What are the seven habits of highly effective wise people? Let's find out.
In the Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot), a compilation of Jewish ideas compiled in the second century, it states:
There are seven things that characterize a boor and seven that characterize a wise man...
1. "A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than him in wisdom or age,
2. He doesnot interrupt his fellow's words.
3. He does not hasten to answer.
4. His questions are on the subject and his answers are to the point.
5. He responds to first things first and to later things later.
6. Concerning what he did not hear, he says, 'I did not hear.'
7. He concedes to the truth.
...With the boor, the reverse of all these is the case"
--Ethics of the Fathers 6:9
Activity
Discuss the following questions with a friend:
1. How will these seven ideas make me wise?
2. What does wise mean?
3. What's a boor?
4. How will this help me pass history?
(Click on "Pirkei Avot" to learn more about this work)