People are divided into two classes - those who profit by

Host: The room feels still, bathed in the soft light of the evening as the world outside slows into night. Inside, the atmosphere feels heavier, like a conversation is about to unfold that will bring some clarity. Jeeny sits at the table, her fingers lightly tapping the rim of a cup, her gaze distant, clearly reflecting on something. Jack stands near the window, arms crossed, watching the street below, his expression thoughtful.

Jeeny: (her voice gentle, but with a hint of concern) “You ever think about how many people go through life without learning from their experiences? How some never seem to reflect, to grow from what they've been through?”

Jack: (glancing over at her, his voice dry, but intrigued) “Not learning from experience? Yeah, it’s easy to see, isn’t it? People go through tough things, but instead of using those moments to grow, they stay stuck, never learning the lesson. What’s got you thinking about it?”

Jeeny: (nodding slowly, a small smile forming as she shares her thought) “I was thinking about something Douglas Fairbanks said: ‘People are divided into two classes - those who profit by experience and those who do not. The unfortunate part of it all is that the latter class is by far the larger of the two.’ It made me realize how often we go through life without fully engaging with the lessons our experiences offer us. And that group of people who don’t learn from their experiences? They’re the majority.”

Jack: (pauses, considering her words carefully) “So, he’s saying that there are two kinds of people—those who use their experiences to grow and those who don’t. And unfortunately, most people fall into the second category?”

Jeeny: (smiling more deeply now, her eyes steady as she explains further) “Exactly. Fairbanks points out that the majority of people don’t take the time to reflect on their experiences, to extract the lessons from them. Instead, they repeat the same mistakes or continue down the same path without changing. The unfortunate reality is that they miss out on the opportunity to learn and grow.”

Host: Jeeny’s words seem to settle in the room, a quiet reminder of the importance of reflection and learning from the past. Jack stands still, his expression softening as he processes the idea that experience alone isn’t enough—it’s how we use those experiences that makes the difference. The world outside continues, but inside, the conversation feels rooted in a deeper understanding of growth and personal development.

Jack: (his voice quieter now, almost reflective) “I get it now. It’s not just about what happens to us—it’s about how we respond to those experiences. Whether we reflect, learn, and adapt, or whether we let them pass us by without gaining anything from them.”

Jeeny: (nodding slowly, her voice calm, yet firm in its clarity) “Exactly. Life’s lessons are there for the taking, but only if we’re willing to reflect on them, learn from them, and use them to shape who we become. The people who don’t profit from their experiences stay stuck, never evolving.”

Jack: (pauses, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as the idea sinks in) “It’s easy to get stuck in the routine, in the cycle, and miss the point of the things we go through. But if we take a step back, look at what we’ve learned, and apply that, we can really change.”

Jeeny: (smiling warmly, her voice filled with quiet wisdom) “Exactly. The power of experience is in the lessons it offers, but we only gain that power when we open ourselves to learning from it. Every experience—good or bad—has something to teach us. The key is to be open to those lessons and to use them to evolve.”

Host: The room feels lighter now, as though the conversation has shifted into something more empowering, more aligned with personal growth. Jack turns from the window, his posture more relaxed, his thoughts clearly reflecting on the power of experience and the importance of using it to move forward. Jeeny watches him, content in the realization that true growth comes not from the experiences we go through, but from how we learn from them. The world outside continues its rhythm, but inside, there’s a shared understanding that the most valuable thing we can do with our experiences is to reflect, learn, and evolve.