The martial arts are closely intertwined with traditions that take long lives and healthy living seriously. Old masters not only exist, many are known for outshining the young.
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The karate masters of the past were at the forefront of martial arts wisdom and knowledge. Why? Because they had memories of what had and hadn’t worked, and because they were smart enough to have lived longer than anyone else.
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They not only survived, they improved the survival of those around them. The masters had lived through experiences no younger person had experienced.
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You learn as you grow, that is what most people think about wisdom and time. As we got through life and face various hardships, we not only gain resilience but character.
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However, wisdom is knowledge through experience, not age.
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Just because someone is older than you, doesn’t mean they’re wiser than you are. And for those who assume otherwise, you’ve already made clear the extent of your wisdom.
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Now of course, the two are connected. Experience inherently comes with age, people who have lived longer have had more ‘life experience.’
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Wisdom results from depth and breadth of experience over time. Forget about age.

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Age will not bring you wisdom if the majority of your martial arts experience is repetitive, monotonous and virtually unchanging.
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If you want to be wise, become a student of life, and learn as much as you can through experience.
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You don’t automatically get wise when you’re old. You have to want it. You have to pursue it…… And you have to work at it. 
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