When thinking back on my career, just a few simple mottos I have developed come to mind:
Change is good, albeit scary.
Stick to the facts when trying to solve problems. If you get lost in what you expect instead of what you inspect - you will almost always end up on the wrong road.
Break it down when it gets too big.
Try never to burn a bridge, you never know when it may become your best available path.
Most all of my failures could have been avoided by thinking a second time before I hit that button!