Dr. Laura Gabayan is a world-renowned physician, researcher, Psychology Today contributor, and award-winning author of two books: Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life (March 2024) and Common Wisdom Journal (December 2024). To help others, the author used her research expertise to create The Wisdom Research Project. After interviewing 60 “wise” adults across North America, she scientifically defined eight life skills that can help increase joy, happiness, and success.

What inspired you to research the meaning of wisdom?

In 2013, I noticed that I was developing random bodily symptoms. My body continued to deteriorate and medicine was ready to label me and “diagnose” me. At that point I started seeking out individuals who think outside the box, the wise. I began studying wisdom and found that we didn’t really know what it was — all the information we had was anecdotal and subjective. Because I know how to do a research project, I applied my research skills and studied wisdom.

What was your process for scientifically determining the elements that comprise wisdom?

We used qualitative analysis, which takes a story and converts it to data. After I interviewed 60 adults who had been recommended as “wise,” a team of assigned them characteristics or themes. I then collapsed those characteristics into eight elements. For example, the element of positivity included those that discussed gratitude in their lives and those that were very funny, so if someone had the theme of “gratitude” or “humor,” they were assigned positivity. This way, no characteristic was excluded and all were accounted for.

What were the qualities you uncovered that wise people share?

In order of prevalence, they include:

1.Resilience

This is the idea that, regardless of the obstacle, you keep moving forward; you don’t give up. You’re a warrior, not a victim. With every obstacle comes lessons, leading to greater wisdom. Things don’t happen to you, but for you.

2. Kindness

Kindness was important because it was not only how the interviewees interacted with the world, but how they treated themselves.

3. Positivity

Positivity is about perspective. While we can’t control our environment, we can control our thoughts. Positivity attracts positivity, and can often counter negativity.

4. Spirituality

Spirituality is the belief that a higher power exists. The key is that even though we don’t see this higher power, we feel it. It’s the feeling that some unseen power is watching over us, or guiding us through our lives. This belief brings us comfort and peace.

5. Humility

Humility is a virtue that has been recognized throughout time, yet now with the age of social media, has taken a backseat to an almost pathological need to show off. Humility allows for better social connections and a heightened sense of emotional intelligence. A humble person is down to earth. Making others feel small doesn’t make them feel big.

6. Tolerance

A tolerant person is open-minded and considerate of other perspectives. By being tolerant, we respect other opinions and aren’t judgmental or prejudiced. A tolerant person realizes that we are all important and deserve respect.   

7. Creativity

Creativity is an innate property that we all have had since childhood. It allows for imagination that goes beyond possibilities. It allows for thoughts that transcend ideas. Being creative allows us to question what is, and then think about what could be.

8. Curiosity

Although this was the final element, curiosity is the driving force of all the elements. It allows for change, growth, and discovery. Similar to creativity, having curiosity is an innate talent we’ve all possessed since childhood.

Did any of your findings surprise you?

I was surprised that kindness was so important to the interviewees. I’m Middle Eastern and kindness is often viewed as weakness. I also wasn’t raised with kindness, so it wasn’t something I thought about. The more I think about it, kindness is a strength. One who is kind is also confident.

Can you give examples of ways in which people can gain mastery of the 8 elements to become more wise themselves?

First, by breaking it down to eight elements, people can decide in what qualities they’re strong and what needs more work. They also need to have patience as working on these elements will take time. My suggestion is to start small and practice. Realize that gaining wisdom will take a while.

In what ways can embracing the 8 elements of wisdom enhance the workplace?

Whether someone is in a leadership position or not, applying these eight elements will lead to success and joy. Applying them also allows for better social interactions; building good relationships is the foundation of a successful organization.   

In what ways does knowing these elements of wisdom improve leaders’ ability to affect change in their organizations?

I’ll briefly apply each of the elements to successful leadership:

Resilience: For a leader, this is especially important as it involves being flexible, resourceful, and diligent. A successful leader assesses the situation and develops a logical strategy to solve the problem at hand. A resilient leader turns an obstacle into a learning opportunity that will further their development.

Kindness: Kindness is a trait that’s valued within all organizations. A kind leader is more effective in communicating and motivating employees.

Positivity: Being positive not only benefits the leader and company, but it benefits the employees. Leaders who are positive create an air of willingness, openness, and high morale in the company. They motivate and inspire their employees. Workers feel privileged to be there.  They’re excited to be part of a team. 

Spirituality: The idea of spirituality and successful leadership seem to be at odds, but they’re very interconnected. Leaders that govern from a place of purpose inspires and motives employees. They influence the team to work from the heart and look beyond material compensation. 

Humility: The Economist once wrote: “If leadership has a secret sauce, it may well be humility. A humble boss understands there are things he doesn’t know. He listens.” Humility is what allows a leader to appreciate other perspectives. 

Tolerance: Being tolerant is being unbiased and open-minded. A tolerant leader is open to learn from others and seeks feedback and ideas from others.

Creativity: Leaders who are creative are better able to problem-solve and lead a company along a path of innovative solutions and greatness.

Curiosity: A curious leader enables the company to move forward and grow. Curiosity invites a variety of questions, solutions, and diverse perspectives.

What promise does the ability to become a wise person have for society at large?

We need wisdom more than ever these days. With the age of the internet and social media, the pursuit of wisdom has taken a backseat. Gaining more wisdom will improve mankind and lead to more peace and happiness in the world.

To learn more, visit lauragabayan.com