LEARN FROM EVERYBODY IN DIVERSE GROUPS

Highly educated people can learn a lot from the illiterate!

The above statement, though may sound absurd is true. The world is an ocean of knowledge and learning and no matter how much awareness and wisdom we may boast of with coveted degrees from the globally best universities, our intellect is still zero like a drop of that ocean water.

OUR MISTAKE

A grave error on our part is the belief is one can learn only from academically qualified people. So most of us would listen to and follow the opinion of higher degree holders and accept their views as infallible without ever analyzing the value these ideas can add. That’s because of a wrong universal notion - Education=Degrees=Knowledge=Intellect=Wisdom. On the other hand, hardly anyone would seriously hear the views or thoughts of a commoner as people without substantial degrees or those who don’t hold senior positions in profession are considered to be valueless.

WISDOM COMES FROM EVERYBODY

But in reality, true knowledge and wisdom grow through experiences and not from theoretical studies. People with an acclaimed academic background are known to possess strong theoretical knowledge of the subject, while those who have learned the same theories through hands-on-training possess an intimate expertise on the field. Simply speaking, the greater hurdle a person faces in life, the wider would be his ability to judge and foresee things with higher precision. So one should try to learn something from almost everybody they know – and the more diverse your association with categories of people is, the wider would be your knowledge, wisdom and intellect.

NEED FOR MULTI-FACETED KNOWLEDGE

Another crucial drawback most have is lack of multi-faceted knowledge. Life’s journey is such that most of us have a single track mind, i.e. thinking in just one direction because our profession and social activities are restricted to limited fields. And historically, society has an unwritten segregation rule that has distanced people based on their class, caste, creed and professions. These unofficial distinctions exist even today as we mix in groups of one’s status, interest or profession. The barrier of such demarcations restrict us from being multi-disciplinary thinkers as we confine ourselves in one narrow direction, leading to lower intellect and wisdom.

JOIN DIVERSE GROUPS

In order to acquire real knowledge and great insight, the secret is to be part of diverse groups as people from different cultures and backgrounds bring a wide array of ideas and opinions. This exposure greatly widens our knowledge and mental horizons as we learn to perceive things through an integrated lens. Thus, one should join diverse groups that promote different interests, facilitate exchange of ideas and information and share knowledge among all.

Such associations not only evolve mankind from ignorance to light but can also be a pillar of strength in an individual’s life. Acquaintances from diverse fields can be of great help whenever one needs guidance and consultation on areas where you have no idea, thereby getting an expert opinion before you embark on a journey. Most importantly, this helps in correct decision-making, the key to finding success in life.