“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”

Although “knowledge” and “wisdom” are words often lumped into the same category, they are miles apart. The difference between the two: application. 

Gaining knowledge is relatively simple. But purely gaining knowledge doesn’t change who we are. We can place a turbocharged engine under the hood, but if it’s not connected to the drivetrain, we won’t drive faster. We might even drive slower, clouding our efforts with “unusable weight”.

Wisdom on the other hand, takes effort. It takes trial, error, pain, blood, sweat, and tears. And it’s a lifelong practice.

Knowing is not half the battle. It’s not even a quarter. It’s the first 10%, if that. What we are after… knowledge in action.

When a coach gives you feedback, do you immediately try to apply what they are asking you to do? Or, do you just hear what they are saying and file it in the back of your mind with ‘things to remember later?’

As an athlete, being able to let down your ego and make a correction on command is crucial. It can immediately impact your performance or pay off greatly in the long run. Next time you get a coaching cue, see if you can make a change on the fly. If you have questions about it, have a conversation with them after.