I've learned a number of things through the years. While I was in college, the field of psychology was trying to determine the impact of environment as opposed to genetics. That subject is still a continuing debate, but I've reached a few conclusions by myself. Genetics is like being dealt a hand of cards, but you get to name the game and you get to play the cards. Knowing what game to play and how to play the cards is where education comes in. There is nothing in the environment that you cannot overcome. If you learn something that is not right, it can be relearned. Environment is not a valid excuse for anything. Genetics on the other hand is what is a given in this thing we call life. They are the tools that make abilities, looks, personality, and most other traits either easy or hard to develop. We all have a different mix and we all have different strengths and weaknesses. The objective of education is to develop both and make good use of the strong ones and play down the weak ones. Anyone who is happy at what he does for a living has actualized the strong ones.

You can't predict what will happen with genes either. I've seen beautiful people have ugly children and visa versa. Genius level people usually come from people of average intelligence. Different societies value different attributes that are the results of the genes you inherit. This implies that there are good and bad genes. I prefer to think of them as strong and weak. Again education is what helps one discover what is strong and what is weak.

Another bit of wisdom I discovered one day is that many things in life are relative to ones experiences. Beauty/ugly, good/bad, healthy/sickly, moral/amoral/immoral, expensive/cheap, these and most things where there is a value system that is measured on a continuum are relative to one's experience or environment. Most of these things have little importance except in the context of the society and mores of the culture. These are learned behavior or attitudes that vary from one culture and often one class to another.

Don't mess with Mother Nature. On a personal basis this means listen to what your body is saying, I'm not kidding - tune in - eat right, sleep right and don't use drugs (including tobacco) or alcohol. Your body is a chemical machine, if you don't provide it with the right fuel, it doesn't work right. I always felt that sleep was the great healer. Determine what your body needs for sleep (this changes as you age) and see to it that you get it. Your body and mind will work better and you'll feel better.

IBM’s motto used to be "THINK". Take this literally. If you think, before you start to act, you will save yourself much wasted effort, make smarter decisions and be amazed that there usually is a better or smarter way.

Along similiar lines, my favorite quote. "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." Eleanor Roosevelt

Find work that excites you, at least sometimes. Like what you do, but don't make it a love affair. This is somewhat genetic but you've got to recognize what feels good.

Commit to your decisions. If you know there is commitment, you'll make those decisions much more carefully. You'll also be more honest, have more integrity and character. If you've got a decision to make, consider the alternatives carefully and then stick by your decision.

There should be licenses given to those that are allowed to criticize. To obtain the license one must always be constructive. If any criticism is not constructive, you loose the license. The point is to criticize only if you can be constructive and always reinforce positive behavior.

Given the aptitudes and abilities, curiosity is the key to a full, interesting and successful life. You see curiosity incurs knowledge, knowledge produces confidence, and confidence produces courage. By the time you get to courage, you're a hero for the right reasons.

I learned late in life to let emotions be a part of your life and decision making. Otherwise life’s only flavor is vanilla. Life is too short to not allow your emotions a few moments of freedom.