Let the wisdom grow for maturity, not to be low.
All of us wish to be wise and mature. Both are powerful tools that make us performers. Both wisdom and maturity are used interchangeably in our conversation and communication. But knowing how they evolve makes our functional expertise shine more.
To be precise, we shall try to understand in this article how they occur in our lives based on our own observations and looking at the people in our contacts at different levels. The parameters of wisdom and maturity may differ from culture to culture to a significant extent, but the broader picture of human development is almost the same across the globe.
Wisdom develops through education, exposure, and delving deeply into subject matter. Wisdom comes with learning languages and skills, facing challenges, and taking decisions. Failures make us wiser quicker than success with minimum efforts.
It is a misconception that wisdom grows with age. A man in his 30s may be wiser than another man in his 60s.
Now let’s see how maturity is different. When we act with full responsibility, we are mature. When we admit it is our fault in a team, group, or family affair, it shows our maturity. When we know how to manage conflicts, it shows our maturity. When we find it convenient to get acquainted with a new milieu, it proves our maturity.
Even an illiterate person may have sufficient maturity to handle his state of affairs. It is self-learning and awareness that make him mature. He may not be wise to change perspectives and paradigms, but his behaviour is in consonance with the social context and needs of the times. He knows how to regulate emotions and have non-jerky feelings when something unexpected happens.
Wisdom is transferred as it is seen in teachings, trainings, and coaching. It may happen quickly when both trainer and trainee are well-patterned. The coach gives direction to the learner on how to be swift in deciding the correct option. Parents talk to kids to make them wise. These are the common means to expand wisdom.
Maturity is more a matter of personal affairs than professional activities. Maturity is not instantly transferable through guidance and persuasion. Maturity is normally a slow process, but it works as a strong foundation to sustain ever-expanding responsibilities and diverse challenges.
A wise person is most likely to be a mature person. A wise person thinks about possible consequences, not too much, but keeps ready to face them. On the other hand, a mature person thinks deeply about the consequences and takes minimal risks to make things loss-free.
When to speak and when not to speak is a function of wisdom. Sound decisions in challenging situations are expected from a wise person. Creativity and innovation flourish where wise people take the initiative.
A mature person is more concerned about promises and honour, while wise men keep focused on efficiency and productivity.
In our 20s, we should devote maximum time and energy to being adequately informed, allowing both vertical and horizontal learning to happen. In this process, we become not only wise but also prepare a solid ground to mature in ascending order.
Moving at a constant speed is an indication of maturity, and when we accelerate, it confirms our wisdom.
We have to think differently and act forcefully to be better individuals as compared to the majority, who are low in wisdom and slow in maturity.