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“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.” – Spanish Proverb
Albert Einstein said, “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.” Learning by experience is not an easy ride though, and it takes a tough optimist to blow the chaff away until only the lesson remains.
Virgin founder and billionaire businessman Richard Branson preaches particularly about the importance of experiences in finding success. He says the failing several times gives you a personal connection to the problem. Ultimately, experience with the industry will give you an edge.
Pulling from his own experiences of failures, Branson argues that it’s impossible to avoid mishaps, frustrations, and wrong decisions. But instead of giving up, circumstances like these should be taken as knowledge on how and how not to do things.
When applied to life in general, this mindset can help you get over unpleasant experiences. For example, some people raised in dysfunctional families end up being better parents, while there are still others who only continued the cycle. This goes to show that you could either learn from a bad experience, and do better, or you learn nothing at all and become part of the problem.
However, it doesn’t nullify the importance of learning from others and examining all angles before making a crucial decision. As Robert Brault puts it, “As important as it is to keep picking yourself up and brushing yourself off, it’s also important to stop tripping over your own two feet.”
