Knowledge is power.
The above statement is one I have subscribed to for a long time. I love to learn and discover new things. But one thing I recently discovered is that this tenet--knowledge is power--is terminologically deceiving. Power is not gained by consuming copious amounts of information. It's earned by rubbing synapses and neurons together in exploration of new thought. We have limited space to store 'information' in our cranial closets, but the mind has a limitless capacity for conjecture. The world's most renowned thinkers are not revered for their ability to horde vast amounts of knowledge under their afros, but for their ability to conjure insightful theories out of thin air. So while knowledge is tasty, wisdom is the true power protein. Who cares if you can regurgitate what Joe Schmo said yesterday? The real sign of genius is what novel idea you come up with today. In his article, Why Wise Leaders Don't Know Too Much, Jeff Stibel exclaims, "Decisions are destroyed by over-analysis. The brain is not intelligent because of the sheer volume of data it can ingest, but for the way it can quickly discern patters--and then guess the rest...In other words, wisdom comes from your gut." Mr. Stibel goes on to make another great point: "People often become victims of the 'knowledge trap' or 'analysis paralysis,' thinking they need to weigh every bit of information against all possible outcomes. Those people rarely make it very far. Those who avoid these traps--who realize they'll never have all the answers no matter how much knowledge they gather--are often the ones who succeed." We've all done it. We've all been victims of the knowledge trap. Whether it was second guessing yourself on a test in high school or calling your bookie to change a bet just before kickoff; we've all, at times, over-analyzed instead of trusting our gut. But this is not my point. What I'm saying is that having all the answers doesn't mean you have all the power. In fact, the answers are arguably irrelevant. Too often, we seek answers without asking how or why we got them. What if your answers are the wrong answers? It's when we stop questioning--ourselves; our surroundings; our leaders--that we become complacent and stagnant. Wisdom is the real power. Which stems from wonder and exploration. And exploration is a process. A personal process of discovery. It's more about seeking truths than finding answers. There is no bright light at the end of the tunnel because the tunnel has no end. Learning arises from questions. And questions arise from doubt. The objective is not to accumulate a warehouse of knowledge by studying what others already know, but to create a wealth of wisdom by trusting our own intuitions and suppositions. In his book, The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, renowned physicist Richard Feynman puts it this way, "...I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have the answers which might be wrong...In order to make progress, one must leave the door to the unknown ajar...it is our responsibility not to say 'this is a solution to it all.' Because we will be chained then to the limits of our present imagination." The greatest discoveries in history were made by doubting common knowledge, not conceding to it. So keep studying the ways of the world, but take time to step back and analyze, scrutinize and dissect what you learn. Understand it. Then expand it. We can't expect old ways of thinking to take us anywhere new. Knowledge is important. But it's just an understanding of what has already happened or is already known. Real brilliance--wisdom--is attained when we take knowledge and knead it; roll it; twist it like a pretzel until we end up with a doughnut.
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