The hard road is where excellence is truly forged. There is no path to lasting success or happiness without trial, error, failure, and putting in the effort. Failing is not shameful, nor is coasting admirable. Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” has already succeeded. True growth demands rigor, calculated risks, and a genuine willingness to tackle complexity head-on.

Be prepared for the journey. Take care to value yourself and your experience enough to be proud of it. Have the tools you need, and none that you do not.

In software engineering, getting your environment set up for maximum productivity is the name of the game. But obsessive yak shaving causes damage (four out of five Tibetans agree!), just as people can worry and groom a skin ulcer into existence, or pluck their eyebrows to the verge of extinction.

Balance and intent win the day. Don’t put yourself in a position to paint your eyebrows back on.

Some eventualities are not worth fighting. Keep your bearings, and know when to self-protect if the world takes a whack at you for whatever ridiculous reason. You cannot fight the ocean, but you can surf the waves.

Do not waste it trying to “catch up” with people—spend it with them together. Money can always be made again, and reputations can always be rehabilitated or re-established. Time is to be spent consciously and wisely.

Competence is created through experience, not through credentials. Adversity and failure are the best teachers of all—they impart lessons that no classroom or textbook could ever replicate. Seek challenges, seek hard problems, give an attempt, endure the bruises, and trust that this kind of tuition pays more dividends than any other.

Take care to journal, record, and preserve your history and your contributions—should a reduction in force remove you from a position, the company is incentivized to immediately revoke access to company systems. Keeping personal records is not theft of intellectual property: it is crucial to self-understanding and communicating your story. If 90% of what you produce is stored in company-owned platforms, a single unexpected layoff means you’ll have immediately lost track of most of what you’ve accomplished.

Independence of thought and mind is always necessary, and should you find yourself being exploited in any way, it is time to take a step back. “Never let anybody take advantage of you” is among the best pieces of advice you’re likely ever to receive.

Simplicity is a thing of pure beauty—of elegant perfection—but it is incredibly hard to find and achieve. What is easy is within reach without much effort. Know the difference between complexity and complication. Simplicity is the goal, complexity is an aspect of the universe, and complication is what people do to make situations worse. (With credit to the great Rich Hickey.)

Never dwell on where you are in the moment; focus on direction instead—motivation is the vector, and cannot be waited for. “Motivation” is what describes being in motion, not what causes it, so focus on pursuing direction and jump-starting your movement. It is a verb, not a noun.

Skate to where the puck is headed, and when possible, put it where you want it.