Great article. My advice to anyone approaching anything on a computer - whether it's software development, database administration, surfing the web, or just using office productivity applications - is to be curious! In fact it has become my signature tag line.

I also agree with the recommendation for a proper sandbox (invaluable!) and to start with something that's already been done to get you going. I do that all the time. At first, I felt like I was cheating by learning that way. I now look at it as child-like curiosity. You take it apart, see what makes it tick then try to put it back together - and maybe even back together better! It worked for me as a child, and works for my in my current position all the time.

A good manager will serve his/her department well by fostering this within their group. By actually giving their developers/DBA's the time and not just suggesting it, but actually setting it aside for them. Realistically, this is easier for larger organizations with greater depth and overlap of talent.