How hindsight can become insight

This morning in a conversation with a capable, experienced friend who, due to the significant changes in governmental regulation, was forced to close a very successful business, we discussed hindsight.
The discussion was that he felt inadequate in sharing any ideas that might help those currently in, or wanting to start a business because he felt that his recent failure would taint his credibility.
After talking a while, we did agree that having good hindsight could easily be translated into extraordinary insight to those people who had yet to walk the path he had walked in business.
My comment was that more most benefits, young or new entrepreneurs might appreciate knowing what to avoid in business, as much as they might appreciate stories of success.
I think an important point is that, as Mike Vance of the Creative Thinking Institute says, "We never really know the power behind the principle of influence, who we influence and how deeply."
Do not de-value experiences just because they have not produced the outcome they were intended to produce. The experiences themselves have value as hindsight, and can easily become the insight of those who have yet to experience the same or similar circumstances.
Hindsight + insight = Farsight, and who among us would not want a big double helping of that?

The HUMANEERING Company works to glean hindsight, farsight and insight, from a variety of books, leaders and projects, to insure that we can then offer that wisdom to our entrepreneurial clients. Visit our website to glimpse our insight.
www.hmnrng.com