We tend to place too much value in the extra experience we have over “the new guy”.

By way of example, this chart shows how many times more experience I have than my son. Right now, he is 2 and I am 32, which gives me a nice edge. You can see how quickly that edge goes away.

This chart looks the same if you plot how many months you’ve been at a job vs. your peer that was just hired. Or how many times you’ve “gotten lucky” vs. your less-experienced partner. Or the 5-year head start your boss has on you when it comes to people-management experience.

The gap narrows quickly, don’t overestimate the value of your experience.