Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad

Host: The soft hum of the café surrounded Jack and Jeeny as they sat, the evening slowly settling in outside. The gentle clink of coffee cups and the soft murmur of nearby conversations seemed distant as their conversation deepened. Jack sat back in his chair, his fingers wrapped around his cup, while Jeeny, across from him, had a contemplative look on her face, clearly reflecting on something she had just read.

Jeeny: “I came across something today, Jack. A quote from Jim Horning: ‘Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.’”

Jack: His eyebrow lifted slightly, the words catching his attention. “That’s a pretty honest take on judgment. It’s like Horning’s saying that we can’t really learn what’s right until we’ve made mistakes. Experience isn’t just about getting it right — it’s about failing and learning from those failures.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. It’s about how we grow and evolve through our mistakes. You don’t get to good judgment by always being perfect. You get there by recognizing where you went wrong and using that knowledge to make better decisions in the future. It’s a process of trial and error.”

Host: The rhythm of the café’s background noise faded as their conversation took on a deeper tone. Jack seemed to process the quote’s significance, the idea that failure itself is a stepping stone to wisdom and understanding.

Jack: “It’s a bit humbling, though, isn’t it? It means that we have to make mistakes to learn how to make better decisions. It’s not just about avoiding failure, but about embracing it as part of the journey. Without it, you wouldn’t have the experience to make the right choices in the future.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. It’s a reframe of failure. Instead of seeing mistakes as setbacks, Horning’s quote encourages us to see them as a necessary part of learning. The good judgment comes when you take the lessons from your bad decisions and use them to shape your future choices.”

Host: The light from outside had shifted, now dimming as the evening set in, but the clarity of their conversation seemed to bring light to a new perspective. Jack, now leaning forward, seemed to have a clearer understanding of the quote’s deeper meaning.

Jack: “So, the next time I make a bad judgment, I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. It’s just part of the process of growing wiser. It’s all about learning from those missteps, right?”

Jeeny: “Exactly. It’s about resilience. The most successful people don’t get everything right the first time. They learn from the mistakes, adjust, and keep moving forward. Every mistake is a step toward better judgment.”

Host: The quiet between them seemed to settle into a sense of understanding. The conversation had opened a new perspective on judgment — not as something that comes from perfection, but as something that is earned through experience, and often, through failure. Jack sat back, reflecting on the idea that mistakes, far from being failures, were necessary steps on the path to wisdom.