If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you're not out there, you'll only hear about it.

Pain is not a conduit to art or joy

All these factors are only valuable if you're curious. But in any case, the more knowledge you have, the more things are open and available to you.

You cannot accurately remember color.

The more light you have in an image, the less drama you get. The details start taking over; the mystery is all gone.

If you're not shooting in the right direction, it doesn't matter how well you're shooting.

Since the background is as important as the subject, you mustn't let it default by chance. You must control not only vertical and horizontal, you must be aware of the depth of field (or lack of it) that you want in the background.