I'm not sure about what I wished I knew when I started my hospitality career at the age of 16 working on the S.S. United States during every college break, but one thing was for certain... It's vitally important to surround yourself with GREAT people who inspire. When younger people ask me for my ad "Weiss" in how to become successful, it always reverts to this, never be satisfied with just "good." There is always a way to be more effective, more creative, more collaborative, more personalised.
One of my mentors reminded me - "Hire hard, train easy." One cannot develop a heart for hospitality- it is in your blood or not. Skills can be taught. How to be kind, service-oriented or empathetic is usually in one's D.N.A. Those are the qualities to be on the lookout for in our world of hospitality.