Some people wear their problems and bad decisions like a badge of honor…”you don’t know what I been through” and “I’ve been through the school of hard knocks”.
In reality though, school isn’t in session until you’re learning something.
If you’re making bad decisions and going through tough times without learning anything, that’s just stupidity, it’s not the school of hard knocks.
Learning in business means you have a defined goal you’re trying to achieve. It means you’re measuring your performance against that standard. It means you’re actively assessing how well you’re current strategies and tactics are getting you that result.
Again, just going about making mistakes and going through hard times…that’s not the school of hard knocks. That’s not the school of anything.
Bizsetup Group 
I think the role of a mentor is very important in this, mentors help people learn from their mistakes especially whilst going through the “School of Hard Knocks”
Very often people focus on the difficult times they or their business are going through rather than why.
If you have access to someone who has been there and done that use their knowledge/advice as best you can.
100% Ray, i agree with all of that fully. I guess, unfortunately not many understand the need for a mentor, and many of those that do, don’t know who or how to get it. Great points though.