Experience can kill
Wild leopards are notoriously elusive. It is such a rush and privilege to spot a wild leopard.
They are sensitive to the slightest sounds, and will usually run for cover or up the nearest tree at the sight of humans.
Fear in the face of the unknown is a useful evolutionary strategy in nature, where death could be around the next rock or bush.
Yet, there are safari parks where leopards will walk beside your vehicle, with seemingly no concern for their safety. There are noticeable differences in the behaviour of wild animals that have repeated exposure to humans in protected areas. Over time, they have come to view the objectively dangerous large vehicles with humans inside as part of the landscape. Their senses are no longer heightened at the sight of us - experience has taught them that we are not a threat.
Our senses are dulled with repeated experiences.
This can be a positive - things get easier over time, we are no longer fearful of taking action, and we can build powerful habits.
This can also be dangerous - we become passive decision makers and stick to the status quo, unaware or slow to react to risks, and overconfident that what worked yesterday will continue to work today and into the future.
Experience does not always equip us for the future, what's hidden around the corner. When we have been right about something in the past, we tend to stop seeking alternative solutions. This can actively work against us. This is especially true at times when the pace of change is increasing. As the external environment changes, it is increasingly likely that what worked in the past will not work in the future.
Decisions based on 'experience' can kill businesses. I've witnessed many long standing financial institutions insist that pen and paper and manual processes will continue to be the future. Often this was the decision of a single person, or small group of individuals that had been in their position for a long time - what we might call 'experience'. Ultimately these institutions died.
I've observed people hired for their 'experience' completely destroy teams and underperform themselves because their overconfidence from previous successes prevented them from learning about the new environment and industry they were stepping into.
Experience should never prevent us from continuing to learn, observing our environment, seeking alternative solutions, asking questions, and getting input from others.