How about:
- Its not about code, its about solving problems.
- Learn to cope with change. Programming constantly changes, make sure to deal with it and don't get your self stuck on one thing you can do. Pick the cherries out of every programming language and frameworks out there. You're a C# guy? Do some ruby, you ruby guy? Do some node.
- Don't give a shit about mainstream. Do what works for you. But keep an open mind and consider every option, and always try to investigate why stuff works a certain way.
- Dont freak out if you're lost in new things. Its normal, fork repos, join groups, irc channels get familiar with things.
- There is no end-game. If you think that you're going to be finished in a couple of years you're wrong, there is aways shit tons of new stuff to learn.
- Dont be a perfectionist, its gonna stall you and make you never deliver.
- Always deploy, refactoring shit is easier when you know what problem your code introduces, so don't optimize prematurely.