Foolish wisdom

by Dr. Joseph Riggio

How do they do that?

1. Their limitations are intertwined with their “success formula” – i.e.: how they know to create the successes they have achieved so far.

2. They perceive the world from a limited point of view that’s relatively fixed and unchanging, i.e.: myopic perception.

3. What they’ve experienced is what they think they’ll always experience, i.e.: they project their past into their future.

4. The education they’ve had defines the world for them as they know it, i.e.: they haven’t learned to use their senses.

5. Reality as they know it to be has a singular form and that’s unchanging, i.e.: they seldom, if ever, challenge their beliefs.

6. Truth/Knowledge/Learning … whatever … all exist “out there” beyond them, i.e.: expertise is external to them.

This is how to live a life with limitations:

Because they forget …

This is so simple yet far from the reality of

how most people live their lives.

“Foolish Wisdom” is the Wisdom of the Fool

Most folks have forgotten who or what the Fool truly represents.

The Fool does NOT represent stupidity, mental limitation, sensory inhibition or even immaturity as some seem to think.

The Fool represents the innate, naive, childlike wisdom that perceives with clarity and without distortion what is happening around them.

The typical person’s operating position is: • mired in prejudice, • based on

1. what they have been taught, 2. what they’ve experienced, and 3. what they already believe.

As it says, “they project their past into their future”.

On the other hand, the Fool always knows that they don’t know.

The Fool knows that she doesn’t know the future.So instead of using the past to inform the future,

the Fool acts “in time” using real data in the system as it emerges.

Where to go from here?

However You can’t do what you haven’t done before.

You can only see, hear, feel, taste and smell what you’re accustomed to until

the doors of perception you operate from are opened further than

they are now.

You can step aside from what you now know and believe … putting all your learning, experience and beliefs aside.

-or-

You can allow someone who has been where you haven’t been perceptually

to open the doors of perception for you.

I see myself as the “Wise Fool” by proving that I don’t know

claiming to neither possess nor offer anything except the most valuable thing of all

for the truly wise

NOTHING

When you come to me I promise you

I’ll do my best to neither have nor give you anything.

If we’re successful you’ll leave with

NOTHING.

The one single reason why you should pursue Foolish Wisdom:

Because you want to make better decisions and

take more meaningful actions in your life.

By making a commitment to become a Wise Fool yourself …

• you’ll become a better leader … • you’ll experience life more fully … • you’ll transcend the limitations that you now encounter repeatedly … • you’ll find a way to achieve what you haven’t before … • you’ll transform your relationships

You’ll begin having the experience of YOUR life!

“Foolish Wisdom” is the Wisdom of the Fool

Explore my other writing in my blog

Read the longer elaboration in LinkedIn Pulse

Watch this 3-minute snippet of a Foolish Wisdom workshop

Book a 30-minute complimentary coaching consultation with me

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