Wisdom

I heard a definition of wisdom from Naval Ravikant that’s stayed with me. Wisdom is knowing the long-term consequences of your actions.

It’s a beautiful, analytical way to put it, and I think it captures a real part of what wisdom is.

But there’s a second part. Seeing a trade-off clearly is one skill. Knowing which side of it you’d actually pick is another. The first is analytical. The second asks for a great deal of self-knowledge, and a fair amount of acceptance.

So maybe wisdom is two things held together. Understanding the long-term consequences of your actions, and knowing which of those consequences you could live with without resentment, and still be at peace.