Training matters. It builds the foundation. It gives you the tools, the concepts, the “how-to” before you ever step into the real thing. Whether it’s classroom learning, certifications, or shadowing someone else—it helps. It prepares you. But make no mistake: training can only take you so far.

Experience is where it gets real.

In training, you’re told what to do. In the field, you learn what actually works. You see how plans break down, how people react under pressure, how timing, tone, and instinct shape outcomes. No textbook can teach you how to handle a tough conversation when someone’s angry, how to stay calm when everything’s going sideways, or how to pivot on the fly when your first five solutions don’t stick.

Experience is messy. It doesn’t come with step-by-step instructions. It shows up in late nights, hard lessons, missed marks, and small wins that nobody sees. But that’s where the growth happens. That’s where you learn to trust your gut, sharpen your judgment, and find your rhythm.

This doesn’t mean training isn’t valuable. It is. It gives structure. It keeps standards in place. But if you rely on training alone, you’ll freeze the moment something doesn’t go according to plan. You’ll hesitate when it’s time to improvise. You’ll know what should happen, but not what actually happens when the pressure’s on.

The real world is unpredictable. Training gives you the map, but experience teaches you how to read the terrain. And that difference is everything.

So train hard. Prepare well. But remember: you don’t become great by knowing the right answer—you become great by showing up, over and over, and learning what works when it counts.