For many, the secret is learning from their mistakes. I saw a listserv posting almost a year ago. The posting was from a teacher who stopped by the principal's office one day. We learn from our mistakes.
Failure is a great teacher.
Those are not exactly new concepts, are not just hollow words. If it weren't for our failures, none of us would be as good as we are at what we do. I don't mean to be mean-spirited, but my boss loses just about everything. I always make hard copies and document everything. I'm a graduate from the School of Hard Knocks on that issue.