10 No-BS Ways to Grow Your Wisdom

Everyone talks about wisdom like it’s something mystical. Newsflash: it’s not. Wisdom is just about making smarter choices, based on knowledge and experience.

Sure, intelligence helps, but it’s not the magic ingredient. You can be smart and still make terrible decisions. Wisdom comes when you learn from your mistakes - and your successes.

If you want to stop stumbling through life and start making decisions that actually work for you, follow these steps.

Your wisdom won’t magically appear overnight, but you’ll be a hell of a lot smarter tomorrow if you start today:

1. Review Your Wins (Yes, Take Credit for Them)

Why do some things go right for you? What were the exact factors that led to your success? Maybe you crushed that project at work or finally nailed that workout goal. Break it down. Ask yourself: What did you do differently this time? The more you understand what worked, the more often you can replicate it. To make more wins try this free 5-day goal setting challenge and program your positive habits, crush your goals, review and repeat.

2. Review Your Failures (Yes, You Have to Face Them)

Let’s be honest: no one likes to talk about their failures, but that’s where the growth is. You messed up, sure. But what went wrong? Was it laziness, lack of preparation, or just poor decision-making? Don’t gloss over your mistakes; understand them so they don’t happen again.

3. Review Your Day (Seriously, Every Day)

At the end of each day, hit pause. What went right? What didn’t? Why did that conversation with your coworker go so well, and why was the argument with your partner a disaster? The best way to improve your wisdom is to start small - look at the details of each day, and learn from them.

4. Learn from Other People’s Wins and Losses

Stop thinking your experiences are the only ones that matter. Check out what others did right - and wrong. Watch successful people, read biographies, even look at your friends and colleagues. There’s wisdom all around you, if you’re willing to learn from it.

5. Become a Philosopher (Or at Least Act Like One)

You don’t need a degree in philosophy, but thinking critically about different perspectives helps you see the world in new ways. Ever heard of Stoicism? Existentialism? Look into them. A broader worldview gives you the wisdom to deal with life’s chaos with a level head.

6. Read (And Not the Crap You’re Reading Right Now)

Books are the shortcut to wisdom—if you read the right ones. Toss the trashy novels and start picking up books by people like Aristotle, Nietzsche, or anyone who challenged the status quo. Get out of your comfort zone and read stuff that forces you to think.

7. Don’t Jump to Conclusions (Take a Breath)

We’ve all been there—rushing to judge a situation, person, or idea before we’ve got all the facts. Big mistake. Wisdom doesn’t come from knee-jerk reactions. Take a step back, breathe, and gather the full picture before you make any decisions.

8. Stop Acting on Impulse (Control Your Emotions)

Impulse decisions are a quick path to regret. Wisdom comes from thinking before you act. Next time you feel the urge to do something dramatic or emotionally-driven, hit pause. Let the initial emotion pass, then make your decision with clarity and reason.

9. Know Yourself (Seriously, You’re Not That Mysterious)

Understanding yourself is a huge part of wisdom. How do you behave when you’re under pressure? When you’re tired or stressed? The better you understand your own reactions, the better equipped you’ll be to handle any situation with level-headedness.

10. Get Experience (Get In the Game)

Experience isn’t something you can read about in a book or watch in a video. You need to live it. You need to put yourself out there, take risks, make mistakes, and grow from them. Leave any limiting beliefs behind you, stay true to your core and take action. Only by doing can you truly gain wisdom.

You got this! As with everything, the secret is in action. Take yours now.