LEADERSHIP GOLD: CHAPTER 17
Experience Is Not the Best Teacher
Experience Is Not the Best TeacherInspired by John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Gold – Chapter 17
By Bill Storm
We often hear the phrase, “Experience is the best teacher.”
John Maxwell turns that idea on its head in Chapter 17 of Leadership Gold by saying: “Experience isn’t the best teacher—evaluated experience is.”
Time alone doesn’t make you wiser; reflection does. Growth doesn’t happen just because you go through something—it happens when you learn from what you went through.
The Trap of Unexamined ExperienceIf you’ve been in leadership or corporate life long enough, you’ve likely heard people say, “I’ve got twenty years of experience.” But as Maxwell wisely points out, some people don’t have twenty years of experience—they have one year of experience repeated twenty times.
Without evaluation, experience just becomes repetition.
Without reflection, it becomes routine.
This truth hits hard for many mid-career professionals. You’ve worked hard, climbed the ladder, but maybe now you feel stuck or burned out—wondering, “Is this it?” That’s often the sign that it’s time not to work harder, but to pause and evaluate where you’ve been and where you’re meant to go next.
Evaluated Experience = GrowthReflection turns experience into wisdom.
When you take time to ask, What worked? What didn’t? What did I learn? you convert pain into progress and confusion into clarity.
Maxwell writes, “Experience teaches nothing unless it is evaluated.” Leaders who pause long enough to learn from their mistakes grow stronger. Those who don’t, repeat them.
In my coaching, I often see professionals who’ve reached the top of their corporate roles but feel empty inside. They’ve collected achievements, not alignment. The key shift comes when they stop asking, “What’s next?” and start asking, “What did I learn?”
That reflection becomes the bridge from burnout to breakthrough.
From Corporate Survival to Purposeful LeadershipWhen I left the corporate world to start my own coaching business, I had plenty of experience—but not all of it was evaluated. Some of it I was still resenting or running from.
But once I took time to sit down, pray, and reflect on what God had taught me through those seasons—the good, the hard, the humbling—I started to see a pattern:
God was using my experience to prepare me to help others.
If you’re a leader feeling burned out or restless, maybe your experience isn’t wasted—it’s waiting to be evaluated.
Key Takeaways
- Experience Alone Isn’t Enough.
Wisdom comes from reflection, not repetition. - Painful Seasons Are Powerful Teachers.
The most valuable lessons often come wrapped in failure, loss, or transition. - Reflection Requires Margin.
You can’t learn from what you don’t slow down long enough to see. - Evaluated Experience Builds Self-Leadership.
Before you lead others well, you must lead yourself through honest reflection. - Faith Amplifies Insight.
When you invite God into your reflection, you gain perspective that leads to peace, not just progress.
Action Steps
- Schedule Reflection Time.
Set aside 15 minutes each week to journal what worked, what didn’t, and what you learned. - Ask Better Questions.
Instead of “Why did this happen?” ask, “What can I learn from this?” - Seek God’s Perspective.
Pray over the lessons of your week. Ask for clarity, correction, and direction. - Apply What You Learn.
Reflection without action is regret in disguise. - Share Your Lessons.
Teaching others what you’ve learned multiplies your growth and impact.
Closing ThoughtJohn Maxwell reminds us that growth doesn’t come automatically—it comes intentionally. Experience alone won’t make you wiser.
But evaluated experience—combined with faith—will make you unstoppable.
If you’re ready to take the lessons of your career and turn them into your next calling, start by reflecting on where you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
And if you lead a team, give them tools to grow beyond the paycheck. One way is by hosting a Financial Peace Workshop for your employees. It helps them manage money wisely, reduce stress, and gain peace that extends far beyond the office. To learn more or schedule a free session for your organization, visit 👉 www.billstorm.com
🙏Bonus: Chapter 17 Biblical Alignment Check
Reflection Questions
- Proverbs 19:20 – “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”
👉 Wisdom comes from listening and learning, not merely living. - James 1:2–4 – “Consider it pure joy... whenever you face trials... because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
👉 Challenges refine us when we allow God to teach us through them. - Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
👉 Experience becomes powerful when guided by God’s insight.
Reflection Questions
- What experiences in your life have you gone through but not yet evaluated?
- How might God be using your past to prepare you for your future?
- What’s one painful experience you can now see differently through reflection and faith?
- How can you turn your lessons into leadership moments for others?
- How can you help your team or family grow through reflection, not repetition?
Show Notes and Worksheets
| chapter_17_team_worksheet.pdf |
✅ Biblical Alignment Check
| chapter_17_biblical_alignment_check.pdf |