The Truisms
Good work sooner or later gets recognized
There are a lot of good photographers who need
         it before they are dead

If you walk the walk, sooner or later you'll learn
         to talk the talk
If you talk the talk too much, sooner or later you
         are probably not walking the walk
         (don't bullshit)

Photographers are the only creative people that don't pay
         attention to their predecessors work—if you imitate
         something good, you are more likely to succeed
Whoever originated the idea will surely be forgotten until
         he or she's dead—corollary: steal someone else's idea
         before they die
If you have to imitate, at least imitate something good
Know the difference

Critics never know what they really like
Critics are the first to recognize the importance of that
         which is already known in the community at large
The best critics are the ones who like your work