 1 Kings 3:8-13 we read the story, “And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor.”

Michael A. Milton, PhD in an article found at Biblestudytools.com writes the following. “We can survey all of the pool of biblical insights about wisdom and siphon the precious nectar of truth about how to get wisdom:

1. Recognize that true wisdom is something that we need. Like grace, wisdom is something God offers and which we must receive. It is a gift.

2. Repent of your claim on wisdom.

3. Receive the anointing of wisdom even as Joshua received wisdom after Moses laid his hand upon him. Recognize that wisdom is a spiritual act. It has very little to do with cognitive development or education. It has everything to do with the anointing of God to see what is right and what is wrong, to know what to do and when to do it. You and I both know that wisdom does not come along with a sheepskin of a diploma or certification. Cry out to God, and he will answer you and anoint you with wisdom. 

4. Use wisdom for the glory of God and for the good of others. If wisdom is not exercised then wisdom ceases to be. However, the very nature of wisdom instructs your heart to use your insights, your discernment, your discretion, your vision to fulfill God's will and to demonstrate how to love your neighbor."

Yes, wisdom is a bountiful blessing that is available to all. You have only to go to the Lord God and ask for this wisdom. As Paul prayed that the Colossians be granted wisdom, so I pray for those who read this: 

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9-10 ESV).

Let us always remember that Jesus is the fullness of God's wisdom. To receive the anointing of wisdom, then, is, in some way, to know the mind of God and to draw close to the one who is wisdom incarnate, even Jesus Christ our Lord:

“But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a [c]stumbling block and to the [d]Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23-24 NKJV).

Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. And to receive him is to recognize your need of him and cry out to him. God will answer your prayer. So, this is wisdom and how to find it.

Okay, there you have information you need on wisdom, but what do you do with it? You should analyze it, think about it, and draw your own conclusions, but I will share mine that have come from doing that same process.

1.     Wisdom is in part a psychological process that involves reflecting on your knowledge and all the experiences you have had to learn how to make decisions in the moment that will be best for all parties involved. Gaining wisdom is a process that happens over time and most certainly can and should include an understanding of the past.

2.     At a deeper level, it is knowledge and understanding that can only come from the ultimate source of all knowledge, who is the creator of it all – God. While man most certainly can attain wisdom through his own ability to reason and think, he cannot attain that incredible highest level of wisdom which can only come from God but is granted as a gift if you simply ask.

Given all of this, to seek wisdom means you are constantly seeking out the experiences of others, listening to their advice and understanding, reflecting on your own knowledge and experiences, seeking out God to aid in your decision making. Doing the first two only will give you some wisdom, doing all three will give you great wisdom. The desire for great wisdom is the vital component of this part of a learning mindset which we hope to have you build.