The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Experience is not always the kindest of teachers, but it is surely the best.
—Spanish Proverb
Even a high experience is worth nothing, when not polished and kept warm.
—Hans Taeger
Experience is the best of schoolmasters, only the school fees are heavy.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The trouble with experience is that by the time you have it you are too old to take advantage of it.
—Jimmy Connors (b.1952) American Tennis Player
The trouble with using experience as a guide is that the final exam often comes first and then the lesson.
—Unknown
Is it not rather what we expect in men, that they should have numerous strands of experience lying side by side and never compare them with each other?
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
There’s no substitute for experience.
—Common Proverb
I reached in experience the nirvana which is unborn, unrivalled, secure from attachment, undecaying and unstained. This condition is indeed reached by me which is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, tranquil, excellent, beyond the reach of mere logic, subtle, and to be realized only by the wise.
—Buddhist Teaching
How novel and original must be each new mans view of the universe – for though the world is so old – and so many books have been written – each object appears wholly undescribed to our experience – each field of thought wholly unexplored – the whole world is an America – a New World.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Our wisdom comes usually from our experience, and our experience comes largely from our experience.
—Indian Proverb
There’s no emptiness in the life of a warrior. Everything is filled to the brim. Everything is filled to the brim, and everything is equal.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
Not the fruit of experience but experience itself, is the end.
—Walter Pater (1839–94) English Critic, Essayist
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
—Chinese Proverb
Every story is a variation on a single theme: This shouldn’t be happening. I shouldn’t be having this experience. God is unjust. Life isn’t fair.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
But human experience is usually paradoxical, that means incongruous with the phrases of current talk or even current philosophy.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
In long experience I find that a man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man nobody trusts.
—Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) British Head of State
Experience is a revelation in the light of which we renounce our errors of youth for those of age.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Pour the bulk of your time into action, not deciding. The state of indecision is a major time waster. Don’t spend more than 60 seconds in that state if you can avoid it. Make a firm, immediate decision, and move from uncertainty to certainty to action. Let the world tell you when you’re wrong, and you’ll soon build enough experience to make accurate, intelligent decisions.
—Steve Pavlina (b.1971) American Motivational Speaker
How many things have to happen to you before something occurs to you?
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Can you really explain to a fish what it’s like to walk on land? One day on land is worth a thousand years of talking about it, and one day running a business has exactly the same kind of value.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
Deep experience is never peaceful.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
Experience is in the fingers and head. The heart is inexperienced.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Experience is only half of experience
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I think we are a product of all our experiences.
—Sanford I. Weill (b.1933) American Financier, Philanthropist
Life, not the parson, teaches conduct.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
Experience increases our wisdom but doesn’t reduce our follies.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Writing is another powerful way to sharpen the mental saw. Keeping a journal of our thoughts, experiences, insights, and learnings promotes mental clarity, exactness, and context.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
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