Where do you think that wisdom is needed most today?

“Wisdom is needed everywhere with everybody,” said an eighteen year old respondent to my wisdom survey. She might have added, “Duh, isn’t this obvious?” Thirty percent of her Millennial and Gen Z peers agree with her and checked every category of answer choice to my inquiry of where wisdom is needed.  If this was a question posed on the popular TV show Family Feud, then host Steve Harvey might have insisted that they choose one response. However, I deliberately left the question open-ended. I wanted to see if any concerns would be expressed in the comments section or if one area would receive more responses than another. While the frequency of answers had a fairly even distribution, the clear favorite was the Government with 76% of the respondents choosing this answer.  The winner board would have looked like this:

Government and Leadership

Consistent with previous responses from 18-35 year olds in the survey, I found insightful and discerning comments were provided with their answers. They want leaders to actually lead and to be more thoughtful in their actions.  One young man suggested that leaders in government “need wisdom instead of blind disdain for any idea that comes from the other side of the aisle, and to remember that we all have the same goals even if choosing different paths.”Another remarked, “we can all learn something from each other.”

My savvy group also pointed out in their comments  the relationship between:

Home, Family and Schools 

• Home is where everything begins in a person’s development

• What is learned at home will always be rooted in you

• Schools can’t fix home life but can influence it by providing positive role models

Schools and the Workplace

• Schools have become a dangerous place for children and we need to fix the inequality in the system

• The incoming workforce is completely connected so there should be no barriers between work and life.

• The workplace needs to be more welcoming and inclusive

Neighborhoods and Religious Institutions

• Neighbors don’t talk to each other anymore

• Church communities often fail to realize what people really need, that bums me out

• Person to person interaction is needed to influence larger institutions

Wisdom as the Guiding Principle

No matter what combination of answers my respondents chose to identify where wisdom is most needed, they were all in agreement that Wisdom is like branding or a set of company values that serve as the guiding principle. It should be what we strive for whenever groups of people come together. I was happy to hear one young woman proclaim: We need to re-establish our connection to previous generations and what they have to offer. Her comment reflected one of my own intentions when I began this project, namely, to encourage inter-generational dialogue to cultivate the wisdom needed in our world today..  

What I learned from fifty awesome 18-35 year olds is that this topic is a very important one for our young adults-one which I plan to continue and expand on. As I progress in summarizing the responses to my survey from the other age groups (35-55, 56-75,  76+) I predict that I will see many areas of agreement across the generations.

As you think about what is important to you, do you find that you agree with any of the thoughts and opinions shared in this series reflecting the wisdom of younger generations? Please send me your thoughts.

To start at the beginning of the series click here.

Coming soon:  What wisdom means to Generation X 

When asked in a recent survey to indicate what sources they use to develop personal wisdom, the responses of 18-35 year olds were evenly distributed across the nine choices presented, as they highlighted “it’s important to have a healthy balance between them.” In addition, the most frequently named categories were also corroborated by comments that described their “favorites.”

Favorite Wisdom Sources from highest to lowest

• Reflecting on Life Experience–43 respondents
• Friends and Family–43 respondents
• Articles and Books (workshops and podcasts)–39 respondents
• Being in Nature–37 respondents
• Creative Pursuits (music, art, poetry….)–36 respondents
• Spiritual Practice–24 respondents
• Personal/Journal Writing–21 respondents
• Religious or Spiritual Leaders–21 respondents
• Sacred Texts–13 respondents

A good portion of my Millennial and Gen Z respondents were grappling with life experiences, turning to their friends and family for guidance and reflecting on what they were learning. This practice included “observing the behaviors and actions of others that I want to emulate” as they identified wise mentors and sought workshops and podcasts to help them become “more self aware.” They also preferred to be in nature and pursue creative endeavors to express their spirituality. Many were seeking to be more mindful as they were making sense of their world.

While I was disappointed that more respondents did not check personal writing as a source for developing wisdom, I smiled when I noticed that the people who wrote the longest answers on the survey were often the ones who did not indicate writing helped them in their process of self discovery. However, many of them still expressed that reflecting on the survey questions was useful, particularly this one:

What is your reaction to thinking about yourself as a source of wisdom?

The response to this question varied from “terrified” to “completely comfortable and honored.” Clearly my group recognized the awesome responsibility of considering their own evolving life as a source of wisdom. The majority of them used words like humbled, proud and empowered as others indicated that they had never thought about it before or that it might be “a little weird.” Some of this reluctance seemed to be stemming from an awareness that they still had a lot of life experience to discover, but they were willing to continue learning every step of the way. For those who indicated that it “felt true” to consider themselves a source of wisdom, it was with the clarification that they were deeply connected to a source larger then themselves which gave them great confidence as well as humility.

As I continue to read the responses of these insightful young adults, it is not lost on me that they carry their wisdom into the future of our world.

Read next where they think that wisdom is most needed today.

To start at the beginning of the series click here

To be wise is to know your strengths, work to overcome weaknesses, ask for help, and be a lifelong learner. You do not have to be the smartest or always make the right decisions, as long as you are open-minded and learn from your mistakes. –Kayleigh Stampfler                                 

Yes I am Wise

Kayleigh is one of the seventy-eight percent of my respondents age 18-35 that checked “yes” on a survey asking if they considered themselves to be wise. However, don’t mistake this response as a lack of humility. The group is quick to clarify that there should have been a “sometimes” option to the question that simply asked them to answer “yes” or “no.”  They also made it clear that their self perception is formed by a willingness to learn and be shaped by those they consider to be wise. This openness includes the ability to see wisdom coming from unexpected places like the mother who commented “Even my young children have shown wisdom in ways that surprise me. Wisdom does not belong to any age or stage in life.”

While some of my respondents equate wisdom with knowledge and education, most of those with confidence enough to call themselves wise are deeply connected to their intuition, spirit and life values. They engage in a process of self-reflection that includes learning from life experience.  In addition, they have received feedback regarding their mature outlook such as: “I’ve heard from others all of my life that I’m wise beyond my years.” “People look to me for advice.” Some of these insightful comments come from individuals who have overcome early life trauma and developed a strength and resiliency that motivates them to help others.

No I am not Wise

For the thirty-two percent of my respondents who were not able to answer “yes” to being wise, most clarified again that the answer is not black and white and there should have been a “kinda” option for them to check. One respondent astutely pointed out “you can’t bestow this label on yourself, it comes from social circles” (in other words, getting feedback from others). Another remarked, “While I am wise in some areas, I’ll only check yes if I feel I’m wise in all areas of my life.”

Some attributed a lack of life experience and not having expertise on a variety of subjects as reasons they do not consider themselves to be wise. However, their ability to recognize what they don’t know actually demonstrated their evolving wisdom. I was impressed with the self-awareness that was present in these comments:

• I’m always distracted and this limits my ability to utilize all resources for true wisdom to come into fruition.
• I have moments of clarity when I do feel confident in my thoughts and actions on a higher level, but those moments are far and fleeting. I am too prone to fleeting emotions to be considered “wise.”
• I am smart, but not wise because I still do not feel as if I have found my actual purpose.
• Very much of what I think about is in the moment. I struggle to connect ideas and actions as they unfold over long periods of time, which in my view is essential to wisdom.

In my opinion, both groups of respondents demonstrated that wisdom was indeed unfolding in their lives. The main difference in the people who were able to say “Yes, I am wise,”  was the presence of confidence that develops when one is told that their insights are valued and appreciated. What I am learning from reading the responses of Millennials and Gen Z is that many of them have important things to say and are taking the time to cultivate wisdom whether they know it or not.  Acknowledging their wisdom is like watering a plant, the nourishment will enable its continued growth.

Where do you think my group of young adults are finding wisdom?

To read their answers click here.

To start at the beginning of the series click here.

Who is one of the wisest people in the world?  What makes them Wise?

In a recent survey of fifty young adults between the age of 18-35, ninety-five percent named a specific person or category such as “my mother” or “my former supervisor” as their answer to the question above, with the remaining five percent listing characteristics or attributes of a wise person. Their collective responses speak volumes about their values and are summarized in the categories below.

Humanitarians. Social Activists, Religious and Political Leaders -48% of respondents

Our young people admired:

• The Dalai Lama for his example demonstrating the importance of the “bigger picture” and speaking up about important issues
• Mother Teresa for her humility and ability to deeply listen to the needs of others
• Pope Francis for his simple and elegant insights
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his connection to “something larger than himself” and communicating that connection in an understandable way
• Nelson Mandela for his incredible forgiveness and leadership
• Malala Yousafzai for using her platform appropriately to advocate for human rights
• Barack Obama for his ability to search beyond his own opinion and speak clearly about complex issues
• Maya Angelou for demonstrating how to deal with suffering
• Mother Angelica because she gave advice that was incredibly practical
• Angela Merkel for her diplomacy on a national and global level
• Yoko Ono for being a ferocious activist with a whimsical sense of wonder

Business Leaders, Celebrities and Authors -25% of respondents

Topping the list of successful entrepreneurs were Jeff Bezos for building Amazon “from nothing” and creating a path to follow, Elon Musk for pioneering solutions in sustainable energy and Liz Davidson for creating a financial business with informative articles and podcasts.

Mr. Rogers was recognized for his ability to teach morality and inclusiveness to children “without them even knowing it.”Songwriters and authors are hailed for their ability to speak their truth whether it’s Kendrick Lamar or Gary Vaynerchuk, “cutting through the noise” on social media or musician Henry Rollins, lecturing around the world on care for the less fortunate. Authors Tim Ferris and Irving Yalom were named as wise for writing about their life experience and adding to the information helping us understand human behavior.

The Elders and Work Influences -22% of respondents

This group expressed respect for input from their “elders,” a term that was extended to their parents, grandparents and anyone “who has lived through wars, depression, love and loss.”  Developing strength and resiliency as a result of overcoming adversity was important to them. They appreciated the opportunity to hear first hand stories from their grandparents because they valued their “hard won perspective.”  Young people also acknowledged the diverse life experience of their parents, particularly if they role modeled a willingness to listen without judgement and an openness to new ideas

The workplace was another place to discover wise people.  Former supervisors were described as having offered wisdom about life, being a professional and how to lead a team of people. A very grateful  respondent told of an administrator who was “patient, kind, thoughtful, and one of the most grounded people I know.” While another described a colleague as “cultured, down to earth, driven and very inspirational.”

The Unnamed -5% of respondents

“This is a tough question” remarked those who described the characteristics of wisdom instead of naming a person. A wise person needs to have:

•  wide variety of life experiences
• a long list of success and failure
• genuine curiosity and interest in exploring
• figured out what makes them happy
• a strong sense of being, enlightenment and self awareness
• ability to apply their knowledge/experience to future problems
• learned from mistakes. their own and others
• recognized the fragility of life

As I was summarizing the response to the first question in my Wisdom Survey I was overcome with affection for this group of young people, many of whom I knew personally. I wanted to gather them all in a room and hear more about what is important to them. Some of their responses prompted me to do a little research about the people they admired and I was inspired.

Do you think that Millennial and GenZ respondents consider themselves to be wise? 

To read their answers click here.

To start at the beginning of the series click here