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"We three kings from orient are", runs the famous Christmas carol. But in the GospelIn the Bible, a teaching of Christ. Also a genre of Christian music. of Matthew, the men who visited the baby Jesus are described as "Magi", which is often translated as "wise men".

Here are five ideas you can use to become wiser in the modern world.

Goodhart's law: This rule states that setting targets can make people focus on meeting the target instead of actually making things better.

Segal's law: This states that: "a man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure". We tend to think that the more information we have, the better. But this is not always the case.

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Generation effect: When we want to learn about a topic, we often start with reading about it. But information stays with us more easily if it comes from within our own minds.

Licensing effect: If we think we are good we will let ourselves do bad. For example, we might let ourselves keep £10 that someone has dropped if we have given that much to charity.

Ambiguity aversionA strong dislike.: In general, we prefer a known bad outcome to an unknown one. But taking risks is important in life.

Yes! Being wise means knowing how to change how you act depending on the situation you are in. Anyone can learn that.

No! Being wise relies on lots of skills that you are either born with or born without - such as good memory and intelligence.