The passing of rock drumming legend Neil Peart of Rush wouldn’t seem to fit in with this month’s ruminations. But it does – trust me on this. I’d already decided to write about questioning your own experience, based on a passage from a book I read recently. Peart hitting the news reminded me of how he exemplified this very thing – in a positive way, unlike the story from my book.

First let’s talk about the negative example. The book is The Greatest Search and Rescue Stories Ever Told. It’s chock full of tales that have lots of direct ties to what we do in Scouting – and lots that are tangentially tied to what we do in business. One in particular leaped out at me in both regards. Chapter eight is called, “Experience Is No Guarantee.” It’s a collection of shorter stories about very seasoned mountaineers who nonetheless fell victim to the dangers of the mountain. The particular saga subtitled, “Almost Old and Bold,” tells of the final ascent of 58-year-old Norwegian climber Arvid Lahti. On March 26, 2016, he and fellow alpinist Monique Richard, 41, reached the summit of Mt. Ranier and were headed down when a winter storm struck. The two had planned to be up and down that day, and carried no gear for an overnight stay or the frigid conditions they faced. Despite attempting to shelter from the wind and cold among rocks on their route, Lahti died of hypothermia before morning. Richard was rescued by other climbers after daybreak.

For Scouting, the lesson is to follow the Scout Motto and be prepared for unplanned events and conditions. As we spend lots of time outdoors in potentially risky situation, and in possibly dangerous weather, it pays to think about the worst that might happen and pack along some extra gear just in case. Even very experienced Scouts might find themselves, just as Lahti and Richard did, surprised by situations out of their control – situations that can be life-threatening for the unprepared.

Similarly, in the business world, even the most experienced businessman can find himself in the midst of an unanticipated setback. Even if you’ve made similar deals or managed similar project a hundred times before, it always pays to question whether those experiences cover all possible eventualities. Making preparations for problems that are far out of the ordinary, just in case, can be the difference between ultimate success and failure. Or even between business survival and bankruptcy.

On to the more positive side, starring the drummer for Rush. By 2007, Neil Peart had already been regarded as one of the best drummers in history for three decades. What could he possibly have had to learn at that point with respect to his instrument? Yet, invited to play at a tribute concert for legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich, he chose to… take lessons. He signed up to attend the Peninsula Conservatory of Music in St. Catharines, Ontario, for instructions from jazz drumming great Peter Erskine. “…I wanted to take my big-band drumming up a level,” Peart later wrote. “I went over to Peter’s house with my sticks, feeling like a 13-year-old again.”

Again, always be willing to question your experience. Peart could doubtless have performed at that tribute concert with no additional training and had no detractors – except for perhaps himself. It was he who set himself a higher standard, and who, despite being a legend of rock history, submitted to lessons to raise the bar for himself.

For Scouts, there’s always the opportunity to get better. To get to Eagle, Scouts work through six lower ranks, learning new things and taking on new challenges at each step. And an Eagle Scout can continue to earn Merit Badges and get an Eagle Palms award, potentially three times over, for each additional five merit badges beyond the Eagle requirements.

It’s the same in the business world, isn’t it? There are always new things to learn, skills to be refined, classes to take, books to read, mentors and proteges to help develop us. Always challenge your experience. If Neil Peart could learn something new about the drums, you can learn something new about… well, pretty much anything.