Smart Enough To Think. Wise Enough To Live.
The Protected Blocks That Protect My Life
Today felt like my life finally clicked back into its proper rhythm.
Morning devotion with my kids. Sending them to school. Picking them up myself. Dinner together. Gym. Swim with my children. Putting them to sleep. Walking Loki at night while doing this reflection.
For one day, all my protected blocks came back into alignment.
These blocks are not “nice to have.” They are my foundation. They are the routine that keeps my mind clear when everything else becomes chaotic. When this routine is compromised, I may still function, but I do not feel fully alive.
It reminded me of something I keep seeing in life and leadership.
Smart grows fast. Wise grows strong.
Intelligence can spike quickly. A child’s IQ can improve with enough practice and tutoring. But wisdom, character, and inner strength grow slowly. They are built over years of decisions, habits, and corrections.
That is why I am more concerned about becoming wise than just looking smart. And that is why, on a random car ride home from school, a simple conversation with my kids opened a doorway into something deeper.
A new word for an old truth.
Not just smart. Not just wise.
SMISE.
Smart and wise, held together.
The Car Ride That Turned Into A Classroom
My parents are in China most of the time now, so they usually help with the school runs when they are here. Today, I did it myself. On paper, it eats into my schedule. In real life, it opens windows money cannot buy.
As usual, the kids climbed into the car. As usual, I asked the standard question.
“How was your day?”
Most days, the answer is “Good.” Full stop. Then I have to dig.
“What was good?”
“What did you enjoy?”
“Who did you sit with?”
Today was different. They were genuinely excited. They had just celebrated a friend’s birthday in school.
“What is your friend’s name?” I asked.
“Solomon,” one of them replied.
Immediately I said, “Solomon. The wisest man on earth.”
That one sentence started everything.
“Papa, what is wise?”
Another one quickly added, “Wise means very smart.”
And that is when it hit me. Even at their age, they were already mixing up “smart” and “wise” as if both words meant exactly the same thing.
So I asked them, “Do you think it is better to be smart or to be wise?”
They could not answer.
They kept changing their answers.
“Smart is better.”
“No, wise is better.”
“No, smart.”
To be fair, their brains are still forming. Neuroscience tells us the part of the brain that helps you think fast develops earlier, but the part that helps you make wise decisions matures much later. That means children can solve maths problems and puzzles before they truly understand consequences. Smart comes early. Wise comes late. That is exactly what I was seeing in the backseat.
Then my youngest, Evan, said something that stopped the whole debate.
“I want both. I want smart and wise.”
There it was. A simple, innocent sentence. But it carried a truth many adults still have not learned.
So I told them, “Let us not just be smart, and not only be wise. Let us be SMISE. Smart and wise together.”
That one word became the key to the rest of the conversation, and eventually to this reflection.
Smart Helps You Win The Test. Wise Helps You Win Your Life.
So what is the difference between smart and wise, and why does it matter for leaders, not just for kids?
Smart solves puzzles.
Wise solves life.
Smart helps you win games.
Wise helps you win the future.
Smart is knowing many things.
Wise is knowing what to do with what you know.
Smart is speed.
Wise is stability.
Smart gives you answers.
Wise gives you judgment.
If you read Scripture, you will notice something important.
The Bible mentions “wise” more than 300 times. It rarely praises people for being clever. It constantly calls people to seek wisdom. It never says, “In all your getting, get intelligence.” It says, “In all your getting, get wisdom.”
Fun fact: Solomon did not pray to be smart. He did not ask God for a high IQ. He asked for an understanding heart. He chose wisdom over wealth and status. Smart helps you know things. Wise helps you know people and consequences.
Jesus also did not tell stories about exam excellence. He told stories about life decisions. The wise and foolish builders. One built on rock. The other built on sand. Both probably knew how to build a house. The smart one knew the technique. The wise one knew where to build.
Smart is knowing how to build a house.
Wise is knowing where to build it.
Smart is knowing how to drive a car.
Wise is knowing when to brake.
Smart is knowing the Bible verse.
Wise is living it when it is hard.
And if you think this is only spiritual, look at what the world is discovering.
- Wisdom protects better than intelligence. Studies show people with emotional wisdom bounce back from mistakes faster than those who are just intellectually gifted. Why? Because wisdom includes humility, reflection, and self control.
- Most bad decisions are made in about ten seconds. When emotions spike, impulsive choices happen very quickly. Wisdom slows you down enough to say, “Wait. If I do this, what happens next?”
- Smart reacts. Wise responds. The brain has shorter pathways for quick reaction, but wise responses come from longer, integrated pathways that connect memory, emotion, and reasoning.
If we bring this closer to home, to Malaysia, the picture becomes even clearer.
Many of our top students are not our top adults. You can find plenty of straight A students who struggle with leadership, relationships, and life choices. Employers in Malaysia consistently rank character, attitude, and teachability above raw academic scores.
Smart gets you the marks.
Wise keeps you from ruining your life.
Smart helps you get the job.
Wise helps you keep it.
In the workplace, people are often hired for skills but fired for attitude. Most HR problems do not come from people being “not smart enough.” They come from people who cannot control their emotions, receive feedback, or handle pressure.
Even in the Bible, the heroes God used to carry responsibility were almost always SMISE.
Joseph was smart. He could interpret dreams and manage complex logistics. He was also wise. He knew when to speak, when to stay silent, when to forgive, and when to store grain for seven years.
David understood strategy, music, and warfare. Daniel had knowledge, but also the wisdom to stand firm without rebellion, to resist defilement without self righteousness.
God did not choose clowns to carry nations. He chose people who were both sharp and anchored.
Throughout history, God often entrusted leadership to those who had both excellence and humility. Smart alone went astray. Humility alone stayed small. SMISE leaders carried nations and responsibilities far beyond themselves.
Even outside Scripture, you can see the pattern.
Most of Malaysia’s successful entrepreneurs were not necessarily the top exam scorers. What they had was an ability to learn quickly, admit mistakes, build teams, and think long term. They were smart enough to understand opportunities and wise enough to handle relationships and risks.
If we add one more layer, it becomes even sharper.
Research from places like MIT shows that people do not always follow the smartest person in the room. They follow the one who listens well, explains clearly, and acts with integrity. Smart people win debates. Wise people win trust.
And trust is the currency of leadership.
How To Practise SMISE Daily (For Kids And Leaders)
So how do we help our children, our teams, and ourselves become SMISE?
For my kids, I kept it simple.
- Think before you act. Ask, “If I do this, will it help or hurt people?”
- Listen before you speak. Wise people listen to understand, not just to reply.
- Do the right thing even when it is hard. That is wisdom.
- Stay curious and ask questions. That is intelligence in motion.
For leaders and adults, the practice goes deeper. That is where the ten signs of SMISE come in.
1. They love truth more than looking good.
A SMISE person cares more about what is true than about looking smart.
Smart is obsessed with image. Wisdom is obsessed with reality.
If someone always needs to “win” the argument, it usually comes from insecurity. Secure people can admit mistakes. They do not need to look right all the time.
Smart people can impress people temporarily. Wise people build trust slowly.
Fun fact: Smart often helps you win the test in school. But in real life, wisdom reduces regret because it keeps you from repeatedly stepping into the same hole.
2. They seek understanding, not just answers.
Smart fills the mind with facts. Wise connects those facts to real life.
Children who are SMISE do not just ask, “What is the answer?” Then move on. They ask, “Why is it like this? How does this help people? What happens if we apply this wrongly?”
In leadership, this shows up when we stop asking, “What do I need to do to look good in this meeting?” and start asking, “What is really happening here? What impact will this decision create in five years?”
3. They listen deeply before speaking.
A SMISE leader listens to understand, not to attack, not to show off, not to defend their ego.
In group settings, wise leaders speak last. They let others share. They slow down the conversation. They invite dissent. They know that good ideas are often found in quiet people, not just the loud ones.
In the brain, this is wisdom in action. Smart reacts quickly. Wise lets more data in. It connects emotion, memory, and principles before acting.
4. They use self control when feelings are strong.
Anyone can look composed when things are going well.
The true quality of a leader shows under pressure, just like the true quality of a camera shows in low light. I used to drive an old van where the aircon worked fine when the weather was cool, but turned hot when the day was scorching. That is when you realise what is useless. An aircon that only works in comfort is pointless.
In the same way, leadership that collapses under heat is not leadership.
Self control is wisdom with skin on. It shows in anger, fear, temptation, and disappointment. Smart leaders may know what to say. SMISE leaders know when to stop, when to cool down, and when to stay silent.
5. They choose the right thing, not just the easy thing.
Sometimes the “easy thing” is a test in disguise.
SMISE people refuse to cheat, lie, or join in group teasing even if it earns them short term favour. They pick integrity over ease.
In business, this also includes choosing the right kind of “easy.” It is wise to choose low effort, high impact work that fits your design. It is unwise to choose shortcuts that betray your values.
Smart asks, “Can I get away with this?”
Wise asks, “Who will I become if I do this?”
6. They learn quickly from correction.
Smart people learn from books. Wise people also learn from feedback.
You can tell if someone is SMISE by watching their response to correction. They may feel the sting, but by the next round, you notice change.
In the classroom of life, the person who learns fastest is not the one who never fails. It is the one who fails, reflects, and adjusts. Over time, this kind of person becomes both highly capable and deeply mature.
7. They think long term, not just right now.
SMISE people can connect today’s action to tomorrow’s consequences.
They can look at their past and say, “This is what formed me, but it does not have to trap me.” They refuse the victim mindset. They treat painful experiences as raw material for character.
Fun fact: Our brains are wired to chase short term rewards. Without wisdom, we keep choosing sugar over health, scrolling over sleep, comfort over calling. Wisdom trains the brain to wait. Intelligence then helps us design better systems and habits around that choice.
This is why SMISE reduces life regret. When you consistently choose long term gain over short term pleasure, guided by wisdom and executed with intelligence, you naturally avoid many traps.
8. They use their strength to serve others.
Real intelligence is measured by how much good we bring to others.
If you are good at maths, do you tutor your classmates? If you are good at business, do you build companies that bless employees and customers, not just shareholders?
We talk about growth ready, impact ready, and future ready. Growth ready means you take ownership for your learning. Impact ready means you use that growth to help others. Future ready means you are guided by purpose, not just profit.
Smart without service is vanity.
Wise without service is wasted.
SMISE uses both for the good of others.
9. They choose good people to walk with.
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Peer influence often shapes behaviour more than brain development does. Which is why a “good kid” can change drastically when surrounded by poor influences, and an average kid can rise when surrounded by people who work hard and hold strong values.
If my children are SMISE, they will enjoy fun, but they will also be able to say no to friends who constantly lie, break rules, or pull others down. They will normalise kindness, effort, and truth, not laziness and disrespect.
For leaders, the same rule applies. Who is your circle? Are you pulled up or pulled down?
10. They have a clear inner compass.
At the core of being SMISE is a stable set of values.
In Bible language, this is the fear of the Lord. Loving God and loving people. Treating life as stewardship, not ownership.
Fun fact: God often reserves the biggest responsibilities for SMISE people. Those who mix courage with humility, skill with surrender, intelligence with obedience.
This is one of the reasons I care so much about morning devotions with my kids. Not to force religion into them, but to give them a map for life. The Bible is like an ancient wisdom library. It has been around for thousands of years. It is like breast milk compared to formula. You can invent a thousand modern substitutes, but the original design still outperforms all of them.
When I choose to bring God into my parenting and my leadership, I am not chasing religion. I am choosing the shortest path to timeless wisdom.
THE REVERSE THAT REDEFINES IT ALL
At the end of the day, smart helps you win the test. Wise helps you win your life. But SMISE helps you win the battles that truly matter.
Here is the reverse insight that keeps coming back to me.
A smart leader without wisdom becomes dangerous.
A wise leader without intelligence becomes limited.
But a SMISE leader becomes someone God can trust.
The world tells children to look smart.
Life teaches adults to be wise.
Leadership asks for both.
Smart helps you rise.
Wise keeps you standing.
SMISE lets you rise without falling.
Smart can help you build a big business.
Wise ensures you do not lose your soul in the process.
Smart can get you into the room.
Wise determines whether people invite you back.
Smart impresses.
Wise sustains.
SMISE leaves a legacy.
This is the kind of person I want my children to become.
And this is the kind of leader I believe the next generation desperately needs.
Not just clever.
Not just nice.
SMISE.
Smart enough to think clearly.
Wise enough to live well.
