We live in culture that confuses knowledge and education. This is not to say education is not important -- it is! However, education ends whereas wisdom is ongoing.
In this episode, we cover:
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We live in culture that confuses knowledge and education. This is not to say education is not important -- it is! However, education ends whereas wisdom is ongoing.
In this episode, we cover:
Receive a $20 Amazon gift card when you start your podcast with Buzzsprout!
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Welcome to the tech talks podcast, Helping you turn adversity into victory. Whether you're an entrepreneur, corporate professional or stay at home parent. The tech talks podcast provides relevant advice and inspiration as you navigate your career calling and daily life. Let's get started with your host, Matt. Most people mistake wisdom for education. Whether it be ah, high school diploma, a college degree or PhD seeking wisdom is not the same thing as gaining knowledge. Knowledge is a method of gaining wisdom. See, wisdom is intuitive and its insight that we gain from personal experiences in our lives. Increasing knowledge has an ending. The degree the certificate but seeking wisdom is a continual process. In the book The Millionaire next Door, by Thomas Stanley, they study influential, wealthy and successful people. The key trade they found is that they were all humble enough to recognize that regardless of their status or wealth, they sought wisdom. That book is almost 25 years old by now, so written in 2000 and 18 Everyday Millionaire by Chris Hogan is the largest study of net worth millionaires ever done over 10,000 of them now and everyday millionaires defined to someone having a net worth of $1 million not somebody that makes a $1,000,000 a year. It's a simple calculation of what you own, minus what you owe. Chances are pretty strong that you know a few of these folks and don't even know it. Chris Hogan discovered that an average of 1.5 nonfiction books are read per month across this study. Crazy seeking wisdom is a defining trait of successful people. Maybe some of us grew up without an opportunity for, AH, quality education and he can't see me. But I put air quotes around quality education. Overwhelming studies have shown that the cost of college education has nearly tripled from 1990 to 2020 while the quality has not changed at all unpopular opinion. But college is not a requirement for success. While some people can afford to pursue a degree, others cannot. Yet wisdom is available to all just waiting to be known. Wisdom cannot be bartered or sold. Wisdom is a gift, but on Lee for the diligent because Onley they confined it. Lazy people don't look forward in the first place. You cannot change the past, but you are in total control of your future. How? By changing your actions today as humans, we are always in the process of change. We can choose to guide the change or let it take us backwards. Someone told me when I was trying to lose weight after not sticking to a diet long enough to see the results that it's only when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change. Then you'll change years later, tipping the scales at £280 groggy all day, getting winded, just picking up my new baby and overly medicated. The pain of staying the same became greater. Then I pursued a path, albeit slightly painful at first toe, Lose £75 have way more energy than ever before and remove all medication out of my life. On top of that, I've kept the weight off for over a year and haven't had so much as a cold ever since. There are three simple things you can do daily to chart your lifelong search for wisdom, read guard your association and serving others. Let's break these down first read. I can hear you now. Really, Matt Reed, That's it. listen when I see read, I mean, read books, magazines, newspapers and social media may inform and entertain, but there is little, if any wisdom found there as Children were encouraged to read books. I remember picking books out of Scholastic magazine and receiving prizes in school. The more books I read what happened to us as adults? Here's the joke. What do you call a child who reads two books a year slow? What do you call an adult who reads two books a year? Normal? The national average for books read by American Adult is less than two books a year. You would be amazed how many people told me they committed to not reading again after college, and they were proud to stay true to their word. I usually smile, nod and think to myself. They're not on the same path as me and the personal search for freedom. And we'll learn later. I have to limit my exposure to people like this. There are a few things in this world better than sitting down with a good book highlighter pen in hand. Now the highlighter is the key because we don't just read waiting for some magic line to pop off the page. We actively seek wisdom within the pages. Just one idea has the power to transform your life forever. Now, if you don't think you can make time to read, try audiobooks. Most times when I mentioned audiobooks, a plethora of excuses pour out. I work a full time job. My wife works a full time job. My life is so busy, I'm the president of the local ice cream club, Everyone you can think of or maybe even used yourself. I've hurt. People seem to think that you need to clear the house, sit at the table with paper and pen and just stare at the wall with headphones on while taking notes. You don't have to overthink it. Just hit play hit Play Mobile one hit play Cook dinner hit, play, Take a shower. I have waterproof speakers just for this reason. Hit play. Drive to work. Think about the amount of commercial jingles you've memorized from the radio or TV theme songs that you're unconsciously memorizing. Andy Andrews says Quote. If anything is going to be programming your subconscious mind, why not choose the programming? Why not choose something that has the power to change your family's future for generations. End quote. There are literally millions of options on the Internet of books to buy. Your local library is a wisdom gold mine, and they also have audio books to find what you need. Discuss your interest with a friend. Make sure they're a fellow reader and it will guide you. Once you start, you'll often find your next book suggested within the book you're reading, giving you a consistent stream of wisdom. Resource is, I've already given you two books so far in this podcast. There will even the books that you read over and over John Maxwell is developing the leader within you has had a dramatic effect on my life. I read it at least twice a year. Why? Because I'm not reading it to read. Just to add to a list of accomplishments. I'm on a search for wisdom, and if you truly desire wisdom, read often we become conditioned toe on Leigh read nonfiction books pertaining to our careers. How many times it's useful to explore subjects that seem to have nothing to do with your occupation and let your mind make the connection. I'm in sales and a Christian, so I usually stick to sales or Christian living books. But over the last few years of peppered in books, on personal branding, biographies, economic studies in even time management, it's all connected. So branch out. What's another way that we can guide the direction in which we change by wisely choosing our companions? When I was young, my parents were really careful about the friends that my brother and I kept My wife and I are very particular about whom our Children associate with. Why? Because, as many parents know and we soon find out after we become parents that our Children are more likely to turn out like their friends. If our kids companions are doing drugs using bad language or having sex, our kids are at greater risk of exhibiting. The same behaviors were so concerned with our Children's choice of friends. Yet we ignore this principle as adults. Is there a certain age in which this principle no longer applies? Is 18 the age we developed an immunity to the influence of others 21 30 or 40 years old? Listening to this, you already know the answer. It is always a factor, you become like the five closest people you hang around. Do you cuss your companions due to do you take drugs or abuse alcohol? Your immediate association does, too. Do you make excuses for everything? You probably blame your friends. Do you take part in gossip? Check the heart to your friends. Andy Andrews brings it back around with another truth bomb, he says. Quote. Guard your associations carefully. Anytime you tolerate mediocrity in your life of companions, you become more comfortable with mediocrity in your own life. If a lazy man isn't an irritation to you, it's a sign that you have accepted sloth, fullness as a way of life. End quote Day Truth Bomb dropped. It is critical to choose your friends carefully. I've asked others a simple question before. What to you is a true friend. Probably ate at a 10 times. The response is a true friend is someone who accepts me for who I am. Now I understand the sentiment, but this is dangerous trash to believe. Think about it. The kid handing you your whopper at the local drive thru accept you for who you are because they don't care about you. A true friend will hold you to a higher standard. They expect you to follow through with your commitments, and a true friend makes you better with their presence. My buddy Eric is one of the best guitar players that I know. We've performed together for over a decade, a few years of that professionally, in a headline show in Branson, watching his progress has been amazing. A few years ago, he joined a band playing eighties metal, and after a few weeks with them I asked him how it was going. He responded, saying that he was the worst musician in the band. He wasn't putting himself down. He recognized and accepted that the other members were incredibly talented, and they totally are. Eric placed himself around people that stretched his abilities. His skill over the last few years is exponentially different than previous years. There's been a lot more growth over a shorter amount of time because of his association of this concept also works in business. I've heard Dave Ramsey say, to take the five people, you're closest to average their income, and that's about what your income will be now. At the time that terrified me, he said. If you want to be wealthy, get around wealthy people. If you want to lose weight, spend time with healthy, fit people. You want to start a business, hang around other business owners. You have to surround yourself with people who are better than you. A rising Tide Raises All Ships When I started a new career in the hotel industry, I had no experience. But I wanted to succeed, to provide for my family and to make them problem. Instead of just trying to figure it out. I stayed in constant communication with an ask tones of questions from a gentleman named JJ Bross. He was a wealth of knowledge, and I tapped into it. If he told me to read a book, I read it. If he told me to call a particular client, I called him and if he asked me to attend a class, I attended it. Within 16 months, I was recruited by one of the largest hotel management companies in the nation and literally doubled my income. Over the years, J. J and I have stayed in constant communication, and I still seek advice from him. Today, when we add someone else's with them to our own. Our probability of success drastically increases now. What's the final component of guiding our course towards wisdom serving others? This does not have to be grandiose. Hold the door open for someone poor their coffee. Recently the airport. I helped an elderly man get his rather large suitcase off the conveyor belt and baggage claim. When we serve others, we value them, which increases our own value. I attended a leadership conference in ST Louis and was asked to pick up in transport one of the conference keynote speakers to the hotel and the venue. I was quick to serve this individual. She was a six figure earner in a sought after leader in her profession. I carried her bags. I dropped her off of the hotel. I even asked her business partner what her favorite candy bar and water was and delivered a tour at the conference. By serving. It led to a conversation, and she ended up pouring wisdom into me. I increased her value and she ended up increasing mine. So plug in at your church volunteered a nursing home. Call a friend just to tell them that you're thinking about them. Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru during this pandemic. Maybe deliver some groceries, give blood, volunteered a food bank. Drive around with a big old sign that says you matter and you are valued. Creating wealth and success begins with a servants heart. So to recap, read, guard your association and serve others. Control your journey for wisdom. Share your stories with us. Tech talks can be found on every social media outlet. If you have a story to share, we want to hear it. See you next time. This episode of tech talks has ended. The Be sure to subscribe for upcoming inspiration. Don't forget to rate and review so we can continue to bring you transformative content. See you next time.