“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 22:3, ESV)
Those who learn from their mistakes are wise; those who learn from the mistakes of others are wiser. In Education of a Wandering Man, Louis L’Amour explains
I saved myself much hardship by learning from the experiences of others, learning what to expect and what to avoid. I have no doubt that my vicarious experience saved me from mistakes I might otherwise have made—not to say I did not make many along the way.