Becoming Wiser Faster — The Scientific Roots of Wisdom
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Dilip Jeste, the author of Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good. Today’s episode is a rebroadcast of one of my favorite (and first) conversations on the podcast. Dr. Jeste is a neuropsychiatrist who has spent more than 20 years studying aspects of wisdom and healthy aging. He is a former Director of the Center for Healthy Aging at UC San Diego and a distinguished professor of psychiatry and neurosciences.
In the conversation, Dr. Jeste and I discuss,
What wisdom is and what it’s not
Cultivating compassion
Emotional regulation
Leveraging the wisdom of elders
Wisdom and loneliness and much more
Learn more about Dr. Dilip Jeste here. Consider taking the Jeste-Thomas Wisdom Index mentioned in the conversation.
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Perennial Notes | 3 Takeaways
Nearly two millennia ago, Seneca stressed to his friend Lucilius, “No one ever became wise merely by chance.” Dr. Jeste (author of Wiser) agrees. He explains that no one wakes up wise; becoming wiser is a process. Here are three takeaways from my conversation with Dr. Dilip Jeste.
Happiness is a good goal. It typically accompanies becoming wiser, but wisdom is more about acquiring a deeper understanding about meaning in life, of being able to see how and where you fit into the grander scheme of things, and how you can be a better person for yourself and for others.
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No single component of wisdom or becoming wiser is more essential than pro-social behavior, doing things that benefit others or society as a whole. They are driven by traits like empathy, compassion, and altruism.
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At the end of life, when death looms large, there can be a sort of final clarity. All the pretensions of life, its expectations, confusions, aggravations, disappointments, and more may fall away. … As one’s time on Earth shrinks, people become increasingly selective about what’s meaningful and how they should spend their dwindling days. You stop sweating the small stuff — and realize that most stuff is small.
The Wisdom of Self-Reflection
The practice of self-reflection is an “exercise of introspection,” explains Dr. Jeste, “the examination of our own mental and emotional processes to better understand their fundamental nature, purpose, and essence.” Self-reflection is profoundly important and an obvious element of wisdom. Reflection gives the brain time to pause, to untangle and sort through the myriad of observations. It provides time to consider multiple interpretations and create meaning, which in turn becomes learning and shaping our future thoughts and actions.
Self-Reflection Exercise (Pick one or create your own!):
Here are three thought-provoking quotes found in Dr. Jeste’s book you might want to consider contemplating.
“It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do.”
— Elbert Hubbard, American philosopher
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“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.”
— John Allen Paulos, American mathematician
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“A wise man changes his mind sometimes, but a fool never. To change your mind is the best evidence you have one.”
— Desmond Ford, Australian theologian
Additional Resources Related to the Podcast:
The Wandering Mind with Janie Kreiner
Thinking 101 with Woo-kyoung Ahn
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Thank you for listening; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
P.S. If you enjoyed the conversation. Please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
"The Wisdom of Insecurity" by Alan Watts