# The Difference Between Influence and Experience ### In a World Full of Health Influencers, Experience Still Matters There is something happening right now in the health and wellness world that I believe people need to think carefully about. Many people no longer know who to trust. And honestly, I understand why. The internet has created a strange environment where: - confidence can look like wisdom, - aesthetics can look like authority, - followers can look like experience, - and emotional storytelling can look like expertise. But they are not the same thing. Some of the loudest voices in health and wellness today have never spent years sitting with people, observing patterns, tracking outcomes, watching contradictions unfold, or carrying the responsibility of guiding someone through fear, confusion, chronic symptoms, or real-life healing processes. They have content. That is not the same thing as experience. ## The Problem With “Influencer Expertise” We now live in a world where someone can: - read books, - listen to podcasts, - repeat talking points, - interview recognizable names, - build an audience, - and suddenly become perceived as an “expert.” Meanwhile, there are people who have spent: - 20, - 30, - 40, - or 50 years working directly with human beings and patterns in the real world who remain relatively unknown. That should concern people. Because practical experience matters. Not because experience makes someone automatically correct. But because experience humbles you. Real practitioners eventually learn: - the body is complex, - symptoms are not linear, - people are emotional beings, - patterns repeat, - outcomes vary, - and certainty can become dangerous. Experience creates nuance. The internet often rewards the opposite. ## Observation Is Different Than Opinion One of the things my brother Josh and I were fortunate to inherit from our father, Harvey Bigelsen, was the understanding that observation matters more than ideology. You can theorize endlessly online. But eventually: - you must observe, - correlate, - compare, - track, - and refine. That takes time. It takes years of: - consultations, - histories, - follow-ups, - failures, - contradictions, - and pattern recognition. Our work with Holographic Blood® was never about becoming influencers. It was about learning how to observe terrain patterns in a practical way that could help orient people more clearly. That is very different than simply having opinions online. ## Followers Do Not Equal Depth This is important for younger people especially to understand. A person having: - a podcast, - good branding, - emotional intensity, - attractive visuals, - or a large following does not mean they possess deep understanding. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they absolutely do not. Some of the wisest people I have ever met: - barely use social media, - are not charismatic performers, - and would never call themselves influencers. Meanwhile, some of the most visible people online have almost no practical experience at all. That does not mean they are evil. But it does mean people should slow down before handing over authority. ## Who Should You Listen To? This is the question I get asked constantly. My answer is simple: Listen carefully to people who have spent decades directly observing human beings. Not just studying theory. Not just reacting to headlines. Not just building audiences. People who have: - worked with bodies, - tracked outcomes, - changed their minds over time, - admitted uncertainty, - refined systems, - and developed pattern recognition through direct observation. Experience matters. For example: - Tom Cowan has decades of clinical observation behind his perspective. - Barre Lando has decades of experiential exploration and study. - Many old osteopaths, farmers, bodyworkers, and traditional practitioners possess more practical wisdom than entire online movements. Whether someone agrees with every conclusion those people make is not the point. The point is: their perspectives were forged through lived experience. That matters. ## The Danger of Identity-Based Authority Another issue today is that many people are building identities around being: - “truth tellers,” - “health rebels,” - “awakened voices,” - or “disruptors.” But identity is not the same thing as wisdom either. Sometimes people become more committed to: - maintaining their platform, - protecting their audience, - or preserving their brand than continuing to observe reality carefully. That is dangerous on both sides of the mainstream/alternative divide. ## Experience Creates Weight There is a certain gravity that comes from years of observation. You cannot fake it forever. Eventually, someone who has: - actually worked with people, - tracked patterns, - and carried responsibility speaks differently than someone who has mostly consumed information. You can feel the difference. They are usually: - calmer, - less performative, - less reactive, - more nuanced, - and more grounded in observation rather than ideology. ## The Goal Should Not Be More Influencers Honestly, I think modern culture has become obsessed with visibility. Every young person now thinks they should become: - an influencer, - a thought leader, - a brand, - or a public personality. But the world does not primarily need more influencers. It needs: - more observers, - more grounded practitioners, - more honest educators, - more wisdom, - more humility, - and more people willing to spend years learning before positioning themselves as authorities. ## My Own Reflection I’ll also say this honestly: Part of this reflection comes from my own frustration. There are moments where I watch people rapidly position themselves as experts after only a few years around ideas that others spent decades developing through direct experience. That can feel frustrating. But ultimately, resentment is not productive. The better path is: - clearer communication, - stronger demonstration, - better education, - and building work that speaks for itself. Because in the long run, substance matters. At least I still believe it does.