If I had the chance to learn from my mistakes, I would—but there are too many things you only get to do once. In fact, the most important things in life happen only once, so you never get a second chance to do them better. You do something poorly, then realize how well you could have done it, and you’re ready to get it right next time. But the experience that comes after is entirely different, and new mistakes follow. Being prepared for one experience doesn’t prepare you for the next.