We all have a general idea of what we mean by the term experience, but for the sake of clarity, the Oxford Languages dictionary defines experience as “practical contact with and observation of facts or events.” And dictionary.com expands on this by describing the different types of experiences: “such as perception, bodily awareness, memory, imagination, emotion, desire, action and thought.”
But these definitions only capture a part of what is involved in experiences, since for every type of experience there are accompanying distinct meanings for the person who has the experience. The most interesting and important quality of experiences is their meanings for the individuals who have them.
It is the idea of the meanings and interpretations that we give to our experiences that the above quote eludes to; and the implied importance of reflecting on and trying to understand them.
To be successful in life, we must develop the practice of reflecting on our experiences and of trying to clarify and understand their meanings, in order to help us learn from our mistakes, make sense of our lives and guide us in making wise choices.
Getting Personal
On a scale from 1 to 10, how reflective of a person do you consider yourself to be? Are you too reflective or not reflective enough?
Some people criticize the activity of reflection, believing that it interferes with their ability to get things done. Do you agree?
“There is one art of which people should be masters – the art of reflection.” (Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet)
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” (John Dewey, American philosopher, and educational reformer)
“Reflective thinking turns experience into insight.” (John C. Maxwell, American author and motivational speaker)
….Top of post image, (Half moon), by Julien Maculan, from unsplash.com
