What is experience?

Most 20 year olds detest being told that a 35 year old has experience and their way of doing things is better. But its these 20 year olds who turn into these 35 year olds after 15 years.

So, what changes their minds? What is experience anyways?

Youth means looking at a mountain and saying, "well, its a 10 mile trek. If I start climbing now and take 2 breaks, I should reach the top by this afternoon."
Its only after having failed on such a statement that the 20 year old takes a step towards being the 35 year old.

I met a couple of successful dot com era CEO/CTOs yesterday. Pretty smart men. Their first startup was out of a garage. It wasn't successful. In fact, they failed in their first couple of startups until they hit it with the last one and they hit is big.

Its at time like these that I feel good about my first startups. They are doing well and growing.
Maybe we were quick to learn from other people's mistakes. Maybe we were just smart. Or then again, maybe we were just plain lucky.