Encountering new experiences is as inevitable as it is valuable. However, how we respond to these experiences often speaks volumes about our maturity, curiosity, and self-awareness. A common pitfall is the rush to publicize and proclaim these experiences as groundbreaking or unique.

Imagine this: You encounter a challenge or situation for the first time—parenthood, a new town, traveling, work experience. It feels monumental, almost like a revelation. Your first impulse is to broadcast this newfound insight across social media, blogs, or Slack. Armed with the fresh perspective you believe you’ve just unearthed, you’re eager to pen down a guide on how to navigate these waters. You need to spread the good word! Why hasn’t anyone else seen this before?

However, here’s a crucial pause point that’s often missed in the haste to ‘announce’ and ‘educate’ others: the realization that your experience, though new to you, might not be as unprecedented as it seems. This isn’t to diminish the value of your journey or the sincerity of your desire to share and help others. Rather, it’s about recognizing a fundamental truth in human experience — most paths have been tread before, and there’s immense wisdom already available, often just a humble inquiry away.

The failure to acknowledge reflects a lack of experience but can also be a subtle indicator of a lack of curiosity and, perhaps, a touch of narcissism. True curiosity drives us to explore the breadth of our own experiences and the depth of others’. It encourages us to listen, learn, and understand that our individual experiences, while unique in their personal impact, are often universal and timeless. It’s humbling when you realize you are probably standing on the shoulders of giants.

This is not a call to silence your voice or to devalue your experiences. On the contrary, it’s an encouragement to deepen your perspective by integrating it with the collective wisdom and tribal knowledge that precedes you. It’s about recognizing that being a part of this vast tapestry of shared human experience doesn’t make your journey any less significant. Instead, it allows you to navigate with a richer, more informed perspective and, perhaps, a greater sense of humility and connection to those around you.

As we all navigate the complexities of life and work, let’s strive to balance the excitement of sharing our journeys with the wisdom to acknowledge and learn from the vast reservoir of experiences that surround us. After all, life is not just about forging new paths but also about appreciating and learning from the trails laid before us.